Pagnotta, who has strong contacts within the NHL, especially among general managers, has just released his list of the players most likely to be traded leading up to the 2024 draft.
He has confirmed that the young forward Arthur Kaliyev is available, and more importantly, he has confirmed the Montreal Canadiens as one of the few teams in the running to acquire him.
Clearly, Kent Hughes really wants to find a young top-6 forward, and it's really interesting to see that he's targeting different types of value.
This is absolutely the right approach, and it once again proves how well he is doing his job.
Yes, Kent Hughes is trying to acquire big names like Trevor Zegras and Martin Necas (as also confirmed by David Pagnotta), but he is also interested in players like Marco Rossi.
And he is also interested in Arthur Kaliyev.
So, if acquiring a Martin Necas or a Trevor Zegras at a high price doesn't work out, he can look to other options (like Kaliyev and Rossi).
In the case of Arthur Kaliyev, what is particularly interesting is that the cost to acquire him will be very minimal.
Unlike players like Zegras or Necas, we're not talking about giving up a first-round pick in exchange, we're not talking about strong young defensemen like Kaiden Guhle or Logan Mailloux, and we're certainly not talking about big names like Cole Caufield.
Kaliyev has solid potential and is likely to cost a mid-round draft pick at most, and/or a lower-tier prospect.
He could be a nice low-cost option.
So, the Montreal Canadiens are among the four teams mentioned here.
Arthur Kaliyev, who is only 22 years old, is a forward standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 210 pounds.
He was the 33rd overall pick in the notable 2019 draft, the draft that Kent Hughes seems to be so fond of.
Kaliyev has accumulated a solid 71 points in 188 NHL games, including 35 goals despite limited ice time.
He scored 31 points in 40 games at the age of 19 in the AHL (leading his team), and he amassed 200 points in his last two seasons in the OHL, including 95 goals.
Yes, he has the potential to be a top-6 forward.
Adding Patrik Laine makes it five young forwards linked to the Montreal Canadiens in the past week by reliable sources.
POLL | ||
JUIN 18 | 798 ANSWERS It has just been confirmed for Arthur Kaliyev, and Hughes could take advantage Would you trade Mattias Norlinder and a third-round pick for Arthur Kaliyev? | ||
Yes | 590 | 73.9 % |
No | 208 | 26.1 % |
List of polls |