Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is heading to Detroit and a trade is underway
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The Montreal Canadiens' General Manager Kent Hughes is officially heading to Detroit, and a trade could be underway.
Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens had a massive offseason. After reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2021, they made key acquisitions in Zachary Bolduc and Noah Dobson.
But now, the team is $5M over the salary cap and must look into ways to free up money ahead of the season. The easy way out is to trade away Carey Price's $10.5M AAV contract.
Incoming Wave of Trades Following The GM Meeting in Detroit?
All 32 NHL general managers will be in Detroit for meetings.
Discussions about Price's future have been ongoing for months, but with Hughes face-to-face with other executives, this might finally be the moment to get it done.
On September 1st, Price received his massive $5.5 million signing bonus, making his contract far easier to move for the Canadiens, as he will only cost an acquiring team roughly $2 million in actual salary for the season, a massive difference that could finally open the door to a trade.
However, with all teams already above the cap floor, the Habs could struggle moving the contract.
Reports suggest he could need to send a second-round pick as a sweetener to the team getting Price:
"Colleague Renaud Lavoie shared some very insightful information.
- The fact that every team is already above the cap floor hurts Hughes
- A club could ask for a second-round pick - which Hughes will refuse to give up
- This trade is seen as essential for the Canadiens, who want to acquire a center
- The GMs will meet soon in Detroit, which could speed up negotiations
- Several teams could give up quickly after a poor start to the season and start selling off assets"
- The fact that every team is already above the cap floor hurts Hughes
- A club could ask for a second-round pick - which Hughes will refuse to give up
- This trade is seen as essential for the Canadiens, who want to acquire a center
- The GMs will meet soon in Detroit, which could speed up negotiations
- Several teams could give up quickly after a poor start to the season and start selling off assets"
Here's the most likely scenario: Some teams could start making moves early in the season if they realize they're falling out of playoff contention.
With the high-stakes 2026 Draft Lottery and Gavin McKenna projected as the first overall pick, teams may look to pivot quickly, trading away roster players and taking on big contracts to position themselves better in the lottery race.
Stay tuned for more details on this developing story.
Previously on Red Wings Insider
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 2 | 221 ANSWERS Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is heading to Detroit and a trade is underway Do you think the Montreal Canadiens will make a trade during the GM meeting in Detroit? | ||
| Yes | 115 | 52 % |
| No | 106 | 48 % |
| List of polls | ||
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