Inaction in summer 2024: the Habs don't have Mike Hoffman to trade

It’s August 12, 2024. For the past few weeks, the Habs have been in hibernation (or at least, their summer version of it…) in terms of adding players to their organization.

There’s been the wave of contracts for defensemen Arber Xhekaj, Justin Barron and Kaiden Guhle in the news, but the additions just aren’t happening.

In a summer when Patrik Laine, Martin Necas, Rutger McGroarty and Trevor Zegras have been linked to the Habs and we’re waiting for the GM’s next “Kirby Dach”-style deal, it’s all very quiet.

A year ago today, we were wondering whether Jeff Petry would have to start the 2023-2024 campaign in Montreal, since he’d been in town for six days without leaving.

He finally made his way to Detroit on August 15.

When you look at it, the only big transactions in the NHL last year between July 10 and October 7 were related to the Jeff Petry / Erik Karlsson deal and all that followed.

For the Habs (and just from the Habs’ point of view), which remained in the news even during the summer, here’s what happened in the following weeks.

August 6, Penguins deal: the Habs acquire Jeff Petry (at 75% salary), Casey DeSmith, Nathan Légaré and a second-round pick in 2025 for Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick.
August 15, Red Wings deal: the Habs acquire Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025 for Jeff Petry (at 37.5% of salary).
September 19, Canucks deal: the Habs acquire Tanner Pearson and a third-round pick in 2025 for Casey DeSmith.

Remember that summer, in August, we quickly realized that the Habs had two mandates following the trade with the Penguins: trade Jeff Petry and Casey DeSmith. #MénageÀ4DevantLeFilet

This was done before the start of the season… and it caused quite a stir.

By the way, just for fun: Pearson and Lindstrom have left for free since then… and Légaré was traded for Arnaud Durandeau, who left for Russia.

So, a year later, all that’s left are the Penguins, Red Wings and Canucks picks… plus 37.5% of Jeff Petry’s salary for another year.

But we remember why all this was done back in the day: to get Mike Hoffman out of Montreal.

For the first (and only, if you ask me) time in his reign so far, Kent Hughes acted short-sightedly in getting Hoffman out of his club by putting himself in such a situation.

Yes, the Habs took several draft picks off him, which is fine, but it was still a move designed to get Hoffman out of the club first.

And I’m not throwing the first stone: it was probably the right thing to do.

My point is this: is that why the Montreal Canadiens haven’t made a move yet in the summer of 2024? Because they don’t have a Mike Hoffman to get out at all costs? The current “deadwood” isn’t nearly as problematic as Hoffman was.

While Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia may not be part of the Habs’ future, their presence probably doesn’t bother the Habs right now the way Hoffman did in 2022-2023.

This probably puts less pressure on the GM to make a move if he doesn’t have to. After all, last year, Hughes wasn’t obliged to stick his nose into the Erik Karlsson deal, but he did.

By the way, Hoffman is still out of contract for next season after a ~~quality~~ campaign with the Sharks. Just the same…

Overtime

– Beautiful photos.

Mr. And Mrs. Tuch

(: alextuch89/IG) pic.twitter.com/HxkgBrarf1

– BarDown (@BarDown) August 12, 2024

– Who will help the top four score in Toronto?

Beyond the ‘Core Four’: How Trio of Secondary Scoring Wingers Will Help Decide Leafs’ Fate This Coming Season https://t.co/288vAAs25g via @Proteautype

– Spector’s Hockey (@SpectorsHockey) August 12, 2024