Kent Hughes says he’s confident: he’ll make a trade

The fact that they held the draft tonight doesn't change anything in his eyes.

Why? Because he believes it wasn't his late first-round pick that tipped the scales regarding the possibility of acquiring an impact player via trade.

The GM, who noted that he can trade picks in the future or even players who were previously selected in the first round, believes that the fact that several high picks (top-10) have been traded has diminished the value of late-first-round picks.

He therefore preferred to draft a player who was well-liked throughout the organization.

The GM also noted that he's receiving numerous calls about his prospects. He's open to making moves in that direction, but any trade must absolutely be worth it if he's going to make one. That's not easy to do when you don't control the market as a buyer.

We'll see. But the GM said it's going to happen even if it costs a lot, so…

contract extension

– Kent Hughes reiterated that a player he can sign to a long-term deal is more appealing. A player whose contract is expiring isn't a deal he's eager to make this summer.

– The GM prefers the centralized draft to what we've seen over the past two years.

– According to the Canadiens' executive, we should expect the market to be active in the coming days. And it could stretch well into the summer.

– Did Kent Hughes let slip that Ivar Sterberg is the most talented player in the 2026 draft?