Big statement from Kent Hughes about Denis Gurianov and it says a lot

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Dan
March 6, 2023 (10:11)

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The trade period in the NHL was quite quiet for the Habs.

The biggest deal that Kent Hughes concluded was the one that sent Evgenii Dadonov to the Dallas Stars in exchange for enigmatic forward Denis Gurianov.

A first-round pick of the Stars in 2015, Gurianov had just nine points in 43 games in Dallas this season, but he hasn't looked too bad since joining the CH, scoring his first goal in a tricolour uniform last Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings.

However, some fans of the team are wondering why Hughes went after Gurianov, who will be a compensated free agent at the end of the season. But as David St-Jean of Marqueur.com reports, the Habs GM has a very specific plan with his new acquisition.

"We made the trade with the plan to keep him. The rest of the games, we're going to keep a close eye on him." - Kent Hughes

Now that's a clear statement.

So we can most likely expect to see Gurianov back with the CH next year.

Martin St-Louis gave the Habs' new forward a chance by placing him on the first line with Nick Suzuki and it will be interesting to follow Gurianov's evolution until the end of the season.

He has already scored 20 goals with the Stars in the 2019-2020 season and had a great playoff run that year with 17 points in 27 games.

Let's hope for Habs fans that it's the Denis Gurianov of three years ago that has indeed come to Montreal.