Kent Hughes has put together an impressive group for the Habs, what's next?

The Montreal Canadiens have undergone lots of changes since Kent Hughes took over as the club's general manager.

It's at a point where it was almost expected that he was going to make a trade during or close to the time of the draft since that is what he did the last two years. But that didn't happen, he did draft a potential superstar and traded up in the later parts of the first round for a high-impact forward. So, what gives, why hasn't he made a deal to shore up the top six for the future?

Well, I think it is less that he hasn't tried and more that whoever is available isn't going to be given away for anything. If Hughes wishes to bring in a player, then he is going to have to pay, but at this point, the cost has to have been too steep. There have been rumours about Rutger McGroarty recently, even a trade package was reportedly leaked, but it hasn't materialized into anything at this juncture.

Kent Hughes making changes on his own watch

Certainly, the Canadiens have the assets - be it a roster player, a prospect or draft capital, so it's not like Hughes doesn't have leverage. But playing it smart and steady, not just jumping at any opportunity has worked well to this point. So it makes sense why he hasn't strayed from his approach, even if it means the team hasn't added a piece or two.

The forward corps could use some help, especially in the top six and the Habs would look a little stronger with a new addition. However, refraining from making a move that could cost the organization important parts of its future is a calculated strategy. Hughes knows exactly what the team needs and to this point, he has done a great job adding quality players in deals that make sense.

Many seem surprised that he hasn't made a move and question whether or not he will, but he isn't known for being predictable. While he mulls over and irons out each deal to get the most out of each move he makes, he never shows his cards. I think that he may make a move or two, but it wouldn't be surprising if he waited to see how things go during training camp before making a big decision.