TRANSACTION!!
Jeff Petry finally traded back to Detroit!
The #CH receives defenseman Gustav Lindström (far from bad!) and a conditional 4th-round pick.
Montreal also retains 50% of Petry’s remaining salary. #Habs #Canadiens https://t.co/H081BxA1Nq
– Marc-Olivier Beaudoin (@MOBeaudoin1) August 15, 2023
Jeff Petry: for the first time, Kent Hughes has moved with more short-term thinking
Auteur: Manuel Sperandio-LemayAfter all, one could hope for either a small return without withholding too much salary or something good by withholding salary… but here, the GM got something more modest by withholding 50% of the remaining salary.
Did Kent Hughes feel the pressure, either from the public or from the community itself, to move? By August 15, he might have, but that’s not necessarily the case either.
In reality, especially considering the club to which Petry was traded (the Red Wings in his neck of the woods), I get the feeling that Kent Hughes – like last year – did his defenseman a favor by sending him to a great environment – even if he’s still in the division.
And in my view, given that Petry is undoubtedly happy with the GM and the word has to get out, this isn’t a bad thing. He must have been thinking of his reputation as a GM who wants to treat his players well, and for that, he succeeded.
Eight days after the transaction, the Habs have two players too many on their team → https://t.co/ES8LwsxeUy
– DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) August 14, 2023
After all, even from the perspective that we don’t know how the goaltending situation will end, here’s what’s been happening in Montreal for a little over a week.
- In Montreal: 37.5% of Petry’s salary until 2025, Casey DeSmith, Nathan Légaré, a second-round pick in 2025, Gustav Lindström and a fourth-round pick in 2025
- Elsewhere: Mike Hoffman, Rem Pitlick… and Jeff Petry
What I’ve noticed is that, for the first time since he took over as GM, Kent Hughes hasn’t focused on the long term. He’s been thinking a little more short-term.
But it’s still a statement of fact that, for the first time as GM, Hughes has withheld salary for more than a year. For the next 22 and a half months, Jeff Petry will be on the Habs’ payroll at $2.3 million.
Between Joel Edmundson (still 10.5 months) and Petry, there’s only one salary retention spot left at the moment.
Next summer, instead of seeing Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick leave, the GM has chosen to get rid of them now in order to move up and get – at NHL level – Casey DeSmith (UFA in one year), Gustav Lindström (RFA in one year)… and Jeff Petry. We know how it all turned out.
I’m not sure the Habs won that deal.
I’m really not.
What it tells me is that we REALLY wanted to get rid of Mike Hoffman.
– Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) August 15, 2023
Whatever the reason (be it roster spot, be it his attitude or whatever), Kent Hughes prioritized the forward’s departure. And the fact that San Jose missed out on Vladimir Tarasenko played right into the Flannel’s hands.
From the CH’s “long-term” point of view, letting go of a one-year contract to keep Petry’s $2.3 million for another 12 months isn’t ideal – and wasn’t in the house’s habits either.
With the cap expected to rise in a year’s time, the CH can afford to keep some salary. Ideally, Kent Hughes wouldn’t have done it, but I understand why he did because Hoffman…
Extension
At this point, you might think that the reason the whole thing has been set in motion in the last two weeks is to get rid of Mike Hoffman. But is there any world where it’s really to get Casey DeSmith?
I have a feeling not, as I can’t see the CH trading Samuel Montembeault or Jake Allen right now, but who knows? Maybe a goalie is injured, too…
Not that I think Kent Hughes is wheeling and dealing from here to start of camp, but don’t necessarily believe he’s done. Think there’s a chance he’ll flip DeSmith at some point. Not a guarantee, but a chance.
– Eric Engels (@EricEngels) August 15, 2023