Post-Game Talk: Trade Deadline Day: March 7, 2025: Montreal stands pat

[Miller Time]

I’m not sure how anyone can saying doing nothing is the right move

If you are trying to make the playoffs, you need a centre

If we’re not going for it, we should have sold parts like Armia and Savard given the high prices

Looks like we’ll end this year in no man’s land

If this year was the be all end all, you'd have a point.

Fortunately, management has a clear objective (building a long term contender) and the wherewithal to stick to their strategy.

We'll end the year ahead of where the vast majority of this board thought we'd be, possibly with a PO appearance, with our roster stronger than it was to start the season and our top 5 prospect pool & draft capital fully intact.

Future is bright (& we get to enjoy watching our youngest in the league roster battle it out for a playoff spot to finish the year).

 

[Vachon23]

He didn’t add anyone with Laval because they want the young guys to play

 

[Canadienna]

I don't know how to interpret that. Is he saying it was a terrible offer or a great one?

Because either way it's an odd thing to say. Either you rejected a great deal for a player on your sinking team, or you're publicly acknowledging no one wants one of your main trade chips.

 

[dinodebino]

The same commentators who made excuses for Hughes’ inaction and inability to participate in the market in year 2 of the rebuild are doing the same today. They’ll never be honest interlocutors because they genuinely believe Kent is always right. As such, as much as they post their analysis is essentially worthless.

I don’t know what to make of today’s inaction but I do know that this roster is underpowered for anything. If acquiring depth help was “too expensive” (and that’s fair enough) then the Habs did not have a surplus of picks.

Prices will always be too high when you don’t manage assets properly. Kent is very good at selling cap space and keeping an upbeat vibe and he’s TBD in most other categories. He’s so unproven, still.

Yes. You are right. Any questions?

 

[Colezuki]

Lots of overreaction in here weirdly, we need a 2c, that’s a solve for the summer not now

 

[ReHabs]

Nobody asked KH to jump head first on Cozens. Stating that you don't have the assets to land a #2C after you ended your rebuild is not a good sign.

The rebuild isn’t over (so don’t expect to win and don’t get mad when we lose) but prices are too high (so don’t expect Hughes to acquire players to improve the roster yet). Great gig!

 

[Saundies]

Dubas: "Give me my trash back!!!"

 

[sukimono]

Lots of overreaction in here weirdly, we need a 2c, that’s a solve for the summer not now

Right, a solve that comes just after missing out on the playoffs. Gotcha.

 

[Vachon23]

I’m ok with the explanations in the PC

Would probably have sold Savard for the Luke Schenn deal but it’s not the end of world

Would have like to make a move for Brandon Carlo too but we can try to sign him in July 2026

 

[Adam Michaels]

Where is this outrage coming from? Why would we trade just for the fun of it? Sure they couldve added a 7th D, but it's not a big deal lol

Outrage is the default setting around here.

Didn't make a move? Outrage.
Made a move? Outraged because it's not who I want.
Price paid by other teams for a certain players? Outraged because we should have made that move instead.

 

[jellybeans]

let the spelling police report to duty.

I'm so sorry i made some spelling mistakes

 

[Tyson]

I am good with what did and didn't happen today.
Like Hans Gruber once said..."do not alter the plan"

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

sometimes the best move is to do nothing.

In certain circumstances.

Not this one.

 

[Sorinth]

We need to take everything we can get, this team is not in a position to lose players for nothing. It's a bad move.

We aren't losing them for nothing, we are potentially losing them (We might re-sign some) to give the young core more pressure-packed must win games. That's an invaluable learning/development experience.

 

[c3z4r]

Exactly. Do Leafs fans actually think Scott Laughton is the missing piece for them? Or even Carlo? And they gave up their #1 pick for Laughton, even though they got a 4th and 6th back. Yawn…..

Florida and Tampa have been to the last 5 stanley cup finals, and they've only drafted a combined 3 times in the first round in the last five drafts; well six drafts if you include the one for this season; and if I were a betting man, I'd take them over the field for this year as well.

Late first round picks have become so overrated on these forums.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

If this year was the be all end all, you'd have a point.

Fortunately, management has a clear objective (building a long term contender) and the wherewithal to stick to their strategy.

We'll end the year ahead of where the vast majority of this board thought we'd be, possibly with a PO appearance, with our roster stronger than it was to start the season and our top 5 prospect pool & draft capital fully intact.

Future is bright (& we get to enjoy watching our youngest in the league roster battle it out for a playoff spot to finish the year).

I agree that the future is bright, I just don’t get the strategy of today

If we are not making big moves because we could make the playoffs and get some experience, why not make a move for a stopgap at C? If we don’t think we’re competing, why not sell? It just seems like indecision to me

 

[HabsMD97]

That's actually a great deal for the leafs, damn

 

[LaineBOOM]

Is this old and/or obsolete and/or debunked news already?

Blues' Star Forward Linked to Canadiens After Kent Hughes Misses Out on Dylan Cozens

We know that the Habs are currently trying to finalize a 'hockey trade,' and we know that young center Dylan Cozens has been traded to the Ottawa Senators.

www.yardbarker.com

 

[OnTheRun]

Nobody asked KH to jump head first on Cozens. Stating that you don't have the assets to land a #2C after you ended your rebuild is not a good sign.

We have the assets to land a #2C. The TDL was -never- the best market to make hockey trade however. Like I said, there wasn't any reason at all to rush out and get it done -today-, we have plenty of time to revisit trade for a real #2C that will fit our team.

 

[SwiftyHab]

Outrage is the default setting around here.

Didn't make a move? Outrage.
Made a move? Outraged because it's not who I want.
Price paid by other teams for a certain players? Outraged because we should have made that move instead.

This post is outrageous!!!!!!

 

[red devil]

I’m ok with the explanations in the PC

Would probably have sold Savard for the Luke Schenn deal but it’s not the end of world

Would have like to make a move for Brandon Carlo too but we can try to sign him in July 2026

Schenn s also signed for next year @ 2.75 million so it probably made him more valuable in the eyes of the Jets

 

[The Great Weal]

I’m ok with the explanations in the PC

Would probably have sold Savard for the Luke Schenn deal but it’s not the end of world

Would have like to make a move for Brandon Carlo too but we can try to sign him in July 2026

I didn't really see a valid explanation except for the Laval one where Kapanen can join. The 5 game win streak is going to cost us 2 2nds if we don't make the playoffs.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

We aren't losing them for nothing, we are potentially losing them (We might re-sign some) to give the young core more pressure-packed must win games. That's an invaluable learning/development experience.

Savard is done, if we re-sign him, it will be worse than not trading him today.

 

[Canadienna]

Is selling UFA players and non-core now considered a major deal? He did that (to mixed results) his first trade deadline.

So I figure you think This isn’t PlayStation, trades are hard, etc

Why come at this with such hostility?

I think the Habs aren't in a position to compete with all these teams loading up, and our obvious UFA pieces aren't very interesting to other teams.

I can't honestly tell what you want because most of your post is about the supposed bad intentions of others.

 

[vokiel]

sometimes the best move is to do nothing.

When you're in a playoff race you don't expect to win?

Because a single injury can just derail that train now