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...
Dylan Larkin Buzz Puts Stars Fans Back In A Familiar Debate
The Dylan Larkin chatter has put Stars fans right back into a familiar kind of offseason debate, the one where a big-name center suddenly becomes part of the conversation and Dallas has to be measured against the rest of the league. Larkins no-trade clause leaves only a short list of acceptable destinations, and Dallas is on it alongside Minnesota, Vegas and Florida, which is enough to keep the speculation alive even without any real movement yet.
For the Stars, the appeal is obvious, but so are the hurdles. Detroit still has front-office business to sort out before anything can progress, and the timing remains murky, while the cap picture around all four possible landing spots makes a clean deal look difficult. Even with Dallas in the mix, this is the kind of situation that can linger for a while before it gets anywhere close to a resolution. [Read more 🡒]