Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes isn't shy to make off-season deals to improve his team, and we could see him do it again this season with one of their two first-round picks. Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTkxNzU1Njk2ODA5NzE1MzYz/kent-hughes.jpg] Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis In his two years as Montreal Canadiens GM, Kent Hughes already has a reputation for making significant trades involving first-round picks. As his rebuilding club winds down this season, Hughes could be planning another big move using a first-rounder as trade bait. During the opening round of the 2022 NHL draft, he shipped Alexander Romanov to the New York Islanders for the 13th overall pick, then flipped it to the Chicago Blackhawks for Kirby Dach [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/news/canadiens-forward-kirby-dach-staying-involved-while-rehabbing-his-injury]. The day before the first round of last year's draft, he sent the first-rounder received from the Florida Panthers in the 2022 Ben Chiarot trade and his second-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche for Alex Newhook. The Canadiens have two first-round picks in this year's draft after acquiring one from the Winnipeg Jets as part of the return in last month's Sean Monahan trade [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/news/sean-monahan-traded-to-the-winnipeg-jets-for-first-and-third-round-picks]. Hughes could peddle one of them before or during the opening round of this year's draft. The Hockey News Montreal's Amy Johnson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/podcasts/hughes-making-decisions-for-habs-future] noted the Canadiens solved their crowded crease issues for now by trading Jake Allen at the deadline, allowing Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau to man the crease moving forward. On defense [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/podcasts/a-young-and-competitive-canadiens-blue-line], the internal competition is already on for next season's spots. That leaves the forwards. Hughes could attempt to add a young, established scorer who would fit in well with his roster rebuild by trading a first-round pick. Following the March 8 trade deadline, Montreal Hockey Now's Marco D'Amico cited Hughes [https://montrealhockeynow.com/2024/03/09/canadiens-hughes-hints-at-increased-trade-activity-this-summer/] hinting he could be busy in this summer's trade market. “I guess we've been buyers to a certain degree at the drafts and sellers at the trade deadline,” said Hughes. “If we see another opportunity again at the draft, we'll look to continue that path.” D'Amico pointed out the Canadiens were linked to Anaheim Ducks winger Trevor Zegras before the trade deadline. However, The Athletic's Eric Stephens reports [https://theathletic.com/5329855/2024/03/11/anaheim-ducks-trade-deadline/] Ducks GM Pat Verbeek denied he was shopping the 22-year-old forward or received any calls about him. Sportsnet's Eric Engels cited [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/how-canadiens-progress-is-shaping-hughes-vision-for-next-steps/] Hughes acknowledging his rebuilding club still needs help, especially in the scoring department. In addition to those first-round picks, Engels noted that the Canadiens GM could also draw on his depth in promising defensemen for trade bait. The Athletic's Arpon Basu also noted [https://theathletic.com/5364204/2024/03/24/canadiens-offseason-trade-defence/] the Canadiens' stockpile of young blueliners. He suggested this summer might be a good opportunity to flip some of them for a forward.
