Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes spoke to the media on Friday afternoon after refraining from making any trades on deadline day. While some are displeased, to say the least, with the lack of action in Montreal today, Hughes seemed at peace with his decision.
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In short, he had promised his players in September that he didn’t have a plan for this year and that their play would dictate his actions at the deadline. He admitted that his plan had changed since the 4 Nations Face-Off break. The Canadiens went into the break on a losing streak, and he was getting ready to trade his pending UFAs, but he had a conversation with captain Nick Suzuki.
Essentially, he told his captain that it was on his shoulders. He added that Suzuki shouldn’t come to him and tell him what not to do when the players hadn’t done what they needed to do. After that conversation and once the action resumed in the NHL, the Canadiens put a five-game winning streak together, and Hughes had to shift course. According to Hughes, the coaching staff was of the same view as the players, they wanted a chance to finish what they had started with the group.
The GM was clear: He is happy with what his team has accomplished but unsatisfied. At no point did he tell himself his work was done and that he had put together a team that would contend for the Stanley Cup for years to come; he’s not there yet. He will keep trying to improve his team this offseason, but he kept quiet on his priorities.
Various questions tried to get him to say Kirby Dach didn’t turn in what people think Hughes wanted him to be, a second-line center, but he refused to do that. He answered that he acquired Dach to be a good player on his team and that this latest injury leaves him with more unknowns than he would have liked.
He also explained that it was a seller's market, which made it easy for him not to give in to the temptation to get short-term help and overpay.
As for potential help for the Laval Rocket, Hughes explained that once Oliver Kapanen’s season ends in Sweden, he should return to this pond side and play for Pascal Vincent’s men. Unsurprisingly, he was then asked if the same could be expected from goaltender Jacob Fowler, Hughes explained that since he’s in the NCAA it was up to him to decide how soon he wanted to turn pro.
On Kaiden Guhle, Hughes couldn't say if he would be ready to return before the end of the season, but he did add that if he was ready and the Canadiens were out of the playoffs race, they would tell him to sit the rest of the year out and not rush him.
On the Jake Evans contract, the GM was quite open, explaining that Evans is a good player and a very person, liked both in the room and in the organization. Even though the signing took some time, the communication channels were open at all times, and Evans was kept informed of which teams he could potentially be traded to. Before pulling the trigger, though, he tried to negotiate once more, and it worked out.
This sends an interesting message to other players: Hughes is fair, frank, and open in his dealings with his players, whether signing new contracts or deciding his next course of action.
Some will tell you Hughes did nothing today, but I think that’s unfair. By not being a seller, he confirmed he believes this rebuild is entering a new stage; the general asset accumulation phase is over, and it’s time to learn to win. The Canadiens still have missing pieces, but they will now have to target those specific needs; the time of picking up any draft pick is over.
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