The Montreal Canadiens made a surprise signing on Tuesday, securing the rights to goaltender Connor Hughes with a one-year contract.
Hughes is an undrafted 27-year-old Canadian who has been playing in the National League (NL) and Swiss League (SL) since 2017-18. His numbers have been quite good during his time in Switzerland, as he’s managed to maintain a .914 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average in 75 games in the NL.
His last season with Laussane HC was impressive, leading to a 10-6-1 record and a sparkling .940 save percentage during the regular season, not to mention a .933 save percentage in the playoffs.
We should also note he was being coached by former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Christobal Huet, one of the most underrated goalies in franchise history.
At 6’4″, Hughes has an ideal frame for a goaltender, giving him the type of wingspan that can bail him out of trouble should his agility come into question, though from the limited highlights we have available, Hughes doesn’t project as a particularly slow goaltender given his size.
According to Swiss Hockey analyst and friend of the site Thibaud Chatel, Hughes is considered an elite goaltender in the NL and is currently in his statistical prime.
Hughes finished the season as the best goaltender at 5v5 while putting up the seventh-best number on the penalty kill. Like many goaltenders, his glove-side saves could stand to be improved, but overall, the analysis suggests the Habs signed a good-value player.
Impact On the Montreal Canadiens Organization
Hughes won’t be pushing for a spot in the NHL, but he will serve as a good mentor and relief partner for prospect Jakub Dobes, who is set to play his second professional season next year with the Canadiens AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
Dobes had a rough start to his rookie season, owing to a lack of support since Cayden Primeau was stuck in limbo in the NHL. The Canadiens eventually signed veteran goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo, which led to an immediate uptick in results from Dobes, not to mention a string of wins from Kaskisuo which pushed the Rocket up the standings, putting them within range of making the playoffs.
Of course, the Rocket did not qualify for the playoffs, but if the team had been a little more proactive in fixing the goaltending situation their odds of earning a playoff berth would have greatly improved.
Thankfully, they seem to have learned from their mistake last season by ensuring the goaltender situation is taken care of well before the midway point of the season.
Hughes’ contract means the Habs are not inclined to bring back Kaskisuo, which is a little surprising seeing as he played quite well for the Rocket and was an incredible affable player, but such is life in the AHL.
Veterans come and veterans go.
This also means that Primeau can start the season with some semblance of clarity as to his role. Since joining the franchise, Primeau has been stuck in overcrowded creases that have led to very few starts, far from an ideal situation for any developing player, let alone a goaltender.
Giving him a chance to finally prove his worth is certainly a logical path forward, and should allow him to focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about how many weeks he’ll have to wait before getting his next start.
