October 31, 2024 | 10:50am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

CANADIENS CONTINUE TO EVALUATE TRADE MARKET

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes

The Montreal Canadiens are open for business, sort of.

Habs GM Kent Hughes is looking to improve his roster and compliment the club’s young core at either end of the ice and is on the hunt for a mid-six power forward and a reliable, two-way defenceman.

Montreal’s mandate, however, remains the same: the team is not interested in giving up young assets or high draft picks for short-term fixes. Hughes is looking to add a body or two with NHL experience in the early-to-mid 20s range.

Multiple reports surfaced last week that the Canadiens were fishing for a top-four blueliner, while TFP’s David Pagnotta first reported on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio that Hughes was also exploring the trade market for a gritty, edgy forward to add to the team’s second- or third-line.

The Canadiens share the same 4-5-1 record as divisional rivals in Boston, Buffalo and Detroit. While the playoffs made be a stretch for this team as it continues down its rebuilding path, management had hoped for a better start to the 2024-25 campaign.

Hughes has salary cap flexibility to maneuver if and when he decides to play goalie Carey Price on LTIR and utilize his $10.5 million cap hit in overage space.

It is unclear whom the Canadiens are specifically targeting, but if the right deal presents itself that focuses on a young, NHL-proven or NHL-ready athlete, Hughes would be willing to part with the appropriate assets to get a trade completed.