If the Montreal Canadiens are indeed aiming to be in the playoff mix for next season, they have quite the summer ahead of them.
It may have been another 28th-place finish for the Canadiens this season, but the progress was notable; giving general manager Kent Hughes the necessary data he needs to make some big changes.
The rebuild is certainly not over, but, after three drafts of picking in the top-10 and two summers of asset-hoarding, it seems the Canadiens have hit a new step in their rebuild.
It’s important not to repeat the mistakes of divisional rivals like the Ottawa Senators, who jumped the gun at the first glance of success and sacrificed prime assets only to fail to make the playoffs for last seven successive seasons.
If the goal is to improve, here are the biggest areas of concern heading into NHL draft in June 2024:
Another Draft-Time Trade?
Over the last two seasons, the Montreal Canadiens have been aggressive around the draft, not only in selecting young talent, but also in acquiring it via trade.
The Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook acquisitions have been big parts of the early steps of Kent Hughes’ rebuild plans.
However, it does feel like the Canadiens have to be nearing the time to make a move like the Vancouver Canucks did back in 2019 to acquire star forward J.T. Miller.
Miller may only have capped off as an elite player over the last two seasons, but adding an elite player via trade that grew with the core of the team is one of the main reasons the Vancouver Canucks sit at top of the Pacific division.
But who fits that kind of description?
Trevor Zegras, Martin Necas and possibly even Jordan Kyrou could be interesting targets for the Montreal Canadiens, as the Ducks, Hurricanes and Blues look primed to make some big moves this summer.
The Canadiens have the draft capital, including Winnipeg’s 1st-round pick and a boatload of prospects, to make an interesting package, as well as the necessary cap space to fit their salaries under the cap.
Is this the summer for the monster trade?
It would be more shocking that the Canadiens stand pat, but perhaps it may be a smaller move for an uber-talented youngster like Cole Perfetti, Kent Johnson or Alex Holtz that may be the gamble to take.
Needless to say, the Canadiens will be shopping for scoring this summer.
Which Defenceman Will be Traded?
The Montreal Canadiens have an overabundance of left-shot defencemen, which Kent Hughes admitted will help them on the trade front.
But who will the Habs look to move?
It’s easy to throw around names like Jordan Harris or Jayden Struble in the mix, and they do have value, but perhaps a more valuable piece will be required for a big trade.
Names like Logan Mailloux, Adam Engstrom or Justin Barron would likely hold more value in a trade at the moment, given their size and offensive ability.
But one shouldn’t rule out the possibility of the Canadiens taking calls on David Savard, who drew interest from a couple of interested teams at the trade deadline, like the New York Islanders.
Early playoff exits could increase the pool of interested candidates in his services, and with a rising salary cap, there could be a better fit to acquire some extra assets to help the club in future trades.
Will The Canadiens Draft a Forward?
Kent Hughes has mentioned that, if the best player available is a defenceman, they would consider either trading up or down in order come June 28.
Then, last week, he seemingly didn’t rule out the possibility of drafting a right-shot defenceman, after pointing out how stacked the team was with left-shooting defencemen.
It seemingly opens the door for the potential selection of top defencemen Artyom Levshunov or Zayne Parekh, if available, as either would instantly become the Canadiens’ brightest hope on defence. And, as has been said in a previous article, if one of those right-shot defencemen are available, which is more likely to be Parekh, the Canadiens will have to think about long and hard.
That being said, the priority does seem to be looking at a forward, with the likes of Cayden Lindstrom, Ivan Demidov, Tij Iginla, Cole Eiserman, Konsta Helenius and Berkly Catton at the top of the list.
However, the Canadiens opening the door to moving the pick was not only a message to the fans, but also to rival general managers.
Sources familiar with this year’s draft expect there to be a run of defencemen selected in the range of 2nd overall all the way down to sixth or seventh overall.
With the draft having five potential first-pair defencemen going in the top 10 the Canadiens could take advantage of their rival’s strong desire for defence or partake in the party themselves.
But, should the Canadiens draft a defenceman for their first pick, one should expect another move for a forward in to give Montreal’s current roster a boost in the short and long term.
The possibilities are endless.
Buckle Up
There’s still a little under two months until the 2024 NHL Draft, but the stage is set for an exciting summer for Canadiens fans.
With Kent Hughes looking primed and ready to help his young roster take the next step, the decisions taken this summer could be the most influential yet.
But, as always with this current edition of the Montreal Canadiens management team: expect the unexpected.
More must-reads: