The Montreal Canadiens' attempt to make a significant deal before the recent NHL trade deadline continues to raise speculation about their intended targets. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars remain focused on re-signing Jason Robertson.
Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes raised eyebrows when he mentioned his club had been working on "a significant trade" that didn't get done by the deadline, adding they could revisit those discussions in the off-season.
That raised plenty of speculation over which player was on Hughes' radar, with reports out of Toronto suggesting Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies was the intended target.
During an interview with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Hughes sought to clarify his remarks. He indicated he wanted to show Canadiens fans his inactivity at the deadline didn't mean the club wasn't focused on addressing their immediate needs.
LeBrun noted the Canadiens were also linked to Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Ristolainen and several other players. He said the Habs contacted the Maple Leafs about Knies, but nothing got close. LeBrun also reported that whatever Hughes was working on did not involve any player the media considered trade targets.
That cryptic comment will only continue to feed the rumor fires in Montreal, but at least we know that Knies, Kadri, Ristolainen and Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues won't be part of it. Unless, of course, Hughes is trying to throw the insiders off the scent.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, Stars GM Jim Nill remains committed to signing Jason Robertson to a new contract this summer.
Robertson, 26, is in the final season of his four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.75 million. He's an RFA with arbitration rights and will be a year away from UFA eligibility if he and the Stars agree to a one-year deal this year.
Trade rumors dogged Robertson throughout last summer, but Nill downplayed them, saying he had no intention of trading him and still hoped to get him re-signed.
Nill repeated that intention during an appearance on NHL Tonight earlier this week. He called Robertson "a big part of our team," praised his scoring ability and said re-signing the left winger was his priority.
Robertson's contract negotiations will be closely monitored by GMs seeking scoring punch this summer. The pickings are slim in the UFA market, which could lead to increased trade activity following the playoffs.
If Robertson's contract negotiations stall by July, the trade rumors could start again.
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