A year ago, the Noah Dobson deal had plenty of people raising eyebrows. Now it looks like one of Kent Hughes’ sharpest moves.
Dobson, 26, settled in as the Canadiens’ top-pair right-shot defenseman and delivered exactly what Montreal needed: 47 points in 80 games, with almost all of that offense coming at even strength. That kind of production from the blue line would have been enough on its own to quiet the noise. Add in the fact that he’s signed at $9.5 million per season through 2033, and the price suddenly feels a lot more manageable than it did at the time.
His value isn’t limited to the stat sheet, either. Lane Hutson has been able to play with more freedom because Dobson is there taking on the heavier load on the back end.
But the most interesting part of the story is what Montreal gave up to get him. The Canadiens sent Emil Heineman and two first-round picks in 2025, and that return is starting to age well, too.
Corey Pronman of The Athletic recently slotted Alexander Zharovsky 11th in his annual re-draft of the 2025 class, even though Montreal originally took him 34th overall. No other player chosen outside the first round landed that high.
Meanwhile, the Islanders didn’t get nearly the same kind of payoff from the draft capital they received. The 16th pick became Victor Eklund, who Pronman placed 27th.
So the picture for Montreal is pretty clear: the Canadiens ended up with a proven defenseman and a top-12 prospect from the 2025 draft, even after parting with two first-rounders. And there’s another layer to it, too - everything points to the Canadiens having targeted Zharovsky with the 16th or 17th pick anyway, which only makes the trade look stronger.
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Settled One Summer Decision Fans Were Watching
A busy summer in Montreal took another turn when the Canadiens locked up Zachary Bolduc on a four-year deal worth $4.2 million, according to Elliotte Friedman. Bolduc arrived in last offseasons trade and quickly gave the organization enough reason to keep him in the fold, adding to a roster that has already seen Chris Kreider come aboard as part of an active stretch of team-building.
The move clears one item off the Canadiens to-do list, even as another remains unresolved. Restricted free agent Arber Xhekaj is still without a contract, leaving at least one more summer decision hanging over the club as it tries to sort out the next layer of its depth and identity. [Read more 🡒]
Kent Hughes Just Won Big In The Chris Kreider Sweepstakes
Chris Kreiders path to Montreal opened up because Anaheim was not willing to pay the price some teams were seeking to absorb his contract. Elliotte Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast that interest in taking on the deal came with a hefty ask, with clubs seeking first- or second-round draft compensation from the Ducks before they would step in.
Pat Verbeek would not attach that kind of asset to move the money, and the Ducks instead terminated the deal. That left Kent Hughes and the Canadiens in position to sign Kreider as a free agent without surrendering anything in return, a tidy bit of business for Montreal in a market where cap space and draft capital usually come at a premium. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Kreider Changes Everything About How The Canadiens Are Viewed
Chris Kreiders arrival gives Montreal a different kind of weight entering the season, not just because he brings playoff mileage, but because he clearly views this group through contenders eyes. After leaving the Anaheim Ducks, he landed with the Canadiens on a one-year contract and instantly changed the way the organization is being discussed around the league, with his experience and track record adding a layer of credibility to a team trying to reestablish itself among the Easts better clubs.
The surprise is as important as the signing itself. Kreider had been tied more often to Boston and Philadelphia, so Montreal was not the destination many expected, especially for a player with his background and the kind of market interest he generated. Instead, the Canadiens got the player who believes they can chase a Stanley Cup, and that alone says something about how far this roster has come and how it may be viewed going forward. [Read more 🡒]