In this edition of the Montreal Canadiens News & Rumours, general manager (GM) Kent Hughes has his work cut out for him as he continues the hunt for a second line centre. Sidney Crosby is somehow linked to the Canadiens, and Montreal’s young prospects are building chemistry and showing their ability to play at the NHL level at Rookie Camp and much more.
March of the Penguins
Pat Brisson, Crosby’s agent, told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun earlier this week that a trade was possible. But even if it opens up a minute possibility that it can happen, that doesn’t mean Crosby’s potential departure from Pittsburgh is anything but a fever dream at this stage of the 2025-26 season.
“Well, it’s a reality… We want him to hopefully win another Cup or two. So each year the team that he’s playing for fails to make the playoffs, it creates a lot of speculation. In reality, he’s not getting any younger. We’re here to support him. It’s the beginning of the season here. Let’s see how things are going. Hopefully they have a great season and the speculation will go away.”
Pat Brisson (Sidney Crosby on Penguins future, Canadiens speculation, more: ‘That’s the hard part about losing’, Pierre Lebrun, The Athletic, Sept. 9, 2025)
Brisson’s comments, kept in context, say nothing more than his client wants to be in the playoffs, and he might (emphasize the word, might) be open to discussing a trade with the Penguins GM. This small possibility has led to some outlandish proposals, like the one on a recent episode of TSN’s Overdrive show. They discussed a hypothetical trade of Crosby to the Canadiens as a one-for-one trade for Ivan Demidov.
Obviously, that’s a non-starter for Montreal. Trading him or any other of the young, core players on their current NHL roster would be counter to what Canadiens management has been building since they arrived in 2022. This is due to age; Crosby may have only three more seasons where he can be an impact player, and Montreal’s window isn’t there yet. At best, his addition would shift the Canadiens from a playoff bubble team to one that could be a threat to win a round in the playoffs.
Then there are the salary cap issues. Crosby earns $8.7 million on the cap, and even after the Carey Price trade, Montreal only has $4.57 million available. That means the Canadiens would need to send salary the other way. Would Josh Anderson be of interest to Pittsburgh? Maybe, but only if significant futures are added, such as multiple first-round picks and a high-end prospect or two added in as well. Moving Crosby signals a total rebuild, and they would need any trade to provide significant building blocks.
Canadiens’ Interest in Zacha
While Crosby is a long shot to come to Montreal, other players who could be more affordable and are actually available. An NHL source has confirmed to Jimmy Murphy of RG media that the Canadiens have inquired about Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha.
“The Canadiens definitely have interest in Zacha and have inquired about him, but they’re not the only team. Several teams — I’m told the Flames are one — continue to express interest in him”
Murphy went on to note that prospects Joshua Roy and Oliver Kapanen, as well as defenceman Jayden Struble, are names that continue to be bantered about in NHL trade chatter regarding the Canadiens’ search for a second-line centre. Any of these players could be a great starting point in any negotiation. Hughes would likely need to add a pick and/or another prospect to make it happen. While it is far more plausible that Zacha joins the Canadiens, it is still remote, as the Canadiens and Bruins are bitter divisional and historical rivals that aren’t known for trading with one another.
Canadiens Rookie Camp
Names like Demidov, Owen Beck and David Reinbacher show that Montreal’s prospect depth has improved dramatically in only a few seasons. Outside of the top prospects, players like Adam Engstrom and Filip Mesar are attracting the fans’ attention. One because he’s already looking NHL-ready, and the other because he’s a first-round pick that hasn’t seen any progression in over a year.
But one of the biggest names and bodies, Florian Xhekaj, is turning heads. Arber Xhekaj’s younger brother was the American Hockey League’s third leading rookie goal scorer and league penalty minutes leader from 2024-25. He worked hard this offseason and added strength and another 15 pounds.
This additional size will make him harder to defend and more durable over the course of a long season. Montreal’s need for size and grit in their bottom six this season opens the door wide for a player like Xhekaj if he is able to have an outstanding training camp. Even if he remains in the AHL for the season, he and his fellow prospects are giving fans even more hope that the rebuild is nearly complete.
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