Kent Johnson’s name has popped back up in the Canadiens’ orbit, and this time the buzz is landing right in the middle of the Kirill Marchenko chatter that has dominated the last 48 hours.
That’s where the real intrigue starts. Montreal has already shown it’s willing to circle one target, decide the price is too rich, and move on to another option.
Last summer, there were plenty of credible rumors tying Jordan Kyrou to the Canadiens, but the asking price was reportedly too high. Kent Hughes ended up making a deal with the St.
Louis Blues anyway, landing Zachary Bolduc instead.
So the question now is simple: if Marchenko costs too much, does Hughes pivot to Johnson?
That possibility looks very real.
Johnson could be the mystery player Marco Normandin was hinting at earlier, when he described a center who can play down the middle and isn’t being talked about right now. When Maxime Truman asked Normandin directly whether he meant Johnson, Normandin didn’t deny it. In the rumor game, that kind of silence says plenty.
The Marchenko situation itself is still murky. Some insiders are saying a trade is close, while Columbus reporters are pushing back on that idea. So the picture isn’t clean yet, and that’s exactly why Johnson’s name matters.
What seems clear is that Hughes may be closing in on a significant move, but not necessarily for Marchenko. The Canadiens could still end up landing the second-line center they’ve been chasing.
According to the reporting, Montreal has discussed matters with at least two teams: the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Johnson fits the profile Hughes tends to chase. He was the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, has since been shifted to the wing, is coming off a tougher season, and may become available as his next contract talks approach. He’s also been linked to the Canadiens before.
And from Columbus’ side, the cap picture matters. The Blue Jackets have about $14.5 million in space, but they still need to sign Adam Fantilli, and that won’t come cheaply, especially with Leo Carlsson’s new contract in the mix.
If Hughes is looking to help a team create more flexibility, that’s the kind of opening he tends to explore. Not to get Fantilli, but to make another deal happen.
In Other News...
Canadiens Fans Face Another Frustrating Change To Watching Their Team
Canadiens fans are staring at another shift in how they will watch their team, with the NHL and Gary Bettman confirming a 12-year broadcast agreement with Rogers Communications that deepens the leagues long-term move toward streaming in Canada. The new setup will bring English and French coverage into the mix, a reminder that the viewing experience for Quebec audiences is once again changing along with the leagues media landscape.
The biggest immediate wrinkle for Montreal supporters is the timing: Wednesday night NHL games in Canada are set to move to Prime Video beginning in the 2026-27 season. For the Canadiens, that means seven games will be part of the package, adding another layer of adjustment for fans who have already seen the way they follow the team evolve in recent years. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Just Showed Exactly What They Value In This Rebuild
Mike Mathesons new five-year extension says plenty about what the Canadiens are trying to build, and what they expect from the veterans helping steer the rebuild. Montreal has leaned on Matheson as more than a puck-moving defenseman, using him in a variety of jobs as the roster around him has changed, and the organization clearly values that kind of adaptability as much as any highlight-reel offense.
He has gone from top power-play quarterback to a second-unit role and then into penalty-kill duty, all while remaining a steady presence for a team still sorting out its long-term blue line. Kent Hughes has made it clear he sees Matheson as the kind of player who puts team success ahead of individual numbers, and the extension gives Montreal a reliable piece whose value could shift again if the lineup changes around Lane Hutson or Noah Dobson. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Wont All Agree On This Kirby Dach Trade Twist
Kirby Dachs name is back in the rumor mill, and for Canadiens fans that alone is enough to split opinion. Reports have linked Montreal to trade discussions involving the young center, with the idea that his inclusion could help the club reshape its forward group as it looks for a different kind of fit in the lineup.
The twist is less about whether Montreal is listening and more about what Dach represents in those talks. His injuries, uneven play and uncertain availability have all fed into a murky valuation, and any move would almost certainly need more than just one player going the other way. The Canadiens would likely have to add more to the package, and for now the whole thing remains speculative, which is why the debate around Dach feels so much bigger than a simple trade rumor. [Read more 🡒]