The Canadiens avoided deadline chaos but are set to be aggressive this summer (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)
The Montreal Canadiens stood pat at the deadline, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. The rebuilding club defied all odds to come within one point of a playoff spot on March 7 – The NHL Trade Deadline.
However, as NHL sources have indicated to RG, the buyer’s market was simply too rich for any serious GM to throw themselves into.
“There were healthy scratches going for 3rd-round picks and borderline NHL players being traded for mid-round picks,” said one NHL source. “There wasn’t much to do in terms of improving the team to get them to the playoffs. This young core got them there, and they should be the ones to get them over the hump. Wasting futures just to maybe make the playoffs and face the best team in the East is fun on paper, until you get swept.”
Ultimately, the Canadiens aren’t in an ideal situation from a roster perspective. On the one end, they relied on young Owen Beck to fill the roster spot left open by the injury to Kirby Dach, and on the other, Kaiden Guhle is also not expected back.
That currently leaves the Canadiens with 20 healthy players at the moment, as Patrik Laine continues to be hampered by a virus. That’s a recipe for disaster.
But it’s mostly because the Canadiens do not want to weaken the momentum of their farm team in Laval, who are currently the top team in the North Division right now and poised for a playoff berth this spring.
By refusing to pay the ridiculous prices at deadline, and cautious about who they recall, the Canadiens have effectively played the gauntlet on their group of young leaders in Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson to will the club to the Spring Dance.
No matter what happens, sources close to the Canadiens believe that this push for the playoffs, no matter how it plays out, will be educational for the core. Either it will provide them with excellent experience in the form of a playoff berth, or they’ll fall short and know exactly what is needed for the club to reach the next level for the 2025-26 season.
Active In The Summer
The Canadiens were looking to shore up their depth down the middle going into the Trade Deadline. There was one problem with that: so was half the league.
“Almost every single potential playoff team in the NHL was looking for help down the middle, and there were very few options available,” said an NHL source. “You saw the prices paid for Nelson, Laughton, and the other centers to go shortly before the deadline? Those are very steep prices because there’s a higher sense of desperation during this time of the year.”
That urgency, however, was not something Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes was willing to buy into. While the team explored potential moves to bolster their roster, they were unwilling to part with the draft capital and prospects necessary to make a splash. Given the team's long-term vision, making a move for a short-term rental never aligned with their philosophy.
“The Trade Deadline is not the time to build a club, it’s an arms race,” said a source close to the Canadiens.
“They tried to find what they could, but there were so few sellers in this market that prices were sky-high. I fully expect the club to be aggressive this summer with all the draft capital and prospects they’ve accumulated.”
That sentiment was echoed by multiple scouts and league executives, who expect Montreal to be active when the offseason rolls around. Hughes has already built a reputation for making calculated trades in the summer, rather than overpaying during the frenzy of the deadline.
“I'd be shocked if the Canadiens didn’t trade for an age-appropriate center this summer, especially with a young phenom like Ivan Demidov landing in Montreal next season,” said a pro scout. “From what I’m hearing, the Canadiens feel like that’s the missing piece to get them to the playoffs. Much easier to acquire a top-6 center with term in the offseason than in February or March, especially when you’re mostly offering futures.”
This summer will be a crucial one for Montreal. With their young core taking major strides and another blue-chip prospect on the way, management is keenly aware that their competitive window is about to open. Whether it’s through a trade or free agency, the Canadiens are expected to be in the mix for a significant addition down the middle—one that could push them from a fringe playoff team to a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.
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Marco D'Amico
