Kent Hughes isn’t in the habit of revealing his plans.
He’s rather discreet in the way he does things, which is why you never know what to expect from him.
However, we do know that he had a plan this summer to add an offensive player to his line-up. He didn’t succeed, but that’s not because he wasn’t able to negotiate with other teams.
The Habs GM tried to move for Rutger McGoarty at the draft, and that’s no secret now.
That said… the Habs GM didn’t just talk to the Jets GM on the evening of June 28.
According to Marco Normandin (Habsolument Fan), there was also a paper deal on Kent Hughes’ table before the draft… And it involved Ducks forward Trevor Zegras.
It looked like this:
- Montreal: Trevor Zegras + a 2nd-round pick
- Anaheim: Logan Mailloux and the 21st overall pick in the first round (which became Michael Hage).
In the end, the Canadiens decided to decline the offer:
On the other hand, I’m told it was the Habs who eventually made the decision not to complete the deal and announced it to the Ducks during the first round. – Marco Normandin
Even if the offer was turned down by the Habs, there’s an important aspect to the discussion here.
Logan Mailloux’s name was part of the discussion.
It means he’s not untouchable in Montreal… And it means he could possibly leave if a GM calls Kent Hughes to make him an offer he can’t refuse.
This information may startle some, because Mailloux did well in his first pro season. He and David Reinbacher are seen as the club’s next generation of right-sided defensemen, and yet his name still comes up in such an offer.
Special, though…
Still according to Marco Normandin (you really have to give him credit for this one), the Habs weren’t ready to go ahead with the deal because of the players drafted before 21st.
We know that the Habs really, really liked Michael Hage, and I really, really feel that it was his availability at No. 21 that changed all that.
Remember that Kent Hughes was very, very happy after selecting him… :
Kent Hughes talks with @FriedgeHNIC on the #NHLDraft floor following the Michael Hage and Ivan Demidov picks. pic.twitter.com/4gSV9r622o
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 29, 2024
