Montreal Canadiens fans have been waiting for answers, and now, at last, the silence has been broken. In a rare and revealing interview, general manager Kent Hughes has finally stepped into the spotlight, offering a glimpse behind the curtain of the team’s recent maneuverings.

The hockey world has been buzzing with rumors and speculation, but few expected Hughes to speak so candidly—or to provide such intriguing insights into his decision-making process.

The conversation, which touched on everything from high-profile trade sagas to the future direction of the club, has left fans and insiders alike scrambling for more information.

What drove the Canadiens’ latest moves? What factors tipped the scales in favor of certain deals? And, perhaps most importantly, which acquisition has insiders calling it a “home run” for Montreal’s future?

As Hughes reflects on several key trades, he reveals details that have never been shared publicly before. The reasoning, the strategy, and the vision behind each transaction are all discussed, but not everything is as straightforward as it seems.

With so much at stake and so many questions still unanswered, readers will want to dive deeper to uncover the full story behind these headline-making decisions.

Photo of Kent Hughes

Photo credit: NHL

Recently, in an interview with journalist Eric Engels, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes commented on several topics.

Speaking publicly for the first time in a while, many topics were discussed in the interview, including the Carey Price trade saga. Hughes also took the opportunity to revisit three trades completed by the Tricolore over the past few months.

It’s interesting because he explains very clearly the thought process before finalizing each of these trades.

Kent Hughes comments on three trades completed by the Canadiens

He talks about the deals involving Noah Dobson, Logan Mailloux, and Justin Barron. Here’s the excerpt in question..

“We are excited to see what he will bring to our team (Hughes, speaking about Noah Dobson)

And I think one of Noah’s strengths, which we also knew in Logan Mailloux, was his shot from the blue line.”

“We lost Logan in the trade for Zack Bolduc, and Justin Barron, who could also shoot very well, we traded him to Nashville.

So, we traded away two right-handed defensemen capable of shooting.

I’d say that having point shots was a weakness for our group, so I think adding Noah is a big benefit, along with his puck-moving ability and the variety he brings.”

– Kent Hughes

So, we can clearly see the factors considered by Hughes (and Jeff Gorton) during the decision-making process that led to these trades.

In the end, I think it’s fair to say these were three solid moves by Kent Hughes, with the acquisition of Noah Dobson standing out as a true home run!