Canadiens Fans Should Be Okay With a Quiet Offseason

It is undeniable that the Montreal Canadiens’ progress over the last two seasons has been meteoric. Given Kent Hughes’ and Jeff Gorton’s history of making significant trades in previous off-seasons, many expect more of the same this summer.

The problem is that this year’s free agent class is possibly the weakest in years. Combine that with a rising salary cap, which allows teams to retain more of their pending free agents, and what is clearly a seller’s market, and it all adds up to a murky and challenging path when it comes to finding trading partners and making deals that will not, at the very least, appear desperate or wildly unbalanced from Montreal’s perspective.

There is little doubt that Hughes and Gorton are working tirelessly to improve the team. However, their approach so far has shown a reluctance to mortgage the future for an impact player. Many might argue that is exactly what they did in the Noah Dobson trade, but that was then, and this is now. Given the barren free agent class and the fact that half the league is searching for a second-line centre and a top-pairing right-shot defenceman, the current market does not favour buyers.

Just look at the deal Darren Raddysh got from the Toronto Maple Leafs: eight years at an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million for a 30-year-old defenceman with one notable season on his résumé. That is not the kind of deal we have seen from Montreal’s current administration, and it is unlikely to happen unless they are one clear piece away from being a playoff juggernaut. Even then, desperation moves are not what we have come to expect from this management team.

So what does it all mean, and what should fans realistically expect this off-season? The unfortunate reality may be that there is not much. Maybe something notable will materialize, but it is highly likely the only deal Hughes and Gorton make is for a depth player.

Montreal is in a strong position at forward, with plenty of high-end talent on the NHL roster, solid depth pieces in the lineup, and several intriguing prospects developing. As a result, they may focus more on defence in this year’s draft and target a defenceman, a right shot if possible, with their 28th pick.

Why Montreal May Choose Patience

Quite possibly, Montreal decides to let things ride, relying on the growth and experience gained last season to carry over into next season. They may wait to see whether American Hockey League (AHL) players like Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj, and Vinzenz Rohrer can make the team next season to fill holes left by departing players like Brendan Gallagher, likely Joe Veleno, and possibly Kirby Dach. Then they could gauge performance over the first two months and look to make a move if needed.

There is also Alexander Zharovsky, currently in Montreal for the summer, skating with Ivan Demidov. The plan could be to show Zharovsky how great it would be to play and live in Montreal and to perhaps explore whether his overseas contract can be bought out, as Demidov’s was, so he could join the team as early as next season.

Alternatively, his time in Montreal could be about gauging whether he is ready to make the jump to the NHL. If things do work out for Zharovsky, that would be a roster player added, without trading anything away.

The Case for Keeping Michael Hage

A lot has been written about the possibility of Montreal trading Michael Hage, given that he has chosen to return to the NCAA for another season. I previously proposed trade scenarios that included him as a primary piece, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that, especially given his connection to Montreal and what playing for the Canadiens will mean to him, it is difficult to imagine Hughes and Gorton trading him before he has played a single game for the team.

The pride he will likely feel, and the drive he will bring in an effort to succeed in Montreal, would be a significant risk to give up at this point.

A Bright Future Doesn’t Require a Big Summer

Montreal’s progression from one playoff win in 2024-25 to nine and a berth in this season’s conference finals is astounding. The fans and the city want more and probably expect it. Their thinking is likely along the lines of: If we won two series this season, we’ll probably win one or two more next season. Well, two more means a Stanley Cup. As Carey Price once said, “Relax, chill out.”

This team is clearly on an upward trajectory, and the future is as bright as it has ever been in decades, but these things are rarely linear. From where I’m standing, and I’ve said this more than once, Hughes and Gorton clearly have a long-term plan. Long term, not short term. So have faith, be patient, and enjoy this team’s journey, which looks set to eventually take them to a Cup Final in the not-too-distant future.

It is undeniable that a team with core pieces like Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, and Jacob Fowler, with more exciting prospects to be added soon, makes this a very exciting time to be a Montreal fan.

So if nothing major happens this summer and the Canadiens don’t acquire a legitimate 2C or top-pairing defenceman, just take a breath and have faith that Hughes and Gorton, who have given you no reason to doubt them so far, have this situation under control.