Kent Hughes kept pushing for a major swing this summer, and one of the more surprising ideas on the table reportedly involved a three-team setup with Pittsburgh in the middle.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Canadiens’ general manager explored a deal that would have brought Kirill Marchenko to Montreal, with Rickard Rakell part of the framework. The concept was built around Columbus’ ask, which went beyond draft picks and prospects.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell was looking for an established NHL player who could help right away and come at a manageable salary. That is where Rakell entered the picture. The 33-year-old Swedish forward carries a $5 million cap hit, and the idea was that Pittsburgh could move him for picks and prospects before he was flipped to Columbus.
It still wasn’t enough.
Toronto ultimately landed Kirill Marchenko in a six-player trade that also included a draft pick, with Matthew Knies going the other way. Columbus valued Knies highly enough to make the move, and Montreal was not prepared to part with an established player at that level.
Even with Rakell in the mix, the Canadiens’ offer did not get Waddell to budge. The comparison was clear: Rakell simply was not viewed on the same level as Matthew Knies.
The Marchenko pursuit was not the only aggressive swing tied to Montreal, either. David Pagnotta also confirmed that Hughes tried to acquire Marchenko and Knies, along with Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues.
For Pittsburgh, the door may still be open on a veteran move. The Penguins have indicated they are willing to trade a veteran for draft picks, which keeps Rakell in play - potentially even as a target for Montreal itself.
Hughes has clearly been working the phones with creativity and persistence. The question now is whether that approach eventually lands the impact addition he has been chasing.
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