As the March 6 trade deadline approaches, Montreal Canadiens General Manager (GM) Kent Hughes faces a strategic crossroads: how to improve a roster currently pushing for a playoff spot without disrupting the chemistry of a burgeoning young core. By releasing their significant draft capital before 2026, they can effectively sidestep inflated prices and bidding wars. Their picks-first approach allows the front office to add established talent with remaining term, keeping the team’s salary structure manageable while avoiding the long-term risk of overpaying older veterans on the open market.
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Prioritizing draft picks as a starting point for trade negotiations will be an essential safeguard for Montreal’s pipeline. By isolating “untouchable” young stars and promising players like David Reinbacher and Ivan Demidov from trade talks, the Canadiens can improve the roster without sacrificing the players tasked with leading the franchise for the next decade.
In a market where several teams are desperate for draft capital, the Canadiens are in a unique position to trade from a position of strength, using their picks to ‘buy’ a proven NHLer rather than gamble on the potential of a distant draft day.
Canadiens don’t avoid trades
We expect Hughes to move Patrik Laine if a reasonable deal materializes. Hughes reportedly has given permission from Laine’s agent to talk to other teams to facilitate a move as the sniper struggles to find a consistent role in the lineup after appearing in just five games this season due to a core muscle injury. While Laine showed promise during the 2024-25 season, scoring 20 goals in 52 games, his massive $8.7 million cap hit and just one assist in five games this season mean he has become a “victim of improvement” for a Canadiens team that currently sits fourth in the Atlantic Division.
He has fallen down the depth chart. The main motivation for moving him is to free up cap space, which would give Montreal room to acquire a top-six forward with the term to play alongside Suzuki and Cole Caufield and make an immediate impact.
To complete a deal, the Canadiens could retain up to 50% of Laine’s salary, potentially adding more than $5 million in cap flexibility. While teams like the Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes have been linked to Laine in trade rumors, his status as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) makes him a high-risk, high-reward buy-low candidate for contenders looking for power play help or deep scoring.
Hughes previously said the team is willing to “overpay” for the right player, especially by offering key picks or prospects, rather than signing reckless long-term deals with free agents, to accelerate rebuilding and acquire key pieces for the future, even if it means paying a premium to land a top-six forward or elite center.
But even though he has the resources and knows what he’s willing to spend on, that doesn’t mean now is the right time. Patience is key in this phase of reconstruction. There is no need to rush the process like the Toronto Maple Leafs did when they signed John Tavares. Since then, the Maple Leafs have managed just one playoff series win and are now on the verge of becoming sellers, possibly even entering another rebuild. If a source told RG.org: “That’s it. The ‘for sale’ sign is up in Toronto now, but they’re going to give it a little try too.”
While Hughes preaches patience, that doesn’t mean he avoids making deals. When the season started, the Canadiens were in dire need of a second-line center. The hope was that Kirby Dach would finally stay healthy and become the answer to that question. Since returning from injury, he has shown some flashes of that skill playing on the wing alongside Suzuki on the wing, but is yet to prove he is the long-term solution in the top six.
On the second line, rookie Oliver Kapanen has stepped into the role, allowing Montreal to freeze a legitimate secondary offensive line. He has also played a key role on the penalty kill. This allowed Suzuki to spend less time defending and concentrate on playing an attacking role. This also means Hughes can now focus on acquiring a top-six winger who can add some size, skill and physicality for a play-off push.
All eyes are on the next generation of prospects and their possible roles. Prospects such as Michael Hage, Hayden Paupanekis and Owen Beck, among others. Adding another top-six forward could help provide the time needed to properly assess them and give them time to develop. This would also help management avoid the need to overpay in free agency or sacrifice draft capital at the trade deadline to fill the middle six holes moving forward. That internal solution could preserve assets for larger, strategic moves because they could now use excess assets.
Draft picks aren’t that valuable to the Canadiens at this stage of their rebuild and should be the most important assets on the table. But due to the emergence of the Canadiens’ young center depth, one of them could also be used as a trade chip to sweeten a deal, especially if they are ready for the NHL.
Canadiens draft capital
The Canadiens are in an enviable position of power at this year’s deadline. Are a buyer’s marketand Montreal is in the playoffs, with a legitimate chance to finish the season above a wild-card position. With that in mind, management isn’t just looking at acquiring assets for the future. After acquiring and extending Noah Dobson earlier this season, Montreal still retains nearly all of its draft capital for 2026 and 2027, including its own first-round pick. This allows Hughes to act as a disciplined buyer and leverage the future to strengthen a roster that is currently outperforming the rebuilding timeline.
Historically, a first-round pick, combined with a high-end prospect like Beck, a 22-year-old two-way center looking to become a third-line center, and a quality trade chip, could realistically make the Canadiens a top-six impact player with term.
The Edmonton Oilers recently paid a conditional first-round pick in 2026 and a prospect for defenseman Jake Walman, while the St. Louis Blues acquired Brayden Schenn for two first-round picks in 2017, illustrating that teams are willing to part with elite picks for long-term established core players. In a buyers’ market, by bagging a 2026 pick and Beck, Montreal could realistically target a playmaker who fits the window of their young core.
Market speculation suggests Montreal’s mix of assets makes it eligible for elite targets. Rumors have linked the Canadiens to Nashville Predators veteran Ryan O’Reilly as a mentor for their young stars, although his preference for ‘quieter’ markets can be an obstacle. Alternatively, the Canadiens could pivot to bolster their blue line or target a top-six forward like Dmitri Voronkov, who has seen his usage drop to the fourth line since the Columbus Blue Jackets added Mason Marchment. Taking advantage of the fact that the top prospects entering the draft, such as Ivar Stenberg and Gavin McKenna, are highly touted, the offer of a first-round pick should be much more attractive.
Ultimately, the Canadiens’ draft capital this season represents more than just destiny; it is the currency to build a competitor. Because Montreal is “ahead of schedule,” they can afford to be selective and wait for a deal whose value is undeniable.
While some analysts suggest overspending on short-term rentals, the availability of a first-round pick and a prospect of Beck’s caliber could make the Canadiens opportunistic buyers of desperate sellers like the Vancouver Canucks or Winnipeg Jets, or even teams like the Blue Jackets battling for the final spot in the Metropolitan Division playoffs.
Whether they use these assets to secure a steady position up front or to secure a shutdown defender, Montreal’s 2026 draft capital has the power to transform them from a promising young team into a legitimate Eastern Conference threat at this year’s deadline.
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