The rumor is confirmed for Kent Hughes, and it's big
There were many rumors about Kent Hughes and the Canadiens during the summer, and insider Elliotte Friedman just confirmed that they are true.
It's absolutely true that Kent Hughes and the Canadiens tried very hard to acquire a top-6 forward and were involved in multiple deals.
- Elliotte Friedman
Friedman is clearly referring to Patrik Laine. Kent Hughes initially tried to pursue Trevor Zegras, Martin Necas, and Rutger McGroarty but was unsuccessful.
The insider also shared a significant detail: the player Kent Hughes coveted most in free agency was Jonathan Marchessault. However, the Nashville Predators made him an offer too good to refuse, a 5-year contract worth $5.5 million per year, which Hughes couldn't match.
In my opinion, Kent Hughes may have been willing to go up to $6 million per year but likely not for more than three years, which would have been acceptable for a rebuilding team.
Regardless, it's clear that the Canadiens' GM never gave up this summer and ultimately succeeded in acquiring Patrik Laine.
Source: Sportsnet
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
| POLL | ||
Which of these players would you have liked Kent Hughes to acquire? | ||
| Jonathan Marchessault | 46 | 21.5 % |
| Martin Necas | 67 | 31.3 % |
| Trevor Zegras | 59 | 27.6 % |
| Rutger McGroarty | 42 | 19.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
