Canadiens GM Kent Hughes reportedly looking at big trade: Not for a second-line center
The Montreal Canadiens are shifting their trade deadline focus toward a physical top-six winger as Kent Hughes prioritizes grit over another center.
Insider Pierre LeBrun just dropped a massive insight on the Oilers Now podcast that has the hockey world buzzing tonight.
It seems the front office has a very different view than the public on what this roster actually needs to survive a playoff push.
While most of us were convinced the search for a second-line center was the only priority, the internal strategy has shifted.
The focus is now on finding a player who brings a specific brand of physicality to the top of the lineup.
They want a winger who can provide some serious protection for the stars and crash the crease when the games get tight.
The front office doesn't feel the same 'urgency' for a new pivot that the fan base has been debating all winter long.
A battle-tested winger changes the dynamic in Montreal
Nick Suzuki has been doing the heavy lifting for this offense, already piling up 62 points in 54 games this season.
The captain, who was selected 13th overall back in 2017, has cemented his status as a legitimate superstar during this dominant run.
He leads the entire roster with a massive +23 rating while playing the most difficult minutes in the league.
Then you have Cole Caufield, who just hit the 30-goal mark and is currently on pace to shatter his career highs.
Drafted in the first round in 2019, the elite dynamo is proving he is worth every penny of his $7.85 million 'premium price tag.'
But even with the stars producing, the team knows they need more 'scar tissue' to survive the Atlantic Division gauntlet.
Juraj Slafkovsky, the first-overall pick from 2022, is already providing that 'imposing' 225-pound presence on the top line.
The heavy winger has taken a massive leap forward this year, netting 20 goals and proving he can play a beast role.
However, management wants to find him a partner in crime who has been through the wars and won it all.
The name Blake Coleman is circulating as the missing veteran piece of the puzzle for this young group.
Drafted by New Jersey in 2011, Coleman is a playoff warrior who won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
He knows exactly what it takes to grind through four rounds and he brings that championship DNA every single shift.
With 21 points in 44 games this season, his $4.9 million salary is a target that fits the budget while providing elite grit.
If Kent Hughes pulls this off, the rebuild is going to reach the next level faster than anyone expected.
Watch the phones, because the Habs are far from finished.
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