The Montreal Canadiens weren’t supposed to be in the thick of a playoff race this season. Not yet, anyway.
When general manager Kent Hughes moved Carey Price’s contract to San Jose last summer, it was a clear signal: the rebuild was still on track, and the front office was playing the long game. Cap space was being banked for future flexibility.
The plan was patience-let Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield continue to grow, give Juraj Slafkovský more time to figure out how to fully harness that 6’4” frame, and wait for the next wave of top prospects like Lane Hutson, Michael Hage, and Ivan Demidov to arrive.
But hockey doesn’t always follow the script.
Montreal’s Unexpected Surge
Midway through the 2025-26 season, the Canadiens have flipped expectations on their head. Sitting third in the Atlantic Division-yes, ahead of Toronto, Boston, and the reigning three-time champion Florida Panthers-Montreal has become one of the league’s most surprising stories.
Last year’s playoff appearance felt like a bonus, a late-season surge powered by Patrik Laine’s booming power-play shot and Suzuki’s clutch play. This season?
It feels different. This feels real.
Sustainable. And that changes everything.
For GM Kent Hughes, it also complicates things. The March 6 trade deadline is fast approaching, and suddenly the Canadiens are in a position where standing pat might mean missing a real opportunity.
The rebuild is ahead of schedule, and the playoffs aren’t just a possibility-they’re becoming an expectation. So, does Hughes stay the course?
Or does he make a move to reinforce a team that’s already outperforming projections?
Let’s take a closer look at three names being linked to Montreal and what each could bring to the table.
Kiefer Sherwood: The Perfect Fit?
Kiefer Sherwood is playing like a man who knows the spotlight is on him-and he’s thriving in it. The Vancouver winger is on pace for 34 goals while making just $1.5 million, and he’s doing it with a physical edge that’s tailor-made for playoff hockey.
He broke the NHL’s single-season hits record last year, and somehow, he’s stepped it up another notch this season. He’s tied with Alex Ovechkin among UFAs in goal scoring, and he’s doing it with a relentless, north-south game that screams postseason impact.
Vancouver, though, is in a bind. They reportedly offered Sherwood a “medium-term” deal worth around $4 million annually-well below market value for a player performing at this level.
Whether that offer was a genuine attempt to keep him or simply a formality, the reality is the Canucks don’t have the financial flexibility to retain him. That makes Sherwood one of the most likely names to move before the deadline.
Montreal’s interest is very real-they’ve reportedly called twice this week. And it’s easy to see why.
Sherwood checks every box Hughes has been looking for: size, grit, scoring touch, and a playoff-ready motor. He’d add a physical dimension that this Canadiens roster doesn’t consistently bring, especially when the game slows down and tightens up in the postseason.
The only question is timing. Do the Canadiens strike early to ensure they land their guy?
Or do they wait until Vancouver’s leverage slips closer to the deadline? Either way, this feels like a natural fit-and potentially the most seamless match of the entire trade season.
Blake Coleman: Veteran Edge, But At What Cost?
When Pierre LeBrun linked Blake Coleman to Montreal, he didn’t mince words: if the Calgary Flames make him available, the Canadiens are expected to “make a significant push.” And it makes sense.
Coleman is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with a 25-goal scoring pace, a relentless motor, and the kind of defensive awareness that coaches love in the playoffs. He’s the kind of veteran you add when you believe your window is starting to open.
But there are complications. Coleman is currently on long-term injured reserve, and the Flames have him under contract through next season.
Calgary, sitting at 18-21-8, is stuck in that dreaded middle ground-bad enough to consider selling, but not out of the race enough to fully commit to it. That puts them in a tricky spot, and it makes any potential trade involving Coleman more complex.
If the Flames decide to hold onto him for one more push, the price to pry him away could be steep. And even if they are willing to move him, he’s not their top priority on the trade block.
Calgary is reportedly more focused on finding deals for Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri. Add in Coleman’s injury status, and the odds of a deal getting done before March 6 start to shrink.
For Montreal, this would be a calculated risk. Coleman brings a lot to the table, but his availability-and durability-are big question marks. If the Canadiens do make a move here, it’ll have to be after a serious internal conversation about cost, timing, and long-term value.
Robert Thomas: The Dream Scenario
Now this one turned heads.
When Robert Thomas showed up on Chris Johnston’s trade board, it raised eyebrows across the league. At 26 years old, signed through 2030-31, and leading a struggling St.
Louis Blues team, Thomas is the kind of player teams build around-not shop at the deadline. But with the Blues stuck in a disappointing 18-21-8 campaign, questions about their direction are starting to bubble up.
For Montreal, Thomas would be a dream addition. He’s a legitimate top-six center, a 2024 All-Star, and the kind of playmaker who could slot in behind Suzuki and give the Canadiens a 1-2 punch down the middle they haven’t had since Phillip Danault left. He’d also be a perfect fit alongside Montreal’s young core-his timeline lines up with Caufield and Slafkovský’s development windows, and his style of play complements both.
But let’s be real: this isn’t a deadline deal. If St.
Louis were to move Thomas, it would take a massive return-premium prospects, a first-round pick, and likely some NHL-ready players. That’s a summer blockbuster, not a March rental.
And unless the Blues’ front office decides to tear things down completely-a move their ownership has historically resisted-Thomas is probably staying put.
Still, the Canadiens have the assets to make a deal like this if the opportunity arises. And if St. Louis changes course in the coming weeks, don’t be surprised if Montreal is one of the first teams to pick up the phone.
The Road Ahead
For Kent Hughes and the Canadiens, the next few weeks are going to be critical. What started as a developmental year has turned into something much more intriguing. The team is ahead of schedule, the Atlantic Division is wide open, and the fanbase is starting to believe again.
Whether that belief turns into a bold trade deadline move remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Montreal isn’t just playing for the future anymore. The present has arrived-and it might be time to act like it.