The Montreal Canadiens are likely still on the lookout for a second-line center, and Mason McTavish had a down year with the Anaheim Ducks. Could Kent Hughes come knocking on Pat Verbeek's door?
It’s no secret that if the Montreal Canadiens can find an upgrade for the second-line center position, they’ll pounce on the occasion. Oliver Kapanen got the role by default last season, but by the end of the season, he struggled with the heavy NHL calendar, and in the playoffs, he made way for Jake Evans. With all due respect to Evans, he’s by no means a second-line center on a contending team. Even if he has a great work ethic and has picked up more than his fair share of points, he lacks the finishing to play with a playmaker like Ivan Demidov.
Last offseason, there was a lot of talk about what the Anaheim Ducks would decide to do regarding their contract negotiations with Mason McTavish; some hoped he would end up in Montreal. Pat Verbeek was patient, and he ended up giving the third overall pick at the 2021 draft a six-year deal at a $7 million cap hit. It all had the makings of a happy ending, but unfortunately for both parties, the centerman struggled this season and was a healthy scratch at times. In 75 games, he could only put up 41 points, compared to 52 in 76 games the previous year. His differential also took a hit, dropping from an even rating in 2024-25 to minus-15 this year.
As things stand, he finds himself on the Ducks' third line, having made way for Leo Carlsson and Mikael Granlund on the first two lines, but when Ryan Poehling is healthy, he also gives him a run for his money, ice time-wise. McTavish isn’t on the first power play unit either; he centers the second unit, and he even missed two of the Ducks’ 12 playoff games this season.
Will Verbeek decide to be patient with the player and give him a chance to bounce back next season, or could he be convinced to move him? If it were an option, it likely wouldn’t be cheap because even though McTavish is on the third line right now, Granlund is already 34 and only has two years left on his contract.
Still, given his offensive potential and the skills he has, McTavish could be the ideal complement to Demidov’s skill set. At just 23 years old, he’s the right age to fit with the Canadiens’ core as well, and his cap hit is very reasonable; he’d earn less than Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson, and likely less than Demidov as well. In 304 career games, he’s put up 181 points for a 0.6 point-per-game average. He’s got a 48.6% success rate at the faceoff circle and is a left-shot, which is what Montreal needs down the middle.
He would be a great option for the Canadiens, but it would be surprising to see Verbeek throw in the towel after managing to sign McTavish to a team-friendly contract. To even start the conversation, it would take a very attractive package, which would likely have to include one of Michael Hage or Alexander Zharovsky, a couple of picks, and probably a roster player as well, since he’d leave a big hole in the Ducks’ lineup.
The 23-year-old is an established center, not another gamble like Kirby Dach or Alex Newhook, who will likely remain on the wing for the rest of their careers, and he’s signed long-term, which warrants a higher price tag. Furthermore, he’s the kind of player Martin St-Louis likes, with a good hockey IQ and who makes good reads, which would likely make it easier for him to adapt to the Canadiens’ brand of hockey. At 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds, he landed 95 hits this past season, an aspect of his game that has kept improving from one year to the next.
McTavish could definitely improve the Canadiens’ center line, but would the price tag be too hefty for Kent Hughes? That’s quite possible…
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