Trade of the 5th pick by the Canadiens: Barry Trotz made a significant statement about Kent Hughes that speaks volumes

PUBLICATION

David St-Jean
June 27, 2023 (9:50)

SHARE THIS STORY

We are just hours away from the highly anticipated 2023 NHL Draft, and needless to say, there is a lot of commotion happening behind the scenes.

Among the league's general managers, the one from the Montreal Canadiens is possibly one of the busiest at the moment. Kent Hughes has his hands in several hot-button issues.

In addition to being involved in ongoing trade negotiations for Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Habs' GM is also heavily engaged in talks regarding their 5th overall pick.

Regarding this matter, Nashville Predators' general manager, Barry Trotz, made a significant statement about the Canadiens' situation, specifically focusing on Hughes himself.

According to Trotz, given that the top 4 picks are likely to consist of Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Will Smith, and Leo Carlsson, the Canadiens hold the key to the draft with their 5th selection, which appears to be the obvious choice for the phenom Matvei Michkov.

"When the name Matvei Michkov is called, all the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place. I think that's when we'll see some action. There won't be any action before the Canadiens make their pick. Like everyone else, I would certainly like to be among the top four or five. But I believe many of those teams are comfortable with the players who will be available when their turn comes."

- Barry Trotz

According to rumors, the GM of the Predators is very active in trying to move up into the top 5 of this draft in order to acquire a top prospect. He even admitted in an interview to having discussions with Hughes regarding the 5th overall pick, but he mentioned that his counterpart in Montreal didn't seem open to negotiations at the moment.

"I spoke to Kent. But everyone talks to each other."

- Barry Trotz

Wow! It's very rare to hear such candidness from another GM in the league. According to the latest buzz circulating in NHL circles, the Canadiens are still interested in Michkov, and a meeting with the young man is reportedly scheduled, possibly today.

Hughes seems to be doing his homework and not ruling out any options. He wants to gather as much information as possible, especially regarding the Russian prodigy, to make an informed decision later on.

It's worth noting that Nashville holds the 15th and 24th picks in the draft. Could there be an opening surrounding promising goaltender Yaroslav Askarov as well, considering the Predators currently have elite goalie Juuse Saros in net?

One thing is for certain: Kent Hughes' phone is unlikely to stop ringing until the 5th pick is made!