“Contracts have been negotiated and high draft picks secured that are expected to significantly impact the Habs’ future.”
As the offseason began, the Montreal Canadiens had a few key tasks to address.
Fortunately, general manager Kent Hughes is a skilled operator. Armed with a clear offseason strategy, Hughes made sure to secure long-term commitments from crucial players. He locked in Juraj Slafkovsky for eight years and recently extended Kaiden Guhle for six years.
Additionally, both Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron were re-signed for two more seasons each. With the core players secured and the future of the blue line solidified, Hughes can now shift his attention to other priorities. Rumors are inevitable during the offseason, but Hughes has kept his plans under wraps.
As long as the development staff continues to work their magic with current players and future prospects, Hughes can feel confident about the state of the rebuild. He also added two promising prospects from his wishlist, with high hopes for their future with the team. Several players are on the brink of making the roster, whether it be this season or the next.
But what about a trade?
One could argue that adding a top-six talent would be the icing on the cake for the 2024 offseason. However, it’s clear that Hughes isn’t interested in sacrificing the future for a short-term solution. While Montreal does need more goals to improve their standings, with several young forwards aiming to prove themselves, he may opt to wait and see how they perform.
Yet, as we’ve seen before, Hughes often makes unexpected moves, like the Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook trades. Adding one final piece would be significant for the Canadiens, but holding off until the playoffs to assess the team’s performance could be a wise strategy.
Regardless, even if Hughes decides to stick with the current roster, his offseason should still be seen as successful. If there’s no trade that makes sense, being patient rather than making a deal just for the sake of it is a prudent choice. He has a plan, and so far, there’s no reason to doubt him, so a quiet offseason in terms of acquisitions isn’t necessarily a negative.
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