Jeff Gorton opens the door to a transaction.
The Vice-President of the Montreal Canadiens has just shaved Quebec by suggesting that the organization could turn to the transactions market to strengthen its team.
Although he has never specifically mentioned the need for a center, everyone in the NHL knows that it is the absolute priority of Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis.
While CH finds itself in the middle of the eliminatory series, only one point in third place in the Atlantic division, expectations are climbing.
Gorton admitted that if the team continues on its current momentum, he would be ready to support his coach by going to get a player capable of having an immediate impact.
And behind the scenes, a name is on everyone’s lips: Ryan O’Reilly.
The 33 -year -old veteran is exactly the type of player looking for the Canadian. Experienced, reliable defensively and excellent in the players, it would represent a perfect solution to lighten the burden of Kirby Dach and allow him to reposition himself to the wing, where he excels offensively.
According to Ellipotte Friedman, the Nashville Predators, despite their reluctance to get away from it, would be open to a transaction if two conditions are met:
1. An exciting offer – Barry Trotz, DG of Predators, wants significant compensation, in particular due to the role of leader of O’Reilly within his team.
2. The approval of O’Reilly-even if he does not have a non-exchange clause in his contract, the Predators treat him with great respect and wish to obtain his agreement before any movement.
However, it is of public notoriety that Nashville is sorely lacking in the blue line, particularly on the right side.
This glaring lack of high -level right -handed defenders opens the door to an attractive offer from the Canadian, and a name stands out: Logan Mailloux.
Since its controversial draft in 2021, Logan Mailloux has developed in a promising right -wing defender, with a rare combination of size, power and offensive skills.
However, despite his immense potential, his past outside ice continues to follow him, and the question arises: is the Canadian ready to sacrifice him to acquire an impact center?
Logan Mailloux is currently living moments of great uncertainty. The young right -handed defender can only listen to Gorton’s statements with a ball in the stomach.
Mailloux knows it: Nashville is desperately looking for a right -handed defender, and with his season which goes from bad to worse, his name has become an obvious candidate to sacrifice.
For several weeks, nothing has been going well for him. Its erratic game, its many errors on the ice and its inability to stand out defensively have cost its reputation within the organization.
The demotion on the second wave of digital advantage, the obvious frustration of Pascal Vincent in his regard, and his gaps in terms of discipline outside ice do not go unnoticed.
When Gorton said that CH was now in a buyer position, Mailloux felt the pressure ride a notch.
Each word pronounced by management, he realizes that its place in the organization is increasingly precarious.
It is not a secret for anyone: the Canadian wants a second center, and if they must sacrifice a young defender to obtain it, Mailloux is on the front line.
For Mailloux, the current season is anything but reassuring. After a good start, he got bogged down in a series of bad performances: only 4 points to his last 20 games, a disturbing defensive sheet and stupid punishments that frustrate coaches.
Even more alarming, Pascal Vincent no longer hides his dissatisfaction and does not hesitate to sanction it by removing key responsibilities.
The observation is brutal: when he hoped to force the hand of the organization for a recall in the NHL, he is rather sliding slowly towards the exit door.
Each error, each difficult match strengthens the idea that he could be the centerpiece in an exchange to get an impact player.
Right now, Mailloux can only imagine the worst. He knows that his future is suspended from a thread and that CH leaders must be extremely disappointed with his season.
-But in such a competitive market, each flaw becomes an argument against him. His out -of -ice behavior, which had already aroused doubts in the past, returns to haunt him.
His horrible performances do not help to plead his cause. He knows it, he is losing the battle against himself.
When Gorton talks about the need to add parts to help the team take a step, Mailloux cannot help imagining his name circulating in the discussions between Kent Hughes and Barry Trotz.
Each phone call, each rumor concerning him plunges him into intense stress. He realizes that his room for maneuver is thin and that he is no longer entitled to error.
The message is clear for Mailloux: he must straighten the bar immediately, if not his future in Montreal is compromised.
He must prove that he can be a reliable defender on 200 feet, that he can meet the defensive expectations imposed by the organization, and especially that he can regain the confidence of his coaches.
But is it too late? The accumulated stress begins to weigh on his game, and he seems more and more lost on the ice.
The upcoming arrival of David Reinbacher, considered to be the future quarter of Montreal defense, could make this decision easier.
With defenders like Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson progressing at an impressive pace, CH could choose to exchange Mailloux to meet a more pressing need in the center.
However, if Hughes hesitates to include Mailloux in a transaction, the Canadian’s first -round choices could become another option to explore.
The Canadian currently has two first -round choices for the next draft:
• Their own choice (17th provisional row) – with the solid season of CH, this choice could lose value.
• The choice of Calgary’s flames (19th provisional row) – acquired in the exchange of Sean Monahan, this choice could be very coveted, even if it is late.
If Montreal really believes in its chances this season, sacrificing one of these choices to obtain O’Reilly could be a logical decision. But at what price?
This would put Kent Hughes in a delicate position: how far is it ready to go to give his team a chance to play in series?
The Canadian is a turning point. On the one hand, Jeff Gorton and the staff want to respect the long-term reconstruction plan and not hypothequate the future by sacrificing major assets.
On the other hand, Martin St-Louis, convinced that his group is ready to take a step, pushes for a major acquisition which could immediately transform the team into a serious threat.
Rumors surrounding Ryan O’Reilly only intensify internal debates. The veteran represents exactly the desired profile: a winner of the Stanley Cup, a vocal leader and an elite center player in the circles of the players.
With the deadline for approaching transactions, the next few weeks will be decisive for Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton.
Montreal is at a crossroads: should they continue on their momentum and believe in their chances this season, or wait to consolidate the long-term team?
Supporters are divided. Some want to see CH run and take advantage of the current momentum, while others fear that hasty decisions will compromise the team’s long -term vision.
Certainly, the fire is on in Montreal. With increasingly persistent rumors and the approach of a capital decision, Ryan O’Reilly is more than ever in the viewfinder of the Canadian.
It remains to be seen if Kent Hughes will choose to take the plunge, or if he will remain faithful to his patient philosophy and years emergency.
In any case, Barry Trotz’s phone may sound more and more often in the coming days.
He may see the 514 on your iPhone.
