The Canadian will not participate in the playoffs.
And since it’s gone, he won’t be in the mix either.
What will Kent Hughes’ plan be, then, between now and the end of the season? What we know at the moment is that the Canadiens’ GM “listens to almost everything” regarding his players who will become free as air this summer (UFA).
This is what Darren Dreger mentioned this morning on the radio (TSN 690), talking about the following names:
- Christian Dvorak
- David Savard
- Jake Evans
- Joel Armia
The informant also threw the name of Mike Matheson into the discussion because his contract will end in the summer of 2026, but above all because he receives an attractive salary in the eyes of other teams in the National League.
At 4,875 for yet another season, the idea of getting an offensive defenseman like him may be attractive to a club that wants to add depth to its top-6.
But according to Dreger, there is one player in particular that the Canadian would like to keep. This is Jake Evans:
I think Evans is the player the Montreal Canadiens would like to keep. That’s my impression. –Darren Dreger
Does that mean that all these players will leave by March?
Not necessarily.
On the other hand, if Kent Hughes has the right offer for a guy he no longer sees in the team’s long-term plans, I don’t see why the GM wouldn’t make a move.
We know that he likes to maximize his assets and we know that he is constantly looking to improve his club for the future. Because looking for picks or prospects for guys who could leave for free this summer would be useful.
Again, it is too early to say who will leave and who will stay.
But quickly again… I have the impression that Kent Hughes will push to keep Jake Evans because he is still relatively young, but all the other guys named above have a chance of leaving.
In burst
– I adore.
– Encore?
– Wow. It’s flattering.
– Please note:
– It’s no surprise.
