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Revisiting the Canadiens’ Brett Kulak Trade

Brett Kulak, Montreal Canadiens (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

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Revisiting the Canadiens’ Brett Kulak Trade

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By William Bourget | Last updated Jul 27, 2026 9:55 AM ET

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The Montreal Canadiens have made no shortage of trades during their rebuild, but few have had a bigger long-term impact than many expected. When Kent Hughes dealt Brett Kulak to the Edmonton Oilers at the 2022 trade deadline, it looked like a straightforward move involving a pending unrestricted free agent. More than four years later, however, that deal has become one of the organization’s most important transactions, largely because of what Montreal did with the assets it received.

The Trade

On March 21, 2022, the Canadiens traded Kulak to the Oilers in exchange for defenseman William Lagesson, a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and a seventh-round pick in 2024. At the time, the trade made perfect sense for both organizations.

Montreal was still in a rebuild and had little reason to keep a veteran defenseman who was entering unrestricted free agency. Rather than risk losing Kulak for nothing a few months later, Hughes capitalized on Edmonton’s desire to strengthen its blue line ahead of what it hoped would be a deep playoff run.

For the Oilers, Kulak represented exactly the type of player contenders often look for at the trade deadline. He was a reliable, mobile left-shot defenseman capable of playing up and down the lineup while logging important defensive minutes. He wasn’t a flashy acquisition, but he gave Edmonton stability and valuable playoff experience at a reasonable cost.

At the time, the trade looked like a solid hockey deal that benefited both sides. Nobody could have predicted just how valuable that second-round pick would eventually become for Montreal.

Kulak Found Success in Edmonton

Kulak quickly established himself as an important part of the Oilers’ defensive group and went on to play three full seasons with the organization. During his time in Alberta, he became a dependable veteran who could handle difficult defensive assignments while contributing valuable depth during lengthy playoff runs.

The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final twice with Kulak on their blue line, and while he wasn’t the team’s biggest star, he consistently filled his role. Every championship contender needs players capable of playing reliable minutes without demanding the spotlight, and Kulak proved to be exactly that.

His time in Edmonton eventually came to an end in December 2025 when the Oilers traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins alongside goaltender Stuart Skinner and a second-round pick in exchange for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin. That wasn’t the end of his journey, however. Just a few months later, the Penguins flipped Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche, where he once again joined a playoff contender.

For Kulak personally, the trade from Montreal opened the door to some of the best years of his NHL career. He became a trusted veteran on competitive teams and enjoyed far more playoff success than he likely would have had if he had remained with the rebuilding Canadiens.

The Return Became Even Better Than Anyone Imagined

While Kulak enjoyed plenty of success after leaving Montreal, the Canadiens ultimately emerged as the biggest winners of the trade.

William Lagesson never developed into more than organizational depth, and the 2024 seventh-round pick has yet to produce an NHL contributor. Those two pieces alone certainly wouldn’t have made this trade memorable. Everything changed because of that 2022 second-round pick. With the selection acquired from Edmonton, the Canadiens drafted Lane Hutson, a player many teams passed on because of concerns about his size despite his elite offensive talent and hockey IQ.

The rest is history. Hutson has rapidly developed into one of the NHL’s most exciting young defensemen and has completely transformed Montreal’s blue line. His elite skating, vision and offensive creativity have given the Canadiens a true game-breaking talent capable of controlling play every time he steps onto the ice.

More importantly, Hutson has become one of the foundational pieces of the Canadiens’ rebuild. Alongside players like Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle and the organization’s other young defensemen, he has helped create a blue line that looks capable of competing for years to come.

When Hughes made the Kulak trade, the goal was simply to maximize the value of an expiring asset. Landing a future franchise defenseman was never the expectation. That’s exactly what happened.

Sometimes the biggest trades aren’t the blockbuster deals that dominate headlines. Sometimes they’re the smart, patient moves that quietly lay the foundation for the next great Canadiens team. The Kulak trade has become one of those moves, and its impact on Montreal’s blue line could be felt for the next decade.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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