Elliotte Friedman may have an idea about the case Kent Hughes was working on.

Since yesterday, people have been wondering why Kent Hughes spoke to the media so late.

At the CH, there was radio silence after the trade deadline, suggesting that the GM was still working. But what was he working on? Renaud Lavoie floated the possibility that a trade had been rejected by the NHL.

The TVA Sports journalist later confirmed that no trade had been submitted by the Habs, but tonight, Elliotte Friedman (Saturday Headlines) said that the NHL may have canceled a trade because it was submitted too late.

Friedman on Saturday Headlines says there is a rumor going around that a trade was nixed because it came in too late.

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) March 8, 2026

Well, I don't know if it was the Habs who submitted a trade too late, but it would be consistent with the GM's inaction and intermittent absence.
Friedman added that he has no proof, so he prefers not to go any further. But he still has a theory about the deal Kent Hughes was working on. One thing is certain: it would be huge.

Are we talking about the mystery forward, Ryan O'Reilly, or even bigger: Robert Thomas?

Elliotte Friedman on a potential Habs trade at the deadline:

“I think it would've been big, but I can't prove it so I'm not going with it.” pic.twitter.com/YA6yQEnf7g

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) March 8, 2026

Remember that Kent Hughes said in his press conference that he could potentially revisit the trade this summer.

So it could be Thomas. Or maybe Jordan Kyrou?

We haven't heard the last of this bizarre deadline…

In brief

– It's a good thing they were staying at the same hotel.

Friedman on Saturday Headlines says Darche wasn't sure Schenn would approve a deal to Long Island, so Darche and Roy asked if they could meet with Schenn face-to-face since they were staying at the same hotel, and it was in that meeting that they convinced Brayden Schenn to say yes.

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) March 8, 2026

— Note to self.
David Pagnotta: I don't think [Brendan Shanahan] wants a GM role, I think if there's a President of Hockey Ops type thing, I think he'd like to go back into that type of role — Devils Rink Report (2/27)

— NHL Rumor Report (@NHLRumorReport) March 8, 2026

— Wow.

WHAT A CATCH

TRAYCE THOMPSON BRINGS IT BACK! pic.twitter.com/obpgllJgg2

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 8, 2026