In the last 32 Thoughts podcast of the season [https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/the-season-finale-4/], Elliotte Friedman mentioned that Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens]’ GM Kent Hughes was the most aggressive GM on the market this offseason, and that shouldn’t be news to anybody. Hughes and Jeff Gorton have been clear that making the playoffs last season wouldn’t speed up the rebuild, which means they weren’t about to throw unreasonable money at free agents that weren’t going to make the team better long term, but that didn’t mean they would idly stand by while other teams got better. An Intriguing New Player At Development Camp [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/an-intriguing-new-player-at-development-camp] Canadiens Ink Promising Goaltender To New Contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-ink-promising-goaltender-to-new-contract] Canadiens: Cole Caufield Lost More Than a Teammate [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-cole-caufield-lost-more-than-a-teammate] The Canadiens' front office identified its needs: a right-shot defenseman and a top-six player, although initially, this was a second-line center. However, they circled back to a top-six player when they realized how thin the market was. They discovered that quite early on, since Gorton, speaking at the end of the season media availability, said an impact winger could also drive a second line, it didn’t necessarily need to be a center. Additionally, they needed to get bigger; their participation in the playoffs made that abundantly clear. Speaking to the media before the draft, Gorton said that when something is happening in the league and a player becomes available, they are aware and evaluate whether that player could be a fit for the Canadiens. As he was saying that, Hughes was still busy negotiating with the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders] to land Noah Dobson, and he managed to do that. Then, Hughes pulled the trigger on another deal, sending Logan Mailloux to the St.Louis Blues [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues] in return for Zach Bolduc, a Quebecer who was coming off a good rookie season with plenty of potential and with a physical edge to his game. There could even be top six potential there. In free agency, he also added Samuel Blais, a depth player with size and a Stanley Cup champion with the Blues in 2018. He spent the last season in the AHL but wants to get back to the NHL, and he’ll no doubt be given plenty of opportunities to do that. The GM also acquired plenty of experienced players for the Canadiens' AHL farm team, who made the Conference Final but were swept by a bigger and more experienced team. Hughes decided to give Pascal Vincent the tools for a deeper playoff run. The Rocket coach had said a team of men would beat his kids, and that they needed to hit the gym to get bigger. I’m sure they will have done that, but Hughes adding veterans certainly won’t hurt. Friedman also added that Hughes is the kind of guy who is never done, and it makes sense. As of now, he hasn’t managed to address the hole in his top six, and it’s pretty evident that he wants to get someone who will be able to make rookie Ivan Demidov’s life easier. The fact that the rookie will be under pressure in Montreal is no secret, and Hughes would like to put his talented youngster in the best possible opportunity to succeed, which means real top-six players. In that sense, it’s logical for Hughes to be still watching the market and be ready to pounce if he sees someone who could fit the profile. The GM has said he would be comfortable starting the season with his current lineup, but he was never going to say otherwise; he’s keeping his cards close to his chest. Hughes and Gorton are not ready to pull the plug on the “Dach as a second-line center experiment”, but they know that right now, he’s not a real top-six player. They also know that as talented as Patrik Laine is, he’s not a real top-six player either, because he doesn’t play a complete game, and that won’t help Demidov much either. If Hughes hears that a top-six winger who fits the bill is available, he’ll explore the idea, even if it wasn’t his first preferred course of action, but he won’t pull the trigger unless he believes the player would be a fit on and off the ice. The Canadiens aim to build a contender, and while that requires talent, it also entails fostering a strong culture in the dressing room. You need someone who will fit the vibe of the room and who will be ready to buy what Coach Martin St-Louis is selling. Talent is not enough; the Canadiens are after a hard worker who will be prepared to do the less glamorous plays and chase the puck deep in the opponent’s zone, finishing his check to separate the defenseman from the puck and retrieve it to create opportunities. Could he still be in on Jordan Kyrou even though his no-trade clause has kicked in? Yes, he could be. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the player could agree to lift his no-trade clause to come to Montreal. Dobson wanted to go to Montreal; that’s a sign that the way players see the market is changing. They know what Hughes and co. are building and like what they’re seeing. It’s also possible that Hughes pulls a different move out of nowhere, one nobody will have seen coming, which is usually the way it goes with the Canadiens' GM. He's aggressive and creative; it’s not because there are no rumours that nothing is brewing. Photo credit: Pierre Bourgault/Club de hockey Canadien inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwo-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen], never to miss a story. 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