Last Year's Trade between the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins: A True Steal by Kent Hughes
It's been just over a year since the Montreal Canadiens announced a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and in hindsight, it's clear that this was a brilliant steal by Kent Hughes. There is absolutely no doubt about it.
On July 16, 2022, the Canadiens acquired Mike Matheson and a 4th round pick in 2023 in exchange for Ryan Poehling and Jeff Petry.
Today, Poehling has left Pittsburgh (for nothing in return) and simply signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Currently, Petry is a significant burden for the Penguins, who will likely need to pay a hefty price to offload him (probably a first-round pick). Petry is also hindering his general manager from acquiring star defenseman Erik Karlsson.
They clearly no longer want him in Pittsburgh.
Matheson Shines in Montreal
Meanwhile, defenseman Mike Matheson has evolved into a genuine top-pair defenseman in the NHL. His advanced statistics confirm this beyond doubt:
- Andy & Rono
Impressive! We love it!
As you can see from the chart above, Matheson's offensive impact stands at 96/100 (and his overall impact at 93/100). That's elite.
We love it, and we are incredibly excited to see him in action next year.
Matheson, 29, who earns $4.8 million per season, garnered 34 points in just 48 games last season with the Montreal Canadiens (including 8 goals).
His acquisition by Kent Hughes has proved highly beneficial, and he is now a cornerstone of the team.
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, which is the best? | ||
| Cam Fowler | 3 | 5.7 % |
| Mike Matheson | 28 | 52.8 % |
| John Klingberg | 9 | 17 % |
| Brandon Montour | 13 | 24.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
