Another steal by Kent Hughes has been made in his debut as GM of the Montreal Canadiens
Kent Hughes has made a major impact as the GM of the Montreal Canadiens since his debut, making trades that have set the team on a very good trajectory.
One trade that truly shows his skill was the 2022 deal that sent Brett Kulak to the Edmonton Oilers.
In return, the Canadiens received a second-round pick that they used to draft Lane Hutson and is one of the team's best prospects.
This move shows Kent Hughes' ability to capitalize on his opportunities since trading a good defenseman like Kulak for a high-upside pick was a calculated risk already paying off.
In 39 games with the Edmonton Oilers this season, he has a total of 5-7-12 and a plus-minus of plus-5.
The Canadiens used the second-round pick they acquired by trading Kulak to the Oilers in 2022 to select Lane Hutson."
Stu Cowan
Lane Hutson can be a difference-maker for the Canadiens for years to come and is even considered as the best offensive defenseman since Quinn Hughes.
Kent Hughes has also proven he knows how to leverage assets in other trades like the one that brought Sean Monahan in Montreal.
Acquiring Monahan and a conditional first-round pick from the Calgary Flames was an ingenious move and when Monahan was later traded, the Canadiens added another first-round pick, which they used to select Michael Hage.
These trades demonstrate Hughes' strategic approach to rebuild the Canadiens into a competitive force by flipping veterans like Kulak and Monahan for valuable draft picks.
Moves like these give fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic about what the Canadiens could achieve under Hughes' leadership.
It's not just about the immediate return but the future to create a sustainable and competitive roster.
And as it is shown by the success of players like Hutson and the promise of others like Hage, Hughes' vision for the Canadiens is already giving results.
