The Montreal Canadiens have their top line clicking, their defence looks good and Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes are solid between the pipes.
But the Canadiens with a deeper look into the roster have an obvious need, and Kent Hughes' approach to the Trade Deadline speaks volumes. As of 2 pm, he hasn't done anything significant, and if that trend continues, then he must preach that he believes in what he has been watching.
I think there would be an argument to be made that he is wrong, unless he wishes to break up his fourth line and promote Jake Evans to second line centre. It doesn't make sense to keep Owen Beck away from Laval, and their playoff pursuit. Just like breaking up a productive fourth line being dismantled makes little sense.
There are options for Hughes to make an NHL trade with a club to acquire a centre who is under 28 years old. Boston just dealt Charlie Coyle (33 years old) to the Colorado Avalanche for Casey Mittelstadt (26 years old). I don't love Mittelstadt for the Canadiens personally, I think he is soft as a second line centre, and his play this season resembles a third line centre playing the wrong forward position.
But he is a centre who is under 28 years old, which attests to the fact that there are NHL trades to be made. I think not making a move means playing out the string, and that could be costly.
If the Canadiens make the playoffs and get swept, is it worth it? Or even if it's a first round exit, is that worth the loss of a potential top 10 draft selection for the upcoming draft? If Kent wants the Habs to be a serious threat for a wildcard spot, a trade is necessary to make.
With just under 20 minutes to go until the 3 pm Trade Deadline, there has been no movement from the Canadiens side.
Also notably, though chronologically it happened well before 3 pm, Savard, Armia and Dvorak were with the Canadiens in Calgary for a training session, just after 1 pm.
The Canadiens are arriving for their training session this afternoon in Calgary and Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak and David Savard are all with their teammates #GoHabsGo
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) March 7, 2025
Vegas tweeted out a funny, but sort of cryptic tweet saying, "Hi." In my mind, if they are wanted to stock up, or add a piece, they have a few prospects. But the Trade Deadline has been reached, and nothing has come through yet. However, we know there are always trades that trickle in after 3 pm, that were in the process of being registered with the league prior to the deadline.
I have immense interest in Sam Bennett from the Florida Panthers, who notably just acquired Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand. If he wasn't a part of that trade, he is a guy I would love for the Canadiens. Perfect second line centre, who plays like a nailgun, and has a Stanley Cup, in which he was a tremendous factor for the Panthers' success.
But my talk was all for naught, because Hughes just sat back in his La-Z-Boy.
Kent Hughes makes internal paper transaction
The Canadiens announced that they did some paper transactions to allow Owen Beck and Jakub Dobes to be eligible to compete for the Rocket down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Aside from that move, Kaiden Guhle returned to the ice for a solo skate today. The Edmonton, Alberta native has been out since suffering a lacerated quadriceps on January 28 against the Winnipeg Jets. Guhle underwent surgery to repair his quadriceps muscle on January 29.
But it has been silent for the Canadiens on the trade front, as of 3:35, thirty minutes after the official trade deadline.