The answer is clear: Nico Hischier

Kent Hughes may say he has no regrets—and I believe him—about his inaction at the trade deadline, but the reality remains: the Canadiens have just suffered two consecutive losses that have put the team under pressure.
Shoring up the defense was a priority two weeks ago, a priority that was ignored by the Montreal front office.

However, a comment made by Kent Hughes is still echoing in my head this morning: we're still in the process of looking to improve the team in the medium and long term, not just the short term.
That's why players like Nazem Kadri, Jordan Binnington, Ryan O'Reilly, Radko Gudas, and the rest didn't show up in Montreal ten days ago. Kent Hughes would have had to pay a hefty price to acquire them, and honestly, it's not certain that, given their age and the price paid to get them, the Habs would have been a better team in two or three years, when their window of opportunity opens for good.
Except there's one player nobody is talking about who could have ended up in Montreal… and helped the team for several years: Nico Hischier.
I say nobody, but I think Alex Rougas from HFTV is talking to the same people I am…

Nico Hischier.
— HFTV (@HFTVSports) March 17, 2026

The Devils' captain, selected first overall by the Devils in 2017, is having a rather difficult season. He has only 50 points in 67 games, and also has a -10 plus/minus rating.
Hischier's name has been mentioned in a few trade rumors in New Jersey. The Devils have taken a big step back in their progress this season, and Hischier is facing a lot of criticism from Devils fans.
 “For nearly a decade, Nico Hischier has been the heart of the Devils' rebuild. His leadership, two-way skills, and consistency have made him one of the organization's most important players. However, if the team continues to struggle or fail to meet expectations, the possibility of Hischier testing the free-agent market in 2027 could quickly become one of the most compelling storylines in the NHL […] For title-contending teams in search of a reliable, all-around center, Hischier would be an ideal addition to a roster capable of winning the championship.” – Devora Slonim, TheHockeyWriters

What will Tom Fitzgerald, the Devils' GM, do with his captain?
Will he try to extend his contract in July, when Hischier enters the final year of his current deal?
Will he want to trade him to avoid losing him for nothing? If he wants to rebuild from scratch, it would make sense to consider trading Hischier this summer.

You can see where I'm going with this…

Hischier is kind of like a left-handed Nick Suzuki. List Suzuki's qualities one by one, and they pretty much all apply to Hischier.

He'll earn an $8.5 million salary in 2026-27, while counting for $7.25 million against his team's salary cap. He has a no-trade clause listing 10 teams he doesn't want to be traded to.

This season, he's averaging nearly 21 minutes per game and is being used in just about every role. And he knows Quebec well, having played in the QMJHL in 2016-17.
I know everyone is dreaming of Robert Thomas, but if Nico Hischier becomes available, he's the one the Habs should target in June. Allain Roy, his agent, also represents Kaiden Guhle, Alex Belzile, and Jared Davidson. He certainly speaks with the Canadiens' GM several times a month…

And from what I'm hearing, Hischier's name is already pretty high on Kent Hughes' shopping list. Ask Alex Rougas if you run into him in front of the Bell Centre…
The only question left is what the Habs would have to offer to convince Fitzgerald to send Hischier their way. While we're at it, let's try to get a veteran like Jacob Markstrom or Jake Allen in return, right?

Then all that would be left is to shake up the defense…