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Right now, when you look at the standings in the East, it's pretty tight.
I'm not telling you anything, but this season, in the East, the Canadiens are up against several teams that are performing well. No one wants to pull away.
The Blue Jackets (16th in the East) are six points out of the playoffs. That's crazy.
That's one of the reasons Kent Hughes thinks it's possible that the trade deadline (two months away) will be quieter than usual.
He talked about this in his press briefing today.
The rankings are one reason, but the changes to the salary cap rules are another. That's why the Habs GM thinks the deadline will be more relaxed.
The Habs boss didn't say it, but I'll say it: they don't yet know how to exploit the loopholes in the new system. That's something they'll come to over the years.
The change in the rules governing salary deductions and the playoff cap, as well as the management of the LTIR once the regular season is over, are all elements that have changed.
This will undoubtedly have the effect of blocking the market in 2026. So many solutions will have to come from within.
extension
– Patrik Laine is not ahead of or behind schedule in his rehabilitation process.
#Habs GM Kent Hughes says despite skating this morning, Patrik Laine's recovery is not ahead of schedule; his return is still on the original timeline.
– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) January 6, 2026
– Kent Hughes would love to have the problems that come with a healthy club, but that's not how it works.
– If the Habs were in a playoff race, Kaiden Guhle would already be back.
“If we were in playoffs, we'd get him in sooner. But we're going to be very careful.”-Kent Hughes regarding Kaiden Guhle
– Eric Engels (@EricEngels) January 6, 2026
– The Canadiens want to keep themselves flexible for the future. Fair enough.
– Phillip Danault is there to fill a need, not an injury.
– Kent Hughes never stops thinking of solutions.
#Habs GM Kent Hughes says trying to figure out how to put all the pieces together occupies much of his headspace: “my wife says there is a gerbil that doesn't shutdown very often when I'm lying in bed staring at the ceiling but that's what the gerbil is trying to figure out.”
– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) January 6, 2026
