Kent Hughes delivers a statement that's a wake-up call for the Montreal Canadiens fans
Over the past few weeks, many journalists have put forward the possibility that Kent Hughes might try to make a big splash next summer, potentially having $26 million under the salary cap by placing Carey Price on the long-term injury list.
Of course, many fans would like to see this scenario come true, especially since the Tricolore's offense is desperately lacking a top-notch forward to take the organization to a higher level. Some were notably hoping to see the Toronto Maple Leafs star, William Nylander, join the Canadiens' ranks, as he could become a free agent on the first of next July.
However, following the meeting in Chicago involving the general managers and head coaches of the 32 NHL teams, Kent Hughes spoke with the excellent Pierre LeBrun to provide an update on some important files. He notably made a statement that is likely to cool the enthusiasm of Montreal fans, mentioning that the CH did not wish to hinder the progress of its young prospects by bringing in an established player for a few seasons.
"If we spend money to improve our team for a year or two, but deprive or limit the development of players who will be part of the team's success in a few years, we wouldn't have the right vision." – Kent Hughes
Although it is rather disappointing to see that it is not in the organization's plans to acquire a star forward through the free agent market, it is still very encouraging to see that the management has a very specific plan to continue developing the very promising prospects within the team. One thing is for sure, it is greatly comforting to finally see that the management has a very distinct vision of what it wants to achieve to allow the Tricolore to improve and become a competitive team in the medium and long term.
Knowing that the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge should not be fighting for a playoff spot in the next two seasons, the progression of young players and the addition of future draft picks could provide significant help to Martin St-Louis' lineup in the coming years. Even though we would like to see immediate progress, there is no doubt that the rebuilding process is heading in the right direction and that we will need to remain patient before seeing concrete results on the ice.
Kent Hughes has made excellent decisions since taking up his position as general manager and he fully deserves to have the trust of the fans for the upcoming seasons.
Credit: Fanadiens
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 10 | 99 ANSWERS Kent Hughes delivers a statement that's a wake-up call for the Montreal Canadiens fans Do you believe that the Canadiens can become a competitive team soon if the management refuses to sign a top-tier free agent? | ||
| Yes | 74 | 74.7 % |
| No | 25 | 25.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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