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Canadiens: Grading Kent Hughes’ Work At The Trade Deadline

By Sebastian High

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JUNE 24: Artturi Lehkonen #62 of the Montreal Canadiens is congratulated by Phillip Danault #24 and Ben Chiarot #8 after scoring the game-winning goal during the first overtime period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Semifinals of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on June 24, 2021 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JUNE 24: Artturi Lehkonen #62 of the Montreal Canadiens is congratulated by Phillip Danault #24 and Ben Chiarot #8 after scoring the game-winning goal during the first overtime period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Semifinals of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on June 24, 2021 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Brett Kulak (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Brett Kulak (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

I will say that I am a bigger fan of Kulak’s game than I am of Chiarot’s, he is after all among the league’s elite transition defenders, just take a look at his entry defence analytics, he does not allow entries with possession on his side of the ice.

Despite this, I believe the time was right to move on from the player acquired for two AHL bodies from the Calgary Flames in 2018. The Canadiens will have an influx of young left defencemen that will push for NHL spots next season, with Jordan Harris and Kaiden Guhle. Add those two to Alexander Romanov, Joel Edmundson, and Corey Schueneman (who has been terrific as of late) and you already have yourself a bit of a logjam. Kulak simply didn’t fit the team’s direction and getting a significant haul for him as a pending UFA was the wise decision.

While I would have much preferred the 2nd round pick to be in 2023, it will in all likelihood be in 2022, as the Oilers would need to reach the Cup Finals with Duncan Keith playing top-4 minutes for the pick to be pushed back a year, as the 2022 2nd would then be sent to Chicago as a condition of the Keith trade. Nonetheless, 2nd round picks are the most undervalued assets in the league from my perspective, as first-round talents always fall and astute scouting departments can snap them up, just look at Anaheim, LA, Dallas and the Islanders last year, who managed to draft Olen Zellweger, Francesco Pinelli, Logan Stankoven, and Aatu Raty with 2nd round picks.

Add a seventh and a competent sixth defenceman in William Lagesson to the return and the Habs made out very well in the trade, despite trading away an underrated player who will significantly improve a struggling Oilers defensive corps.

Grade: A-

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