The Montreal Canadiens are once again being linked to a center who could help solve a clear need down the middle, and Shane Wright has emerged as a name to watch this offseason.
Montreal’s second-line center spot is the obvious weak point, and that has put the Canadiens in the conversation for one of the NHL’s more intriguing trade possibilities. The fit makes sense on paper: the Canadiens need help at center, and Wright is still young enough that his best hockey may still be ahead of him.
That’s the basic case for Montreal taking a swing. Wright, 22, has not yet established himself as a true top-six center, but he has already shown enough to keep teams interested. In 79 games with the Kraken during the 2024-25 season, he posted career highs with 19 goals, 25 assists, and 44 points.
His follow-up season was quieter. Wright finished with 12 goals and 27 points in 74 games last season, but there is still a belief that he can bounce back and build on the offensive production he flashed the year before.
As Marco D’Amico of RG noted, the Canadiens have also been linked to other targets at wing. "The Canadiens have reportedly pursued wingers Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kirill Marchenko of the Columbus Blue Jackets" Richardson wrote. "Nevertheless, the Canadiens could change their minds if their pursuit of those wingers proves fruitless, perhaps enough to consider circling back on Wright after passing him over four years ago."
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Added A Young Defenseman Fans Will Want To Track
The Canadiens have quietly added another name to their defensive pipeline, with Kent Hughes signing Konyushkov and keeping the young blueliner on loan in the KHL for another year before he makes the jump to North America. It is the kind of move Montreal has leaned into as it tries to stock the blue line with players who can grow into NHL roles without being rushed, and this one comes with a profile that has already started to draw attention.
Konyushkovs game and offensive touch have drawn comparisons to Alexandre Carrier, which gives Canadiens fans a pretty clear idea of the type of defender Montreal thinks it may be getting down the road. If he develops the way the organization hopes, he could eventually fit into a similar role on the right side of the blue line, giving the team another mobile, puck-moving option to track closely over the next year. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Have Already Drawn A Hard Line With Kirby Dach
Peyton Krebs new four-year, $18 million deal in Buffalo has quickly become a useful marker in the Kirby Dach negotiations, and it gives Montreal a pretty clear reference point as the sides head toward arbitration. Krebs had the healthier, fuller season, playing all 82 games with 39 points and a plus-13 rating, while Dachs year was interrupted by injuries and produced 15 points in 37 games with a minus-2 mark.
The Canadiens have already put down a $4 million qualifying offer, and the July 30 arbitration hearing is now looming as the next real checkpoint. For Montreal, the hard part is balancing Dachs upside against what he has actually been able to deliver lately, and the comparable on Krebs suggests the club may not be inclined to budge much from its current line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Still Feel The Sting Of One 2007 Draft Decision
The Canadiens 2007 draft class still stands as one of the franchises most consequential, and not just because of the names they kept. Montreal came out of that year with Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban, but the decision that continues to linger is the one that sent Ryan McDonagh away before he ever played a game for the team. It was the kind of move that looked like a roster shuffle at the time and has only grown heavier with hindsight.
McDonagh went on to become a fixture in the NHL, later wearing the captains letter with the Rangers and helping Tampa Bay win two Stanley Cups, while the Canadiens return in the deal never delivered the same kind of stability. Scott Gomez arrived with plenty of pedigree, but his time in Montreal never matched the expectations attached to the trade, and the organization eventually moved on. For a franchise that got so much right in that draft year, this one still reads like the missed branch in the road. [Read more 🡒]