As soon as Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton took over the Montreal Canadiens, the team became one of the most exciting teams to watch on and off the ice.
The team is one of the most exciting, young teams on the ice, being the youngest team to ever make the Stanley Cup playoffs. Lane Hutson won the Calder Trophy, Ivan Demidov might be the favourite to win it next year as well.
But the entertainment hasn't just been on the ice. Hughes and Gorton haven't just been content with building a contender from within, they are also making big blockbuster trades, buying low and selling high, in order to improve the team now and in the short-term future.
The duo has proven they have a nose for a deal and are always looking for players on the downswing, as well as those rehabilitating their careers.
After being hired in 2022, Kent Hughes acquired Kirby Dach that year, Alex Newhook the year after, Patrik Laine the year after that, and just recently, Noah Dobson.
Now, a lot of trades cannot be fully evaluated until years and years after they happen, and the latest trade in this ranking was just three years ago, so these will almost certainly change. But these are the best estimates of these trades as they have happened in 2025.
Trade #4 - Kirby Dach
Canadiens Receive: | Blackhawks Receive: | Islanders Receive: |
|---|---|---|
Kirby Dach | 2022 1st Round Pick (via Islanders) : Frank Nazar | Alexander Romanov |
2022 3rd Round Pick: Gavin Hayes | 2022 4th Round Pick: Isaiah George |
It really hurts to put this at the bottom, and it very well could move all the way up to #2 on this list. But, if ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas, and Dach would be the Montreal Canadiens' second line centre.
But alas, they are not, and currently, Dach is not that currently.
Dach was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks all the way up at 3rd overall in 2019, the same year the Canadiens took Cole Caufield at 15th overall.
Dach was playing with the Saskatoon Blades and had an up-and-down draft year, leaving a lot of questions on where Dach would actually be drafted. The Blackhawks may have made a stretch by picking Dach at third, but they took a swing on upside and size (6'4").
Dach immediately made the NHL, but didn't exactly shine. He played 64 games and scored 8 goals and 23 points. The next season, he would only play 18 games due to a wrist injury (Unfortunately, a foreshadowing of what's to come).
So Dach was a high draft pick who hasn't met his potential. And in a three-team trade, the Canadiens took a swing on upside.
When Dach played in his first season, he played really well, and it looked like he could become that big, physical, two-way centre that could come as a one-two punch with Nick Suzuki. But the next season, Dach missed the whole season, and the injury clearly still bothered him this past season, and another knee injury cut another season short.
The Islanders' defense made out well for the deal, but both Romanov and George aren't players the Canadiens necessarily miss, especially with the crowded, young blueline the team possesses now. Romanov is an entertaining, physical defender, but he struggled last year. 4th round pick George was a pleasant surprise, playing at times this season with Noah Dobson(!) in Romanov's place.
Chicago also made out really well with selecting Frank Nazar using Montreal's first-round pick. Nazar looked really good towards the end of this year and will be a really big piece for the rebuilding Blackhawks. Gavin Hayes had a rough year in the AHL, but is still growing and could be a bottom-six forward.
The variable with this trade is Dach himself. If he can stay healthy and play up to what we have seen him play in his first season, this trade could turn out really good for Montreal. But if the injuries continue, this could be a pretty big miss for Hughes and Gorton.