As the dust settles on another eventful season for the Montreal Canadiens, the atmosphere around the organization is one of cautious optimism and strategic planning. The team’s leadership, fresh off a campaign that exceeded expectations, is now turning its attention toward building on recent progress and addressing key areas for improvement. With the season review meetings concluded, management is taking a hard look at the roster, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, and mapping out the next steps to keep the Canadiens on their upward trajectory.

Behind closed doors, important discussions are taking place about how best to strengthen the lineup and ensure the team remains competitive in the seasons ahead. The focus is not just on filling gaps, but on making smart, calculated moves that balance immediate needs with long-term goals. Amid swirling speculation and heightened anticipation from fans and media alike, the Canadiens’ front office remains tight-lipped but determined, hinting at possible changes that could alter the team’s dynamics.

As management weighs its options and considers the best path forward, supporters are left to wonder what bold moves might be on the horizon. One thing is clear: the Canadiens are entering a pivotal offseason, and every decision will be crucial in shaping the team’s future.

Photo credit: NHL

The Montreal Canadiens’ management team held their 2024-2025 season review over the past few days.

Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton met with various members of the Montreal media, and it’s fair to say that the last campaign was a success for the Canadiens’ hockey operations team.

Now that the 2024-2025 season is behind them, it’s time to prepare for the next one, and as we know, one of the organization’s priorities is to find another top-6 forward.

It was clear during the series against the Washington Capitals that this was a major weakness, and that Alex Newhook does not have what it takes to play as a second-line center.

That said, as reported by the site DansLesCoulisses, it is very likely that the Canadiens will prioritize acquiring a center.

Jeff Gorton Drops a Hint About the Possible Acquisition of a Winger for the Canadiens’ Second Line

However, we should not rule out the possibility that a winger could be brought in as reinforcement in Montreal through a trade during the offseason.

During his appearance on BPM Sports, Tony Marinaro suggested this hypothesis (directly naming Jeff Gorton) and made very good points to support his argument.

“It’s because every team already knows that when they see Gorton and Hughes coming at 100 miles per hour, they’re going to ask the Canadiens for the moon for a center.”

– Tony Marinaro

Let’s just say that this strategy could allow the Canadiens to avoid overpaying for a center, and that a winger could do the job just fine in the short term.

Furthermore, Hughes and Gorton addressed Kirby Dach’s situation, and you can read between the lines that they have a very specific plan for him.

“We’ll see how he responds to his rehab over the summer.”

Could it be that the Canadiens’ organization still hopes Kirby Dach will become their second-line center behind Nick Suzuki?