Another Canadiens’ trade reportedly in the works

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes got the ball rolling on Thursday, trading captain Shea Weber and his contract to the Vegas Golden Knights in return for Evgenii Dadonov.

There is a sense that Hughes is not done making moves, especially with the names of veteran defenseman Jeff Petry, winger Mike Hoffman and power forward Josh Anderson coming up in the rumour mill.

During Thursday’s press conference, Hughes acknowledged that he is not actively shopping Anderson but mentioned teams have inquired, with the New Jersey Devils believed to be one of the interested parties.

Anderson’s name has been heard lately in trade circles. He carries a $5.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season, but has been a leader on the ice for the Canadiens who would need a significant offer to part with Anderson.

However, Petry and Hoffman appear to remain on the trade block.

“I don’t think there’s an imminent trade,” Hughes said. “That doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be one between now and the Draft because two weeks ago, I couldn’t have predicted for you that Shea would’ve been traded, either.

“Sometimes, certain things happen faster than others. Teams are currently evaluating their needs, evaluating the players they do and don’t want to sign, all of that. So, we’ll see, but I can tell you the phone has been ringing more this week than last, and I expect it will ring even more in the coming weeks.”

The Habs also hold the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, which takes place in Montreal on July 7 and 8. Whether they pick Shane Wright or Juraj Slafkovsky remains to be since. The pick could also impact upcoming trades in Montreal.

This is a busy summer for Hughes.