A big move in the works for Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens?

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Jeff Drouin
July 6, 2022 (7:29)

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We are now a few days away from the NHL draft and there will certainly be a lot of speculation surrounding the various trade rumors but also Kent Hughes' intentions on the player he will select with the very first pick of the draft.

While it is not yet known which player will hear his name called first Friday night at the Bell Centre, there should be no shortage of action and one reputable tipster believes that the Habs could steal the show in the first round.

In his latest 32 Thoughts piece, available on Sportsnet's website, Elliotte Friedman believes that Kent Hughes will be one of the most active GMs and is reportedly planning a few moves, such as getting another high first round pick.

The Habs also have the 26th pick in the first round, obtained from the Flames in the Tyler Toffoli trade, and also the very first selection in the second round, the 33rd pick overall.

Hughes could very well use one of those picks to move up and get another first round pick. The idea has been mentioned a lot lately, and the possibility should not be ruled out.

Friedman also talked about other rumors surrounding the Habs and identified Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak and Jeff Petry as players that could be sent elsewhere, while some teams believe that Jake Allen is not for sale.

Could any of these three players be sacrificed to allow Kent Hughes to advance further in the first round?

It's quite possible, although in the case of Anderson, many experts still believe that the Habs won't let him go unless they receive an extraordinary offer. But if it's to give the Habs the opportunity to get another high draft pick, we can perhaps talk about an extraordinary offer.

The next few days will certainly be very exciting for Habs fans and it's a safe bet that some of them are already counting down the days until Friday night.