Montreal Canadiens Linked To Two Big Trades As Kent Hughes Looks For A Playoff Push

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Tom Banks
October 29, 2024 (1:16 PM)

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The Montreal Canadiens have started strong in 2024/25, and with Patrik Laine due back this season, the team appears to be going all in for a shot at the playoffs.

Despite still being a very young team, the Montreal Canadiens have been impressive early in the season, so much so that Kent Hughes appears ready to push the chips in and make a big play for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There has been talks of Arber Xhekaj potentially being traded this season, but now, new reports have revealed that the team are preparing to actively be buyers ahead of the 2024/25 trade deadline, especially if their solid start continues.

This speculation has now reached Elliotte Friedman, who has indeed confirmed that the Canadiens are looking for a top-four right shot defenseman along with an edgy forward, of which there is no shortage around the NHL.

It's unclear at this point how aggressive they have already been in targeting those upgrades, but with some talented prospects and plenty of draft capital available to them, there's very few teams that could outbid them if they so desire.

One name that could be intriguing to keep an eye on is Calgary's Rasmus Andersson, who has been linked to a trade since this past off-season, but after a red-hot start to the year, his value is only going up, with several other options out there for Montreal.

Many insiders have now spoken the same truth about the Canadiens plans going forward, so it appears they are based in some truth, and given how aggressive Kent Hughes has been in recent years, he has the roster ready to compete with some big additions. We will have to wait and see how aggressive the team want to be in making these deals early in the year, as they may fall out of playoff contention if they wait until the deadline, and with Hughes looking to bring them back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, expect them to make a push in the near future.