Kent Hughes: The Master of August Trades

Even though Monahan’s contract expired after that season, he agreed to sign a 1-year $1.985 million contract to prove he can stick around in the NHL. This contract helped both the Canadiens and Monahan. During the 2023-24 season, Monahan managed to stay healthy with the Habs, where he put up 13 goals and 35 points in 49 games. Hughes took advantage of Monahan’s good play to ship him off to the Winnipeg Jets for a 1st round pick in 2024. Monahan also used his time with the Habs and Jets to sign a 5-year deal worth $5.5 million per year and revitalize his career.

The 1st round pick (26th overall) that the Habs got from the Jets was eventually packaged alongside a 2nd round pick and a 7th round pick in the same draft to the L.A. Kings to move up in the 1st round and select centre Michael Hage 21st overall.

The other first-round pick that the Canadiens got for taking Sean Monahan was used to acquire Noah Dobson at this year’s draft. The Habs managed to get Michael Hage and Noah Dobson just by using their extra cap space in the summer of 2022. This is as clear a masterclass as you can get from Kent Hughes.

In the summer of 2023, Hughes made a move to get rid of two players who no longer fit in the team’s plans by shipping Rem Pitlick and Mike Hoffman out in a 3-team trade with the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins that sent Erik Karlsson to the Penguins as the main piece. Hughes got Casey DeSmith, Jeff Petry, a 2nd round pick (the real valued piece), and prospect Nathan Legare (just a throw-in).

Petry and DeSmith were never in the Habs’ plans, and they were quickly shipped off in the next few weeks following the trade. Hughes did Petry a favor and traded him to his hometown Detroit Red Wings at 50% retained for defenseman Gustav Lindstrom. The Canadiens were able to swallow a part of his salary while also getting a reclamation project in Lindstrom.

Sadly, Lindstrom didn’t worked out well, but Petry was never the real reward given he was always going to force a trade out of Montreal as he did the year earlier. Meanwhile, the Habs were able to get forward Tanner Pearson for Casey DeSmith. Pearson was a serviceable bottom-six forward who gave the Habs some good play during the 2023-24 season.

The 2nd round pick was used to move up at this year’s draft and select Russian winger Alexander Zharovsky, who could end up becoming a key part of the team someday.

Time will tell if the Zharovsky pick pans out, but as it stands now, when we include the Laine trade, it’s evident that Hughes is good at asset management come August. It will be interesting to see if Hughes continues the August trade tradition within the next 10 days.