Is Kent Hughes' next transaction now revealed? One player in particular has just been targeted by François Gagnon

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Elias Edmonson
September 26, 2023 (2:32 PM)

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Although Kent Hughes has managed to get rid of some bad contracts this summer, his work is far from over. Indeed, the former general manager of the Canadiens, Marc Bergevin, unfortunately bequeathed several lucrative agreements to his successor, and two players in particular could be leaving the ship soon, namely Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia.

Moreover, during his appearance on RDS's "On Jase" show, journalist François Gagnon seemed convinced he knew the identity of the next player to be traded. According to him, it's only a matter of time before the Canadiens' GM trades the 27-year-old center, who is hindering the development of the organization's young prospects.

«Christian Dvorak, for me, is in Montreal just passing through. He's going to arrive, and the Canadiens, as soon as they can tell teams that this guy can help you at center, I have the impression he will be the first to leave because he prevents the development of young center players to complete the Canadiens' lineup.» - François Gagnon

Wow! That is clear!

However, we will have to remain patient before the Canadiens' forward is indeed traded, as he is still recovering from a knee injury sustained at the end of last season. The Canadiens' staff has confirmed that he will not return to play before the beginning of November, thus delaying a possible transaction involving the number 28 of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge.

However, hearing François Gagnon's remarks, it would not be surprising if Christian Dvorak does not finish the season in Montreal, which would certainly please many fans.

Of course, the Canadiens will not be able to repatriate a first-round pick and a second-round pick, the price that Marc Bergevin paid for his acquisition. However, according to information provided by Arpon Basu of The Athletic, Kent Hughes might possibly get an interesting return if Dvorak performs well this season, as he would have good value on the trade market.

«As a 200-foot center who wins faceoffs and can play on special units, Dvorak would have good value on the trade market and could really help a contender as a third center.»

One thing is certain, if the Canadiens can receive a decent return for the forward from Palos Heights, Kent Hughes absolutely must trade him. He clearly is not part of the team's long-term plans, being far from meeting expectations since his arrival in Montreal.

Would you do Christian Dvorak for a second-round pick and a prospect?

You can watch François Gagnon's intervention right here.