While the Montreal Canadiens jockey for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, some pundits are looking ahead to GM Kent Hughes’ off-season plans.
It’s assumed Hughes will be in the market for a second-line center. He recently explained that he felt the trade deadline wasn’t the best time to pursue that player, but he said he spoke with other GMs to “spitball” some names, including those involving players who didn’t appear in the rumor mill before the trade deadline.
Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported Hughes tried to find a center to play with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook but couldn’t find a way to accomplish that objective at the trade deadline. He indicated he won’t overpay for one in this summer’s free-agent market, preferring to try again in the trade market.
Hughes has done reasonably well in previous off-season trades, adding Laine, Newhook, Kirby Dach, Mike Matheson, and Sean Monahan. His club possesses considerable trade capital, carrying nine picks in the first four rounds of this year’s draft (including two first-rounders), a deep pool of prospects and plentiful cap space.
TVA Sports’ Marc de Foy believes Hughes is right to be cautious in this summer’s free-agent market, pointing out that UFA-eligible centers, such as Toronto’s John Tavares, Dallas’ Matt Duchene and Colorado’s Brock Nelson, are in the mid-thirties. He also indicated Florida’s Sam Bennett is 29, but his physical style of play leaves him susceptible to injuries. Chicago’s Ryan Donato is enjoying a career year with 51 points but never reached those heights before this season.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins playoff hopes hang by a thread, sitting eight points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski was asked about the possibility of Penguins GM (and former Leafs GM) Kyle Dubas pursuing Mitch Marner if the 27-year-old right winger goes to market on July1.
Kingerski doesn’t dismiss the idea, especially if Dubas flips some draft picks this summer for younger players and feels good about the club’s direction. However, he acknowledged the rising salary cap would give more teams the cap space to bid for Marner.
Dubas could instead use his cap room to target a rival club’s RFA with an offer sheet. He believes JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres could be a prime option.
Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette thinks Dubas should try moving defenseman Erik Karlsson and goaltender Tristan Jarry this summer to free up salary-cap space.
Dubas reportedly spoke with several teams about Karlsson before the trade deadline. If he’s willing to retain part of the 34-year-old defenseman’s cap hit, he might find a taker this summer. The Penguins carry $10 million of his $11.5-million average annual value through 2026-27.
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