The Montreal Canadiens have already done plenty of work this offseason, but Kent Hughes has never been the type to stop once the first wave of moves is over. He tends to circle back when other teams get squeezed, and this market has a few clubs worth watching.
Dallas is the cleanest example. After signing Jason Robertson to a new contract, the Stars are now about $1.3 million over the salary cap and have to carve out space before opening night. That kind of pressure can create bargains, especially when a team is forced to move useful veterans instead of the names it would rather keep.
Radek Faksa fits that mold. He brings size, physical play and penalty-killing value, the kind of dependable bottom-six center who can help if the price stays reasonable.
Sam Steel is another name to keep in mind because he can line up at center or wing and could slide into a fourth-line role while still giving a little offense. Tyler Myers also checks a box Montreal has been trying to address for a while: more size on the blue line.
He is not the same player he once was, but his reach and experience could still help a bottom pairing.
Vancouver is a different kind of situation. The Canucks’ issues are tied less to the cap and more to the direction of the franchise, which has pushed several veterans into trade chatter. Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk and Filip Hronek have all had their names out there in recent months.
Montreal probably won’t be the team making a big swing for that group. Pettersson’s cap hit is not appealing, and even if the return is manageable, the fit is still questionable. Hronek would add to an already crowded Canadiens defense, and DeBrusk does not really look like the kind of target Hughes is chasing right now.
But once a team starts selling, the real value can show up lower on the depth chart. Young players who have slipped down the lineup, former first-round picks looking for a reset and dependable role players can all become available at a much friendlier price. That is the sort of move Montreal has done well under Hughes, and Vancouver could open the door to another one if the Canucks keep reshaping their roster.
Anaheim is the other club to watch. The Ducks still have about $9 million in cap space on paper, but that number is going to shrink once restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier signs his next deal.
Then came another wrinkle: Anaheim matched Leo Carlsson’s massive five-year offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers worth $18 million annually. That changes the financial picture fast and could force the Ducks to move money somewhere else.
That is where the Canadiens could step in. Anaheim has built one of the deepest young forward and defense groups in the league, and not everyone is going to have a clear path to major minutes. If the Ducks need to clear salary, Montreal has the flexibility to take on contracts other teams might have to avoid.
The Canadiens do not need to rush into anything else before the season starts. The roster is already in better shape, and the organization has made patience part of the plan.
Still, that does not mean Hughes should stop scanning the market. These are the kinds of situations he likes to work, and if the past is any guide, another bargain could be waiting before training camp opens.
In Other News...
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The front office also made sure the structure around the bench stayed intact, extending Gulls general manager Rick Paterson on a multi-year deal. For a Ducks system that leans heavily on its development path, keeping the same leadership in place matters almost as much as the names on the ice. Elsewhere around the hockey world, Vancouver moved Cammi Granato into a senior amateur advisory role, while Matvei Petrov is heading to a tryout with Spartak in the KHL after Edmonton chose not to tender him. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Goalie Prospect Suddenly Chose A Different Path
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For the Ducks, the story is not a clean break. Anaheim kept his NHL rights by extending a qualifying offer, which means the club still controls his future through the 2028-29 season if he eventually circles back. For now, though, the next chapter is happening far from Southern California, and the details of where hell actually play next season make the situation a little more layered than a simple departure. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Just Took A Major Step With Their Top Draft Pick
The Ducks have moved quickly to lock in Nikita Klepov, signing their top draft pick to a three-year entry-level contract after his standout rookie season with the OHLs Saginaw Spirit. Anaheim did not announce the financial terms, but the deal gives the organization a clearer line of sight on one of its most intriguing young wingers, who had already built some momentum before turning pro.
Klepovs path now gets more complicated, though, because the contract changes his development options and closes the door on his previously planned route to Michigan State. With full-time AHL play not on the table next season, Anaheim will have to decide whether he stays in junior or pushes for NHL minutes, and the deal can still slide if he appears in nine or fewer games. [Read more 🡒]