Insider: Canadiens Listening To Offers On "Just About Anything"

Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has indicated a readiness to entertain offers on nearly every player as he focuses on long-term planning. 

With the Canadiens sitting near the bottom of the NHL standings at 8-13-3, Hughes is "listening to just about anything that would help the Canadiens," according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. 

This includes potential moves involving pending unrestricted free agents such as defenseman David Savard and forwards Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak, and Joel Armia. 

The goal, Dreger explained, is to balance current market opportunities with the team’s future vision, stating, "You look at the players and think, ‘How would they fit in long-term?’ Then you balance that with what the market is presenting.”

Et le premier but à domicile de 2024 revient à... Joel Armia!

And the first home goal of 2024 goes to... Joel Armia!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/ZhvbiUfvKb

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 5, 2024

One of the most compelling trade chips is defenseman Mike Matheson, who has another year left on his contract at a $4.88 million AAV and has impressed this season with 14 points in 22 games. 

While currently sidelined with a lower-body injury, Matheson is seen as a valuable target for playoff contenders. 

"There are always teams looking for quality defense," Dreger noted, emphasizing the leverage Hughes could gain if Matheson returns to health. 

Veteran defenseman David Savard also offers value as a steady, experienced blueliner, while Jake Evans’ strong start as a bottom-six forward and special-teams contributor could make him a player Hughes prefers to keep. 

“Evans is the player the Montreal Canadiens would like to hold onto,” Dreger said, but others like Dvorak and Armia are viewed as more expendable.

While I support Habs fans rallying behind Kirby Dach due to his recent performance, it’s intriguing how quickly they turn on other players, such as:

• Mike Matheson
• Christian Dvorak
• Justin Barron
• Josh Anderson

The list goes on and on and it’s extremely hypocritical.…

— Stazi (@SergeantDeputy) December 1, 2024

With injuries and tight playoff races across the league, Hughes is well-positioned to capitalize on rising demand as the March trade deadline approaches. 

“As teams get deeper into the season, you look at injuries and teams trying to top up,” Dreger observed, noting the opportunities available for Montreal to extract maximum value from some of their assets.

Photo Credit: Natalie Reid-Imagn Images