Very bold move by Kent Hughes, who could face significant losses

If there's one thing we can't fault Kent Hughes for, it's his boldness. The Canadiens' general manager doesn't hesitate to complete major transactions, such as those involving Ben Chiarot, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and many others.

His boldness doesn't stop there. Hughes also demonstrates composure during the draft, and the selection of David Reinbacher is the ultimate proof. The Canadiens could have a completely different look today.

Indeed, the possibility of acquiring a potentially generational forward in Matvei Michkov and bypassing Ryan Leonard and Zach Benson to select another defenseman was highly controversial.

Furthermore, Hughes received enticing offers for his 5th pick. The Predators offered Yaroslav Askarov, along with the 15th and 24th picks, and the Flyers offered Cutter Gauthier. The Canadiens could have had a solid forward, a strong goaltender, or even two players instead of Reinbacher.


However, what suggests that the Austrian is truly special is that both the Predators and the Flyers had a firm intention to select him at the 5th spot as well.

Only time will tell if this choice was the right one. Kent Hughes didn't lack boldness, but it's understood that several teams might have made the same choice.


Source: Marqueur