Two years after being acquired by Calgary in a draft-day trade, he left the Flames in another such deal. At the 2008 NHL Entry Draft on June 20, 2008, the Flames granted his request and sent Tanguay to the Montreal Canadiens, along with a fifth round draft pick, in exchange for a first round pick in 2008 and a second rounder in 2009. Tanguay accepted the trade to Montreal despite previously saying he would never want to play for the Canadiens and expressing worries about being a French-Canadian player in the Montreal spotlight.