David Ettedgui throws in the towel: he’s bracing for the worst

We're just a few hours away from the draft, and the Canadiens haven't made a move yet. Samuel Montembeault, Brendan Gallagher, and Kirby Dach are all still with the organization…

But more importantly, several big names have switched teams—without becoming Montrealers: Alex Tuch, Bowen Byram, Jordan Greenway, Jordan Kyrou, Simon Nemec, William Eklund, Brady Tkachuk, Darren Raddysh, Connor McMichael…

Mason McTavish, Dylan Larkin, Matthew Knies, Nico Hischier, Jason Robertson, and Mason Marchment are all set to embark on a new adventure far from Montreal…

And panic is slowly beginning to set in among Canadiens fans.

Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton need to find a second-line center, a right-handed defenseman, a top-six winger, and some depth on the bottom six. They have the same shopping list as they did at this time last year.

David Ettedgui, a former NHLPA-certified agent, seems to have thrown in the towel, and he let us know early this morning on X.

My analysis of the Habs' situation and potential trades with less than 12 hours to go before the draft—read to the end.

Perfect. So get ready for an “we tried everything but it didn't work” scenario. A salesperson doesn't get a commission when they don't make the sale; they don't say, “I tried… https://t.co/iT0Zys1o4r

— David Ettedgui (@EttedguiDavid) June 26, 2026

“Get ready for an ‘we tried everything but it didn't work' response. But a salesperson doesn't get a commission when they don't close the deal. They don't say, ‘I came close—pay me.' The CH said at the trade deadline that this kind of deal happens in the summer, and now summer is here and they're still not getting it done. ” – David Ettedgui

“You have to live or die by your decisions. Gorton in New York never managed to add the necessary depth to move the Rangers forward and paid the price for it. I hope for his sake that this situation with the second-line center in Montreal isn't a carbon copy of his time in New York.” – David Ettedgui

It's worth noting that, according to Ettedgui, we should also rule out Kirill Marchenko, Matty Beniers, and Robert Thomas… and that we now need to look at Plan B options: Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck, in particular.

Finally, Ettedgui noted that Michael Hage has just as much of a chance—if not more—of ending up on the wing as he does at center. He's even more pessimistic than Pierre McGuire, who simply doesn't believe Michael Hage will be ready to play center on the second line in 2026–27.

In short, Ettedgui is very pessimistic just hours before the draft. And he's not the only one…

We're right in the middle of the summer, when GMs typically improve their teams. In a few days, every team will have made its big moves. The Canadiens can't afford to miss the boat; taking a step back in the 2026–27 season in the Montreal market would be a disaster.

Expectations will be high in 2026–27. Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton must recognize the urgency of the situation and take action. They can't afford to sit idly by, as they did at the trade deadline. Inaction is deadly.

I can't believe we're going to use Oliver Kapanen at center on the second line from October through March again, and then promote Jake Evans to the first line in the playoffs. If we even make the playoffs…

And don't give me that joke about Hunter McKown, acquired from the Blue Jackets, being a second-line center… in the American Hockey League. I'm not in the mood for it.

Overtime

The Habs' inaction reminds me of CF Montréal's. In both cases, we have players in mind, we do our homework, we work hard… but we get beaten to the finish line by another team.

In business, just trying doesn't count. You have to know how to succeed.

Go!