The NHL offseason was full of exciting moves, with the Canadiens' signing of Patrik Laine possibly being the biggest. According to Stu Cowan on an episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, Kent Hughes may not be done yet. An anonymous source's claim to Marco D'Amico and RG.org also shows that the lead-up to the regular season could be full of twists and turns. The source believes that flexibility for many teams could lead to an exciting September.
The Montreal Canadiens were one team that the source mentioned as a possible benefactor of this flexibility, but also stated that the Canadiens could lose a player in the shuffle.
"But it’s the rebuilding clubs like the Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, and Calgary Flames that may have the most to gain,"Anonymous Source
The Canadiens are in the top ten of waiver claim teams, and certain players could become available. Samuel Bolduc, Ville Heinola, Zac Jones, Raphael Lavoie, and Samuel Poulin are all players who could be on the waiver wire before the start of the season. However, the source cautioned that Justin Barron could also be found on the waiver wire depending on the Canadiens' moves. If the Canadiens want to start the season with Lane Hutson in Montreal, Barron could be the player that has to get sent down and go through waivers. It's safe to assume that another team would claim him.
So who could the Canadiens claim from other teams? It's difficult to see them claim any of the defensemen who are available. However, Lavoie or Jones could be viable upgrades in the bottom six. The Canadiens are interested in seeing how Alex Barre-Boulet does on the fourth line, but one of these players could challenge him for that role.
A growing salary cap and more youth than ever before have plenty of teams with cap space flexibility. The Canadiens roster is close to being set, but don't be surprised if we are talking about one more exterior roster addition before the regular season begins.