There are talks around the league that the Seattle Kraken could be open to trading the former fourth-overall pick at the 2022 draft, Shane Wright. The Montreal Canadiens are in need of a second-line center. Is there a fit there? It appears doubtful.
In the past, Kent Hughes has taken swings in his search for a second-line center. Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook were both projected to be centers, but neither of them panned out at that position. After a 44-point season with the Kraken in 2024-25, Wright’s production went down to just 27 points in 2025-26. His shooting percentage, face-off percentage, power play time on ice and overall time on ice have all gone down. He went from a 0.56 point-per-game average to a 0.36 point-per-game average.
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When Hughes rolled the dice on Dach and Newhook, it was early in the Canadiens’ rebuild. They were in the assets accumulation phase; they had time to bet on potential alone. But it’s been three years since the GM landed Newhook, and the Habs have improved by leaps and bounds since then. They’ve made the playoffs in the last two years, reached the Eastern Conference Final, and their core has increased exponentially. Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and Ivan Demidov have all become important cogs in the Sainte-Flanelle’s machine.
Martin St-Louis and the coaching staff are no longer solely about development. Montreal is after results; the Habs brass wants this team to keep growing and improving, but they don’t have as much time to spend on development.
Yes, the Canadiens are after a second-line center, but they’re not after a player that has yet to prove himself in the NHL; they’ve passed that stage. They need someone who’s ready to slide into the line-up and assume an important role. That’s not Wright. Given his struggles, the Canadiens wouldn’t be doing him a favor by bringing him to Montreal. While the city lives and breathes hockey, it’s not the right setting for a young player who’s struggling with his confidence and came to the league with huge expectations, especially not now that the fans have had a taste of victory.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
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