RUMOR: Kirby Dach’s performance helps Kent Hughes on the market

RUMOR: Kirby Dach’s performance helps Kent Hughes on the market
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The Canadiens' center line isn't bad at the moment.

Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans are living up to expectations. And in the other trios, Oliver Kapanen, Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook are doing well.

These days, they're actually doing better than expected.

Of necessity, this helps Martin St-Louis in his day-to-day job as coach… but it also helps the hockey bosses in their quest to improve the team in the long term.

Because let's face it: despite the fact that centers are coming up, that shouldn't stop Kent Hughes from looking for reinforcements at second center.

But it may have the effect of giving him the upper hand in discussions with his counterparts.

As Renaud Lavoie discussed this morning on BPM Sports, Kent Hughes is in no hurry to move for a player he doesn't really want at a price he's not necessarily interested in.

He has the tools to be patient, since his club isn't doing too badly.

We know that the Canadiens are on the market. This has been the case for months, and everyone across the NHL knows that Kent Hughes is ready to move, if need be.

But there's less of a rush than before. Or at least, that's what the Habs would have other teams believe.

Obviously, if there's one club to keep an eye on, it's the Blues. Things aren't going well in St. Louis, and the more time passes, the more we understand that Doug Armstrong could trade a player.

Um…

Will the Canadiens call the Blues to get Jordan Kyrou out of there? Is his start to the season and his absence from yesterday's game lowering his value? Is the Canadiens afraid of his start to the season?

That's one possibility among many.

Note that Elliotte Friedman, in today's podcast, reminded us that Kyrou's salary of $8.125 million per year until 2031 was less burdensome than last year due to the increase in the cap.


overtime

– Jacob Fowler will be in goal for the Rocket tonight at Place Bell. The Hartford club will be in town.

– The Wild is looking for a scoring winger.

– He speaks nine languages?