The Canadiens’ search for a roster upgrade is starting to take shape, and the names being tied to Montreal point in three very different directions.
Stu Cowan, speaking on The Sick Podcast, said Kent Hughes has identified multiple players who could help the team right away, and the Canadiens are now actively working the trade market. Hughes, according to Cowan, is trying to land one or two of those targets.
The common thread is clear. Montreal wants to get bigger, add a right-shot defenseman, and bring in a forward who can slot into the top six.
Kirill Marchenko is one of the most intriguing names in the mix. The 25-year-old scored 27 goals and finished with 67 points in 76 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, and his $3.85 million contract makes him stand out even more.
Matthew Knies fills a different need. The 23-year-old power winger put up 66 points in 79 games with the Maple Leafs, including 23 goals, while carrying a $7.75 million cap hit. He fits the size and power-forward profile Montreal is chasing.
Then there’s Ristolainen, who checks the defensive box. The 31-year-old Finn is the big right-shot blueliner Cowan said Hughes has been looking for for quite some time. Last season, he had 14 points in 44 games and a +10 rating, with a $5.1 million cap hit.
Three players, three different price points, but the same goal: make the Canadiens tougher.
Now the question is which direction Hughes is willing to go, and what kind of return he’s prepared to send the other way.
In Other News...
Canadiens Face A Tough Call On Two Veteran Forwards
Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson are both heading into the final year of their contracts, which puts the Canadiens in a familiar spot: weighing present value against the long view. Danault has been one of Montreals most useful all-around forwards since arriving, carving out a role as a penalty-kill and faceoff presence, while Anderson has given the club speed, size and a steady dose of physical edge since coming over from Columbus.
The tricky part is timing. Montreals center depth is getting more attention, and any decision on Danault could hinge on whether younger options are close enough to push for bigger minutes. Andersons case is different, but no less complicated, since his role has been tied closely to the penalty kill and his offensive ceiling in Montreal has remained a moving target as the team keeps trying to balance veteran reliability with the next wave of talent. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Are Starting To Wonder About Kent Hughes Again
With the offseason still unfolding, the Canadiens are again being viewed as a team that could wait out the market before making its next move. Jim Biringer, speaking on TSN Radio, said Montreal has shown patience in past summers and expects management to be calculated rather than aggressive for the sake of activity, with any deal tied to the needs of the roster and the conditions around it. He also pointed out that the broader NHL landscape can shape what becomes available, especially when other clubs are squeezed by the cap.
For Montreal, that means the next step may not come quickly, even if fans are already scanning for signs of action from Kent Hughes. Biringer suggested the Canadiens are likely to do something later in the offseason, but the timing could be the sort that catches people off guard. If the right player becomes available from a cap-strapped team, the fit could make sense, but for now the picture remains open and the waiting game continues. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Just Landed In A Scoring Debate Fans Know Well
The Canadiens keep showing up in the kind of trade chatter that usually follows a team with cap room and a growing need to turn promise into production. According to David Pagnotta, Anaheim is looking to move a veteran forward and is even willing to attach a second-round pick to the deal, which is the sort of extra incentive that can make a player with a pricey contract suddenly feel a lot more realistic for a club like Montreal.
For the Canadiens, the appeal is obvious enough. The player in question has a track record of putting the puck in the net, even if the recent numbers have been more modest than his peak years, and his deal runs only through next summer. Montreal has been mentioned as a possible fit because it can absorb money and because its recent progress makes this the kind of swing a front office at least has to consider, even if the final price tag is still the part everyone is waiting to see. [Read more 🡒]