Change is Coming to the Canadiens

The changes to the Montreal Canadiens over the next two weeks could provide fans with hope for the future and plenty of topics to debate.

The NHL off-season is underway. The Stanley Cup has been awarded, the buyout window is open and a three-team trade has been completed.

With Nashville playing host to the NHL Draft in less than a week, the pace of moves (and rumors) should dramatically increase and teams will take advantage of a deep draft to add valuable pieces to their rosters.

It's a time of year that should be exciting for hockey enthusiasts, especially Habs fans. The Montreal Canadiens have been the center of a fair share of conversations regarding trades, buyouts, and draft picks.

With a lot of options on the table, this author believes that the 2023 off-season could be a crucial turning point in the Kent Hughes / Jeff Gordon regime.

Many analysts have stated that the 2023 Draft class has one of the deepest talent pools we've seen in recent years. First, there's Connor Bedard, considered by many to be a generational talent and a future superstar in the league.

Bedard won't be a part of the Habs rebuild, but he's the at the top of a long list of quality players who could make big impacts on their future teams. Names like Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, Will Smith and Matvei Michkov round out what experts claim could be the top five selections this year.

Plenty of debate has centered around Michkov, including whether Montreal would select him at fifth-overall, with the fan base being divided in their views.

Having an opportunity to draft fifth overall this year, or higher if Hughes can make a trade, after having the first-overall pick last year in Montreal, is a key factor in the importance of this Draft for Montreal.

With an expectation from fans and media alike for the Canadiens to improve their record and place in the standings next year, as the second full season of the team's rebuild unfolds, it's quite possible that the Habs won't have another opportunity to draft this high in the first round again for a while. The Canadiens must take advantage of this opportunity and pick the best player to help them be successful long-term in order to have a significant impact on the rebuilding process.

Another reason this summer could have big implications for the Habs is due to interesting trade options presented to Hughes.

One of these options is to trade up in the first-round of the Draft, to take the second or fourth-overall pick. This possibility has been confirmed by a number of sources in Montreal, as Hughes has reportedly been price shopping with Anaheim and San Jose to find out what it would cost to move up.

Personally, I think Hughes would have to move a top prospect, the 31st overall pick obtained from the Florida Panthers, and maybe even more in order to move up. That price tag might be a bit too steep.

Another trade that Hughes may be considering is targeting Pierre-Luc Dubois, who has been linked to the Habs in trade speculation since last year. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound centerman makes an interesting target, having proven he can score 60 points per season.

In addition to trade targets to add to the roster, Hughes may take the opportunity this summer to move players who will not be part of the rebuilt Canadiens.

Finally, this off-season is decisive because the Canadiens could make impactful free agent signings. This statement might be surprising to some, since the 2023 free agent class doesn't contain a lot of top-shelf talent. However, there are two players I think the Canadiens should target and sign to improve the team.

First is Montreal-native Alex Killorn. The 33-year-old left winger could bring leadership, a veteran presence, and some offensive punch to the Habs lineup. In 2022-2023, Killorn scored 27 goals and 64 points in 82 games. He is an aging veteran, but still seems to have a lot to offer on the ice. He could also act as a mentor to young players and prospects, and fans would likely support him.

Another free agent that the Canadiens could target is Matt Dumba. The 28-year-old right-handed defenseman could be a very good fit for the Canadiens, as fans know the Habs do not have a lot of quality right-handed blueliners in their prospect pool.

If Dumba signed with Montreal, could he immediately slot in as a top-four defenseman? You could argue the case, since Dumba has a rare combination of physicality and offensive skills, and can play 20-plus minutes per night.

However, Dumba had an underwhelming 2022-23 season, with only 14 points in 79 games; his worst point total since the 2014-2015 season. He also enters free agency with a previous cap hit of $6 million per year and will probably expect a raise to go along with a long-term deal.

With the draft and the opening of free agency coming up in the next two weeks, we can expect that chatter about the Canadiens will continue to make headlines. With at least a top-five draft selection, trade options, own player signings and even potential free agent targets, Hughes has a lot of work to do this summer.