Major: Kent Hughes is generating a lot of buzz in the NHL right now with his trades: The one involving Jake Allen is another one

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David St-Jean
March 12, 2024 (8:05 PM)

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Kent Hughes has become a master of transactions in the NHL. He wreaks havoc whenever he decides to make a move, and his latest significant one involving Jake Allen is no exception.

Simply put, everyone is wondering how he managed to trade Jake Allen at the deadline, especially for a 3rd-round pick that could become a 2nd-round pick. It's truly an excellent return.

According to Renaud Lavoie, this trade had been in the works for a while:

"We were all surprised on Friday when Jake Allen was traded. Surprised because the Devils were on the list of teams where Jake Allen did not want to be traded, and surprised because the Canadiens still got a 3rd-round pick in return. This pick could become a 2nd-round pick if the Devils make the playoffs next season and if Jake Allen plays a minimum of 40 games."

Indeed, the text mentions that this trade had already been agreed upon between Hughes and his counterpart in New Jersey for some time, but Jake Allen was hesitant to waive his no-movement clause.

The Devils were on his list, so he had to waive it to go there. It's worth noting that the Canadiens GM's strategy is to establish his price for his players. If other GMs try to negotiate, he hangs up and waits for another call, sticking to his price.

This statement comes from Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, so it's a very direct and current source, as the two men recently dealt with each other in the Sean Monahan trade.

In short, Kent Hughes is drawing a lot of attention with his approach, but rest assured, he is earning the respect of all hockey insiders, not the other way around.