But there is a saying in the sports world that if you want to receive, you must give. Which player is Kent Hughes willing to give in order to receive up to his expectations?
The site The Fourth Period somewhat answered the question with its top 25 players to watch this summer regarding trades.
Ranked 10th on this list, we find the first player from the Canadiens, David Savard.
Like Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia, the 2024-2025 season will be the last of the Quebec defenseman's contract. At 33, he will surely want to secure one last big contract, and with the number of young defensemen in the Canadiens organization, it would be surprising if this deal keeps him in town. He will therefore likely be offered, like his two other teammates, to everyone by the trade deadline.
With his $3.5M salary and his effectiveness on the blue line, Kent Hughes will surely find a taker for his veteran. It only remains to be seen when the Gorton/Hughes duo will decide that the presence of the mentor to many young players in the organization will no longer be necessary.
Unsurprisingly, Savard is linked to Western teams, all of which have chances of making a deep playoff run next season. The Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets are, according to TFP, the favorites in this matter.
Elsewhere in the league and at the top of this list, the site ranks Mitch Marner, Jacob Trouba, and Nikolaj Ehlers in that order. It will be interesting to see if the predictions come true or not.
POLL | ||
Would you trade David Savard and Justin Barron for Nikolaj Ehlers? | ||
Yes | 545 | 63.8 % |
No | 309 | 36.2 % |
List of polls |