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Let’s play GM and manage the files on Kent Hughes’ desk
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Let’s play GM and manage the files on Kent Hughes’ desk
Credit: Getty Images

Kent Hughes has several files on his desk at the moment. That’s normal.

I want to “take” a few of them to see what the club should do, in my opinion, ahead of the deadline. This will concern unrestricted free agents from July 1st.

After all, following the great season of the CH, the club shouldn’t have to manage anything else (in terms of contracts or trades) with players under the club’s control.

Michael Pezzetta

I know Pezz is the 13th forward the club wants (so they can leave him in the stands as long as he wishes), but the guy too often holds back and when he plays, he’s not at the right level.

Get him out of his misery and send him to waivers.

David Savard

Unless the Canadiens get a king’s ransom for his services (a first-round pick or equivalent), I keep him. His best value is in Montreal, with the young players.

Arber Xhekaj is a new man by his side.

I don’t see how the CH would benefit from letting him go for another third-round pick at this moment. He is a veteran the Canadiens desperately need to support the guys.

And if he wants to stay for another year at a maximum of two million dollars in a more limited role, I offer him a contract extension. We know he wants to stay in Montreal with his family.

Joel Armia

I am not trading Joel Armia before the end of the season. And if the guy wants to sign a contract worthy of a fourth-line player, I would be willing to keep him. But under no circumstances should he be a player even slightly overpaid.

We must keep in mind that three key elements of the penalty kill (Savard, Armia, and Evans) are in the final year of their contracts. Opening the door to not let everyone go must be done.

Jake Evans

The only scenario in which I trade Jake Evans is if the CH is no longer in the race, he has a golden offer on the market, and if negotiations with Evans show that the player and the club are light-years apart from coming to an agreement.

Otherwise, I keep him. And I try to sign him.

Pierre LeBrun recently said that the player and the club will both have to be uncomfortable to come to an agreement. I imagine the club will offer four years at three million dollars (12 M$ total). And the player, if he’s greedy, will ask for six years at four million dollars (24 M$ total) from the CH.

Do you offer him five years and 3.5 M$ per season? Is that too much for a guy playing above his head? In my eyes, it’s too much. It will be less than that if it actually happens… because Evans would be less greedy.

Christian Dvorak

We know that the center player has little value on the market (even at 50% of 4.45 M$, I wonder who would want him that much) and that he will leave at the end of the year.

If I’m the GM, I keep him to finish the year because he’s part of a trio that works and because at the faceoff circle, he helps. But if he leaves in March, that’s fine too.


In a nutshell

– Indeed.

– Hmm…

– Reminder: the CH has plenty of picks.

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