Montreal Canadiens Fans Should Be Ready for Offseason – Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

There’s no denying that the Montreal Canadiens’ progress over the past two seasons has been meteoric. Given Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton’s history of making significant trades in past seasons, many expect the same this summer.

The problem is that this year’s free agent class may be the weakest in years. Combine that with the rising salary cap, which allows teams to keep some of their pending free agents, and what is clearly a seller’s market, and it all adds up to a subtle and challenging approach when it comes to finding trade partners and making deals that won’t, at least, seem wishy-washy or outrageously disproportionate from Montreal’s point of view.

There is no doubt that Hughes and Gorton are working hard to improve the team. However, their approach so far has shown a reluctance to loan the future of an impact player. Many would argue that is exactly what they did in the Noah Dobson trade, but that was then, and this is now. Given the free agent phase and the fact that half of the league is looking for a second-line center and right-handed defenseman, the current market does not favor buyers.

Just look at the deal Darren Raddysh received from the Toronto Maple Leafs: eight years at an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million for a 30-year-old defenseman with one notable season on his resume. That’s not the kind of deal we’ve seen from Montreal’s current management, and it probably won’t happen unless it’s one clear move to becoming a playoff juggernaut. Even then, the desperate move is not what we expected from this management team.

So what does it all mean, and what exactly should fans expect this off-season? The sad truth may be that there isn’t much. Maybe something significant will happen, but it’s likely the only deal Hughes and Gorton make is for a depth player.

Montreal is in a strong position going forward, with plenty of top talent on the NHL roster, solid depth pieces on the roster, and several intriguing prospects developing. As a result, they may focus more on defense in this year’s draft and target a defenseman, the right shot if possible, with their 28th pick.

Why Montreal May Choose Patience

Most likely, Montreal decides to let things go, relying on growth and learnings from last season to carry over into next season. They may be waiting to see if American Hockey League (AHL) players like Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj, and Vinzenz Rohrer can make the team next season to fill the holes left by departing players like Brendan Gallagher, possibly Joe Veleno, and possibly Kirby Dach. Then they can measure the performance of the first two months and check the movement if necessary.

There’s also Alexander Zharovsky, currently in Montreal for the summer, skating with Ivan Demidov. The plan would be to show Zharovsky how good it would be to play and stay in Montreal and maybe check if his international contract can be bought out like Demidov’s was, so he can join the team at the start of next season.

Otherwise, his time in Montreal could be about gauging whether he’s ready to make the jump to the NHL. If things go well for Zharovsky, that would be an additional player for the team, without having to trade anything.

The Last Case Michael Hage

Much has been written about the possibility of trading Montreal’s Michael Hage, as he has opted to return to the NCAA for another season. I previously proposed trade scenarios that included him as the main piece, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that, especially considering his connection to Montreal and what playing for the Canadiens would mean to him, it’s hard to imagine Hughes and Gorton trading him before he played a single game for the team.

The pride he will likely feel, and the momentum he will bring to the effort to succeed in Montreal, would be too much of a risk to quit at this time.

A Bright Future Doesn’t Need a Big Summer

Montreal’s progression from one playoff win in 2024-25 to nine and an appearance in the conference finals this season is remarkable. The fans and the city want more and probably expect it. Their thinking probably goes something like this: If we win two series this season, we’ll probably win one or two more next season. However, the other two mean the Stanley Cup. As Carey Price once said, “Relax, relax.”

This team is clearly on the way to the top, and the future is as bright as it has been in decades, but these things rarely follow. From where I stand, and I’ve said this more than once, Hughes and Gorton clearly have a long-term plan. Long term, not short term. So have faith, be patient, and enjoy this team’s journey, which looks set to take them to the finals of the Cup in the not too distant future.

There is no denying that a team with key pieces like Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, and Jacob Fowler, with exciting prospects to be added soon, makes this a very exciting time to be a Montreal fan.

So if nothing major happens this summer and the Canadiens don’t find a legitimate 2C or top defenseman, just breathe and have faith that Hughes and Gorton, who have given you reason to doubt so far, have this situation under control.