The Montreal Canadiens have already done plenty of work this offseason, but Kent Hughes has never been the type to stop once the first wave of moves is over. He tends to circle back when other teams get squeezed, and this market has a few clubs worth watching.
Dallas is the cleanest example. After signing Jason Robertson to a new contract, the Stars are now about $1.3 million over the salary cap and have to carve out space before opening night. That kind of pressure can create bargains, especially when a team is forced to move useful veterans instead of the names it would rather keep.
Radek Faksa fits that mold. He brings size, physical play and penalty-killing value, the kind of dependable bottom-six center who can help if the price stays reasonable.
Sam Steel is another name to keep in mind because he can line up at center or wing and could slide into a fourth-line role while still giving a little offense. Tyler Myers also checks a box Montreal has been trying to address for a while: more size on the blue line.
He is not the same player he once was, but his reach and experience could still help a bottom pairing.
Vancouver is a different kind of situation. The Canucks’ issues are tied less to the cap and more to the direction of the franchise, which has pushed several veterans into trade chatter. Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk and Filip Hronek have all had their names out there in recent months.
Montreal probably won’t be the team making a big swing for that group. Pettersson’s cap hit is not appealing, and even if the return is manageable, the fit is still questionable. Hronek would add to an already crowded Canadiens defense, and DeBrusk does not really look like the kind of target Hughes is chasing right now.
But once a team starts selling, the real value can show up lower on the depth chart. Young players who have slipped down the lineup, former first-round picks looking for a reset and dependable role players can all become available at a much friendlier price. That is the sort of move Montreal has done well under Hughes, and Vancouver could open the door to another one if the Canucks keep reshaping their roster.
Anaheim is the other club to watch. The Ducks still have about $9 million in cap space on paper, but that number is going to shrink once restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier signs his next deal.
Then came another wrinkle: Anaheim matched Leo Carlsson’s massive five-year offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers worth $18 million annually. That changes the financial picture fast and could force the Ducks to move money somewhere else.
That is where the Canadiens could step in. Anaheim has built one of the deepest young forward and defense groups in the league, and not everyone is going to have a clear path to major minutes. If the Ducks need to clear salary, Montreal has the flexibility to take on contracts other teams might have to avoid.
The Canadiens do not need to rush into anything else before the season starts. The roster is already in better shape, and the organization has made patience part of the plan.
Still, that does not mean Hughes should stop scanning the market. These are the kinds of situations he likes to work, and if the past is any guide, another bargain could be waiting before training camp opens.
In Other News...
Canadiens Face A Real Xhekaj Decision In New Trade Proposal
Arber Xhekaj keeps lingering in the center of Montreals offseason conversation, and the latest trade idea only adds another layer to it. Calgarys interest in the young Canadiens defenseman has been floating around for months, and the discussion has resurfaced again as Montreal continues sorting out its blue line and weighing what kind of move would actually make sense for the roster it wants to build.
The appeal from the Canadiens side is straightforward enough: they have been looking for a right-handed defenseman who can handle meaningful minutes, and the proposal being kicked around would address that need while forcing Montreal to decide how much value it is willing to attach to Xhekaj. Depending on how the deal is structured, the price could climb beyond a simple one-for-one swap, which is exactly why this has become one of those talks worth watching rather than dismissing. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Real Shot At The Young Center They Need
The Canadiens have spent plenty of time looking for another young center to grow with their core, and Adam Fantilli is suddenly part of that conversation because of what is happening in Columbus. The Blue Jackets are believed to be getting close to the salary cap faster than expected, which has put a little more intrigue around a player who already looks like one of the leagues brighter young pivots.
Fantilli, 21, turned in a strong season with 59 points in 82 games, enough to make him the kind of center any team would at least have to think about. Montreal has not been confirmed as a club preparing an offer sheet, but the possibility alone is enough to keep the idea alive, especially if Columbus finds itself in a spot where matching becomes difficult. [Read more 🡒]
NHL Expansion Buzz Just Put The Nordiques Dream In Jeopardy
The NHL expansion conversation has started to sharpen, and for Canadiens fans with one eye on the old Nordiques rivalry, the latest chatter is not exactly encouraging. Doug McLean and other hockey voices have been pointing toward Houston as the next city in line for an expansion franchise, with Austin also being mentioned in the mix before quickly fading from view.
For Montreal followers, the significance goes beyond another market on the league map. If Houston is indeed the destination, it would make the long-discussed idea of the Nordiques coming back look even more remote, even if the NHL has not made anything official yet. For now, it is still just buzz, but it is the kind of buzz that can change how people talk about hockey in Quebec. [Read more 🡒]