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.
While Hughes stated it is possible he could make another move, it will come down to cost.
“It’s going to come down to who’s available, at what cost,” Hughes said. “And if we’re acquiring a more experienced player that can help us in the here and now more so than in the future, what kind of commitment are we making to that player? Are we acquiring a guy with four or five years left? Are we acquiring a guy with a year left? What do we look like a month from now health-wise and everything else with an Olympic break for some, not all, obviously?”
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As we know, the Canadiens are ahead of their rebuild, having made the playoffs last season, when the original goal was to play meaningful games. The original goal for this season in the minds of Executive Vice President Jeff Gorton and GM Kent Hughes was to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Thus, instead of being sellers last season, the Canadiens stood pat outside of adding Alexandre Carrier earlier in the season. Captain Nick Suzuki forced the hand of Hughes, and there was a belief in the room that they could make the playoffs. Montreal was more aggressive in the offseason, adding defenseman Noah Dobson on Day 1 of the 2025 NHL Draft. Not to mention trading for Zach Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues.
While Oliver Kapanen has filled 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 isn’t afraid to use the assets they have accumulated over the years to bolster the roster.
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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 will be in to determine whether the team needs to add another top-six player with a little more physicality and a little more playoff experience.
“The longer we can wait to make that decision, the better off we are, unless something arrives between now and then that’s too good to turn down,” Hughes continued. “Is it one or two years or five or six? I would imagine the shorter term is preferable, depending on the player, right?”
As Hughes mentioned, 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 has reported.
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There is a good chance the playoff salary cap is a factor in the inactivity. 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 playoff roster once they are fully healthy.
However, that will be a while, as Hughes stated they are not rushing Ghule or Dach back into the lineup. As with other teams, like the Florida Panthers, trade-deadline acquisitions for the Montreal Canadiens could be their own players.
Like any GM in the NHL, Kent Hughes remains active in the trade market, but it will come down to the cost of the player. Right now, prices are high with many teams still in the race. Does that change if teams fall out?
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