Raphaël Lavoie is officially claimed off waivers, and Kent Hughes has made his decision
There were several big names available on the NHL waiver wire, and Kent Hughes had the 5th pick to claim a player.
Indeed, Jakob Pelletier, Raphaël Lavoie, Matt Murray, Ryan Suzuki, and 55 other players were placed on waivers, and Kent Hughes made his decision.
The Canadiens' GM decided to pass on all 59 players. Even though Jakob Pelletier has been linked to the Canadiens for years and Kent Hughes finally had the chance to get him for free, he ignored it. In fact, the entire NHL passed on Pelletier.
The same goes for Raphaël Lavoie, who was ultimately claimed by the Golden Knights. Kent Hughes had the chance to get him for free, but he chose otherwise.
Nick Suzuki's brother, Ryan, has also been linked to the Canadiens over the years, but once again, Kent Hughes decided to pass.
With young players pushing for spots in the Canadiens' lineup, this decision to pass on several interesting players is a good sign. It's a strong vote of confidence.
Let's not forget that the Canadiens have Joshua Roy, Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, Emil Heineman, Lucas Condotta, and Sean Farrell knocking on the door of the NHL.
If Kent Hughes had decided to bring in a player and leapfrog these young prospects, it would have been quite telling. The Canadiens are thus comfortable with their current depth, and we have to admit, so are we.
