A Stanley Cup champion targeted by the Habs is finally identified and Kent Hughes will have to get out his checkbook

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Julien Trekker
April 21, 2023 (10:05 PM)

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Even though the Canadiens have only been on vacation for a few days, Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes will certainly try to improve the team for the next season.

As they assess the current roster and prepare for the upcoming draft in Nashville next June, the Canadiens' management will undoubtedly keep a close eye on the unrestricted free agent market.

Some big names will be available, and according to two experts, the Habs should be watching one forward in particular.

During the JiC show on TVA Sports this Tuesday, Tony Marinaro and Jean-Charles Lajoie targeted a specific forward from the Tampa Bay Lightning: Alex Killorn.

The 33-year-old Quebecer is in the final year of his contract and will be free as a bird this summer. Due to the limited cap space that Julien Brisebois may have, it is very possible that Killorn will change addresses after the season.

However, Lajoie believes that if Killorn joins the CH, Kent Hughes will have to open his wallet.

"Normally, he won't come here at a discount. But I think there are good deals, good relationships with Kent Hughes. We'll have to see how it evolves, we shouldn't overpay Alex Killorn (...) But that's the kind of depth guy."

This season, Killorn had an excellent season with a record of 64 points, including 27 goals in 82 games. However, his advanced age is a bit of a concern for Marinaro, who is not keen on the idea of him coming to Montreal.

"He still has hockey in him, but he is on the decline, for example. He's not the Alex Killorn from two years ago."

However, it must be admitted that Killorn could be a great addition to the Canadiens, much like Michael Matheson this season, and according to Lajoie, he would fit perfectly with the organization's mentality.

"He's exactly the kind of smart, gritty player that will appeal to Martin St-Louis and Kent Hughes. We're still in the West Island pipeline, the Lac-Saint-Louis Lions, and so on. There's something very interesting there."

As the Lightning could very well be in the playoff picture for a while, once again, this issue won't be resolved in the near future, but it will be interesting to follow its evolution until the opening of the free agent market next July.