Montreal Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes met with the media on Tuesday and discussed several topics, including the possibility of making another move after signing Alexandre Texier and trading for center Phillip Danault.
Although Hughes said he may take another step, it will come down to costs.
“It’s going to come down to who’s there, the numbers,” Hughes said. “And if we get an experienced player who can help us here and now more than in the future, what kind of commitment do we make to that player? Are we getting a guy who has four or five years? Are we getting a guy who has a year left? How do we look a month from now health-wise and everything else with the Olympic break for some, not all, obviously?”
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As we know, the Canadiens are ahead of their rebuild, they made the playoffs last season, where the first goal was to play meaningful games. The number one goal this season on the minds of Executive Vice President Jeff Gorton and GM Kent Hughes was to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
So, instead of trading last season, the Canadiens stopped short of adding Alexandre Carrier early in the season. Captain Nick Suzuki forced Hughes’ hand, and there was a belief in the room that they could make the playoffs. Montreal was very aggressive in the offseason, adding defenseman Noah Dobson on Day 1 of the 2025 NHL Draft. Not to mention the trade for Zach Bolduc from St. Louis. Louis Blues.
While Oliver Kapanen has filled in admirably as a second-line center, the Canadiens are still in the market for a 2C. Gorton said at the beginning of the season that he is not afraid to use the assets they have accumulated over the years to strengthen the lineup.
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Not to mention, Hughes noted that the more information he gathers between now and the trade deadline, the better position he’ll be in to decide if the team needs to add another top-six player with less physicality and less playoff experience.
“The longer we can wait to make that decision, the better, unless something comes up between now and it’s best to say no,” Hughes continued. “Is it one or two or five or six years? I would think a shorter period would be preferred, depending on the player, right?”
As Hughes said, there aren’t many sellers right now, with so many teams in the playoff race, especially in the Eastern Conference. Hughes expects the trade deadline to be quieter than usual, as NHLRumors.com reported.
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It is more likely that the playoff salary cap is the cause of the unemployment. As the Montreal Canadiens continue to deal with injuries to Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle, Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook, Jake Evans, and Josh Anderson, they will have decisions to make regarding their roster once healthy.
However, that will be short-lived, as Hughes said they are not chasing Ghule or Dach to return to the lineup. Like other teams, such as the Florida Panthers, the Montreal Canadiens’ trade deadline acquisitions could be their players.
Like any GM in the NHL, Kent Hughes is still active in the trade market, but it will come down to player fees. Currently, prices are high as many teams are still in the race. Does that change when teams fail?
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