Canadiens GM’s latest comments will fire up fans

The Montreal Canadiens made one of the biggest trades of the offseason, picking up Noah Dobson. After making the postseason for the first time since 2021, they needed a big addition to push their core forward. And without many of the biggest free-agent names making it to market, the Habs made a massive trade. Canadiens GM Kent Hughes made a Stanley Cup declaration in a press conference capping the offseason.

“My focus is more so on what we can do to build a team that’s capable of competing for the Stanley Cup,” Hughes said, per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. “The reality is, we’re not going to put the perfect team together over the course of one summer. We recognize we have other things we’d like to accomplish… I don’t see us accomplishing everything all at once.”

The Canadiens traded both of their 2025 first-round picks to the New York Islanders for Dobson. They are cashing in the chips they have picked up in their rebuilding years to win now. That continued with a July 1 trade that sent defenseman Logan Mailloux to St Louis for winger Zach Bolduc. With Dobson and Lane Hutson on the blue line, Montreal could sacrifice the prospect for a scorer like Bolduc.

The Canadiens should be in a prime position to make a postseason run next year. With a weak Metropolitan Division predicted for next year, both Wild Card spots could be open for Atlantic Division teams. And with rising goaltenders Sam Montembeault and Jakob Dobes gaining experience, anything can happen in the postseason.

The Canadiens have also been talking with the St Louis Blues about picking up Jordan Kyrou in a trade. While the forwards’ no-movement clause has kicked in, he could approve a trade to Montreal to join the ascending team. Does Hughes have more moves up his sleeve?