All Eyes on Kent Hughes and Mason McTavish as NHL GM Talks Heat Up in Detroit

And now as reported by the site DansLesCoulisses, they were at the heart of discussions during the NHL GM meeting in Detroit.

The issue of the second center continues to haunt the Montreal Canadiens' plans as the season approaches.

While Nick Suzuki remains firmly established as the number one pivot, management would like to provide him with more consistent support on the second line. Kirby Dach has shown good things when healthy, but his injury history casts doubt on his long-term reliability.

In this context, Kent Hughes keeps his eyes open on the market, although he is not the only one scanning opportunities.

At the NHL General Managers' meeting, currently taking place in Detroit, one name in particular keeps coming up in conversations: Mason McTavish. The 21-year-old forward, property of the Anaheim Ducks, still does not have a contract, and his situation is raising a lot of interest.

Considered a promising center, capable of playing significant minutes and with a good frame, McTavish represents exactly the type of profile sought by several teams, including Montreal.

Recall that McTavish was once again linked to the Canadiens this week by Sports Illustrated journalist Jacob Punturi.

Although it is still early to talk about a concrete trade, the mere fact that McTavish is at the center of rumors fuels speculation. For the Canadiens, such an acquisition would not only stabilize the hierarchy at center but also accelerate the rebuilding process by adding a piece already ready to contribute.

It remains to be seen whether Kent Hughes can get involved in this case and at what cost. One thing is certain: he will hardly be able to do so without trading Carey Price's contract, another matter that is on everyone's lips.

The market for a quality young center is always competitive, and Montreal is not alone in the race. Nevertheless, McTavish's name perfectly illustrates the type of target that could help the Canadiens fill an important gap.

One thing is certain: as long as this question remains unresolved, the search for a second center will remain one of the main issues to watch for the Canadiens.