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Matt Duchene will not be a priority for the Canadiens this summer
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Matt Duchene will not be a priority for the Canadiens this summer
Credit: Getty Images
The Canadian will need a top-notch center player this summer.

The club’s priority will be to find a center to support Nick Suzuki in the top-6 and to play with Ivan Demidov, who will likely have a place in the Canadian top-6 in 2025-2026.

Not surrounding the Russian would be a mistake.

Obviously, on this subject, many names will circulate to fill the center position. We must remove that of Dylan Cozens, who left Buffalo on the deadline, but we know that the CH was aiming for a player like him.

The feeling I have is that the Canadian plan will be to go get a young player – not too young, of course – in order to see him grow with the rest of the core in the coming years.

But is it impossible to think of a veteran? If Michael Hage pushes and develops as it should, the veteran will not be in his way.

What we need to know about this is that Nicolas Cloutier (TVA Sports) spoke to Renaud Lavoie, who believes that at center, Matt Duchene will not be the Canadian priority this summer.

Attention: the Canadian, who has started to establish its list for this summer, has other priorities, but that does not mean that the door is closed for coming to Montreal.

But it possibly means that if Duchene arrives in town, the Canadian will not have succeeded in its plan A. At least, the plan established in March…

Nicolas Cloutier also reminds us that Duchene, who visited Montreal in 2019 before choosing Nashville, has the Canadian in his heart because of his family history.

Can this induce Duchene to really consider Montreal this summer if he leaves Dallas? Maybe.

Duchene is still a productive player (67 points in 66 games) and if the Canadian were to add him by promising him playing time with Demidov, I think everyone would win.

Provided the contract is affordable.

But as we’re heading towards something else, I have the feeling that Duchene will go elsewhere. And I have the feeling that Hughes will want a more “long-term” solution this summer.

It’s been a long time since we’ve been waiting for the summer of 2025, and it’s coming. What does the GM have in store for us? How will the salary cap play in favor of the Canadian? The answers will come in the next few months.


in passing

– Josh Anderson is indeed here.

– Ouch.

– Nice.

– Ah yes?

– Good question.

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