Kent Hughes’ dilemma as the deadline approaches

So for the first time, the possibility of actually making a trade is on the table. And we don’t know how Kent Hughes works when he’s put in that position at the deadline.

We’ll find out in the next 101 hours.

What you need to know is that the Canadiens don’t have a mandate to go all in starting in 2026. The focus remains on the future of the club, and the CH’s GM won’t want to jeopardize that.

We shouldn’t necessarily expect any big trades. But will he make any small ones?

I don’t think there will be any changes in front of the net or in the top six. But it’s possible that the Canadiens will want to add some depth to their offense or a more reliable sixth defenseman.

Right now, the defenseman market is the talk of the town.

So here’s Kent Hughes’ dilemma: should he add depth and risk affecting the club’s excellent chemistry just to trade four pennies for a dime… or should he stick with the status quo, which might not go down well?

I say this because there will always be people in hockey who see a GM’s inaction as a rejection of the club.

Because even though the CH may have a surplus of offensive players, not everything is perfect in terms of depth. Phillip Danault’s trio, with the case of Josh Anderson coming to mind, is not necessarily delivering the goods. Jake Evans’ trio, meanwhile, does not necessarily have a clear identity.

Will the GM prefer to pay to add to a group that is overflowing with depth in order to get a better player (on paper) than those already in place? We don’t know.

That depth has given the Canadiens the resources to weather the injuries that are inevitable in a season. That’s why, in games following a loss this season, no one in the NHL has done better than the Canadiens.

So we repeat the question: how does Kent Hughes see it all, he who has already added Alexandre Texier and Phillip Danault along the way this season? How much will market prices dampen his enthusiasm?

The next few days will tell us a lot. And after that, the players’ reaction following the deadline will be even more revealing of what lies ahead for the club.

Overtime

My prediction?

The Canadiens will trade Patrik Laine and go after some sandpaper on offense. I don’t know if that sandpaper will come in the form of a trade or the recall of Samuel Blais sometime before the end of the season.
Defensively, Kent Hughes will acquire a depth defenseman (it could be a guy who plays in Laval and has NHL experience, at worst), but he won’t touch his situation in front of the net. What do you think?