If there's a goaltending three-way with the Canadiens, it's not without reason. Kent Hughes really dislikes the idea of losing a player for nothing, especially when it comes to a prospect in whom the organization has invested a lot of effort for development, like Cayden Primeau, for example.
On the defensive side, the logic is somewhat similar. Hughes will inevitably have crucial decisions to make with the surplus, and he will want to trade them rather than lose them.
However, a name might be on the way out, as Mattias Norlinder is no longer the shadow of the player who showed up at training camp. The one who was destined for a bright future when he was selected in 2019 has never been able to bring his game to the North American style.
Obviously, Norlinder doesn't have much value right now, having collected two points in 18 games and posting a minus-18 differential with the Rocket. It would be highly surprising if Kent Hughes could trade him and get a decent return.
At this point, a 7th-round pick would be better than nothing, and offering him a contract extension wouldn't be the best solution, given the emergence of defensemen in the organization.
