The Canadiens aren’t done shopping yet.
According to Arpon Basu of The Athletic, Montreal’s hunt for a top-six forward is still very much alive, with Kent Hughes continuing to work the market as training camp draws closer. That pursuit goes back to last season’s trade deadline, when several names were already being tied to the Canadiens.
The clearest need remains down the middle. Montreal would still prefer to land a second-line center, a spot that has stood out as a hole for months behind Nick Suzuki.
But the search isn’t limited to centers. The Canadiens are also believed to be watching high-end wingers, which opens the door to a wider range of possibilities.
That latest confirmation only adds fuel to a rumor mill that has been busy for weeks. Dylan Larkin, Mark Scheifele and Brock Boeser have all been among the names floating around in connection with Montreal.
For Canadiens fans worried Hughes had backed away from the idea of adding help before the season, this is the opposite of a shutdown. No deal has materialized yet, but the continued interest points to the real possibility of a major move before October.
Another recent rumor involving Kirill Marchenko fits the same theme: Montreal is still looking for ways to upgrade its forward group.
The clock is getting tighter now. With training camp approaching fast, the Canadiens have less time to get something done before the season begins. For the moment, the key takeaway is simple: Hughes is still in the mix, still active, and still trying to land a top-six forward.
In Other News...
Canadiens Rebuild Suddenly Has Room For Something Much Bigger
The Canadiens have spent the last stretch of their rebuild doing the hard part well: locking up young talent without boxing themselves into a corner. Montreals recent contract work has given management a cleaner salary-cap picture, and the result is a roster that should be easier to keep together while still leaving room to improve it. For a team still trying to turn promise into something more durable, that matters just as much as the standings.
What makes the setup interesting is that the Canadiens are not simply planning to ride out the next few seasons with a decent young core and hope for internal growth. The structure they have put in place gives them a chance to stay flexible if the right trade or free-agent opportunity comes along, while still maintaining the long-term approach they have preached throughout the rebuild. In other words, Montreal may finally have built enough stability to chase something bigger when the time is right. [Read more 🡒]
Owen Beck Has A Real Chance To Force Montreals Hand
Owen Beck has spent the past two seasons in that familiar prospect holding pattern, bouncing between limited NHL looks and steady work with the Laval Rocket. For the Canadiens, the 22-year-old center remains one of those players whose value goes beyond the box score, especially because the organization still views center depth as a spot worth sorting out carefully.
Becks case is interesting because he has already shown enough at both levels to keep himself in the conversation, even if the offensive breakthrough at the NHL level has not arrived yet. With Montreal still weighing how much room there is for him moving forward, the next step is less about whether he belongs in the picture and more about whether he can keep forcing the club to make a harder decision on him. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Passed On Evangelista For One Bigger Rebuild Reason
The Canadiens had another chance to dip into the market for a young forward when Luke Evangelista was moved out of Nashville, but they stayed disciplined and let the deal pass. Montreals thinking fits the broader shape of its rebuild: this is less about chasing every available name and more about targeting players who match specific needs as the roster continues to take form.
Montreals restraint also hints at a bigger plan still on the table. Instead of spending draft assets on a smaller swing, the club is keeping its capital available in case a larger opportunity surfaces later, one that could bring back a more impactful player and better fit the next phase of the rebuild. [Read more 🡒]