Major acquisition just before the start of the season: Kent Hughes has changed the culture of the Canadiens
The change in leadership, with Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes at the helm, has transformed the culture of the Canadiens and the players who come to Montreal.
For a long time, we were told that it's difficult to bring in impact players, centers, young talent... and Kent Hughes is proving otherwise. The acquisitions of Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and Patrik Laine, just to name a few, confirm that it's possible.
We've often heard that players preferred to sign elsewhere or that local players struggle with the pressure in Montreal, which drives them away or affects their performance.
We saw this notably with Jonathan Drouin, who never became the player that was hoped for in Montreal. The pressure of being a local player in such a market was tough for him.
But right now, a local player is excelling and playing the best hockey of his career with the Canadiens.
Indeed, we must not forget Michael Matheson, who was acquired just before the 2022-23 season. Who would have thought that the Pointe-Claire native would become the team's best defenseman and one of the top in the NHL?
Following a 62-point season in 82 games last year, Michael Matheson is playing the best hockey of his career since joining the Canadiens. For him, pressure isn't an issue, and he could serve as a model for future local players.
Let's not forget that the defenseman had a 34-point season in just 48 games the season before, which is also impressive.
The culture of the Canadiens has changed, and so has that of the fans. The pressure is still there, but it feels like star players and local talent will increasingly want to come and perform in the city.
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, will star players be increasingly interested in coming to play in Montreal with the work of Kent Hughes? | ||
| Yes | 184 | 94.4 % |
| No | 11 | 5.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
