As you know, with the Elias Lindholm trade, Sean Monahan becomes the most sought-after player leading up to the trade deadline. With over a month before March 8, needless to say, the price will be high.
Indeed, Kent Hughes has the advantage of letting the bidding wars escalate, but he must also not wait too long and risk that number 91 gets injured.
While Monahan's name is often associated with a first-round pick, there are obviously other alternatives for the Canadiens GM, and one of them is in New York.
According to Darren Dreger, Kaapo Kakko, the former 2nd overall pick in 2019, might be available. The Canadiens are fond of that draft year, with Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and Cole Caufield all being first-round picks from that year.
Furthermore, the link between Jeff Gorton and the Rangers is undeniable. It was, after all, Gorton who selected Kakko 2nd overall when he was the GM in New York.
The Rangers are in win-now mode, so they are willing to pay a high price to acquire a player who can help them win. With Filip Chytil being a center and injured, the connection with Monahan is easy to make.
