New footage from Season 3 of The Rebuild has finally put a number on the kind of swing Kent Hughes was trying to make at the 2026 deadline.
In the final seconds before the cutoff, the series’ cameras caught Hughes on the phone and, according to the footage, he was offering two first-round picks: the 2026 pick and another top-20 protected selection. That detail gives a much clearer sense of just how aggressive the Canadiens were willing to be in pursuit of an impact player.
Jeff Gorton is then shown on the phone as well, and he learns the deal was sent to the NHL too late, after the clock had already run out. The look on both executives’ faces says plenty; the disappointment lands immediately, and the cameras happened to catch it in real time.
It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes moment teams almost never let the public see this closely. Short as it is, the sequence offers a raw glimpse of the pressure that hangs over deadline day, when one missed second can wipe out an entire plan.
The footage does not identify the player involved, even though Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs had been the name most often tied to the rumors at the time. No name appears in what the organization released, so the target remains unconfirmed.
The Rebuild is continuing to roll out memories from last season, with new episodes arriving every Tuesday on Crave. The big question left hanging by this clip is simple: were two first-round picks too much for this mystery player? And will Kent Hughes be able to pull off a similar move before the season starts?
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Settled One Summer Decision Fans Were Watching
A busy summer in Montreal took another turn when the Canadiens locked up Zachary Bolduc on a four-year deal worth $4.2 million, according to Elliotte Friedman. Bolduc arrived in last offseasons trade and quickly gave the organization enough reason to keep him in the fold, adding to a roster that has already seen Chris Kreider come aboard as part of an active stretch of team-building.
The move clears one item off the Canadiens to-do list, even as another remains unresolved. Restricted free agent Arber Xhekaj is still without a contract, leaving at least one more summer decision hanging over the club as it tries to sort out the next layer of its depth and identity. [Read more 🡒]
Kent Hughes Just Won Big In The Chris Kreider Sweepstakes
Chris Kreiders path to Montreal opened up because Anaheim was not willing to pay the price some teams were seeking to absorb his contract. Elliotte Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast that interest in taking on the deal came with a hefty ask, with clubs seeking first- or second-round draft compensation from the Ducks before they would step in.
Pat Verbeek would not attach that kind of asset to move the money, and the Ducks instead terminated the deal. That left Kent Hughes and the Canadiens in position to sign Kreider as a free agent without surrendering anything in return, a tidy bit of business for Montreal in a market where cap space and draft capital usually come at a premium. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Kreider Changes Everything About How The Canadiens Are Viewed
Chris Kreiders arrival gives Montreal a different kind of weight entering the season, not just because he brings playoff mileage, but because he clearly views this group through contenders eyes. After leaving the Anaheim Ducks, he landed with the Canadiens on a one-year contract and instantly changed the way the organization is being discussed around the league, with his experience and track record adding a layer of credibility to a team trying to reestablish itself among the Easts better clubs.
The surprise is as important as the signing itself. Kreider had been tied more often to Boston and Philadelphia, so Montreal was not the destination many expected, especially for a player with his background and the kind of market interest he generated. Instead, the Canadiens got the player who believes they can chase a Stanley Cup, and that alone says something about how far this roster has come and how it may be viewed going forward. [Read more 🡒]