The Montreal Canadiens met with the media on Monday following their Friday night loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. Montreal took steps this season in its rebuild. Despite how their season ended, the 2025-26 Montreal Canadiens were a feel-good, successful story.
In year four of their rebuild, the Canadiens reached the Conference Final, and both Executive Vice President Jeff Gorton and General Manager Kent Hughes know there is still more work to do on the roster.
Gorton and Hughes on the Opportunity to Add Players This Offseason
Jeff Gorton: “I would say every summer has opportunities, but it’s hard to say unless we know the opportunity. But like last summer, we went in hoping to add to our core group. Find somebody at the right ages to fit in there.
I think this summer we’ll go in with the same approach. We’re going to try to keep going, but we don’t know what’s next until it comes along. It’s early on, so it’s hard to say what might be available to us. We’ve been pretty aggressive, trying to go forward. So, I don’t see how that would change anything.”
Kent Hughes: “So you read a lot of speculation, I think, on social media and elsewhere about who may or may not be available. I’ve started to make the rounds by contacting teams. But sometimes players’ availability is team-driven, sometimes it’s player-driven.
So ultimately, it’s my job to make sure we’re on top of things and fully aware of what opportunities might be out there that allow us to, um, advance what we’re trying to accomplish in an intelligent manner.”
Kent Hughes knows that adding assets to their team will come at a price, but he will not give away key assets for players on expiring deals.
Kent Hughes added, “It is unlikely we are going to trade for a guy for one that gives us a chance to be better and compete for a Cup at the expense of some really important pieces of the future.
Hopefully we can continue to do what we’ve done, which is where we are aggressive in adding its players that can continue to help us, uh, short-term but also medium and long-term.”
It will be interesting to see where the Montreal Canadiens look this summer. A second line and a right-shot defenseman are needs Hughes and Gorton will look into for the group to improve.
Again, Montreal had an opportunity to do something at the trade deadline but could not get it over the finish line. Kent Hughes mentioned he will try to revisit, but will also look at other players that could be available this offseason.
The Future of Brendan Gallagher
An emotional Brendan Gallagher acknowledged that his time with the Montreal Canadiens is up. Gallagher knew the writing was on the wall and played his last game for the Canadiens back in Round 1 of the playoffs.
Priyanta Emrith: “Brendan Gallagher on if it’s his decision to move on: “It is obviously my decision, but you’re kinda forced into it. I would love to stay here and love to be a part of this group, but for me, you have to give yourself an opportunity as a player to contribute…”
Gallagher is Open to a Trade and Going Home to Vancouver
Priyanta Emrith: “Brendan Gallagher on possibly going to the #Canucks: “That’s an opportunity that’s there… I’ll sit down with my wife and figure out what’s best for our family and you go forward but certainly Vancouver would be a great place.”
Montreal Canadiens Want to Sign Ivan Demidov
Beyond making trades and updating the roster to help the team succeed on the ice, Ivan Demidov needs a new contract, and GM Kent Hughes views him as a core player. Demidov himself wants to get a deal done.
HabsonReddit: “There’s no doubt we see Ivan Demidov as a core player on the team. I’m going to have discussions with his agent (Dan Milstein) in the next week I imagine. I believe Ivan loves Montreal and loves to play for the Canadiens. I’m waiting to hear ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ We’re going to find a way to sign a contract. You never know if a player likes a long-term or short-term deal but ideally we will sign him to a long-term contract.”
Marco D’Amico: “Ivan Demidov says he wants to remain in Montreal and confirms that he wants to sign long-term with the Canadiens. Demidov confirms the conversation that took place between him and Lane Huston, which Huston spoke about during the locker break-up day.”
Demidov wants to get the deal done as soon as possible. He doesn’t want any distractions.
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