Kent Hughes' Bold Gamble Could Pay Off Big for the Montreal Canadiens

At the most recent NHL Draft, Kent Hughes and management opted for a long-term project that could prove very rewarding in a few years.

Canadiens fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2025-26 season, and all eyes will be on forward Ivan Demidov, who will play his very first NHL campaign.

In goal, Samuel Montembeault continues to gain confidence and was extremely impressive during the 2025 playoffs against the Washington Capitals. Jakub Dobes is still learning and, at 24 years old, has been very solid so far.

Captain Nick Suzuki tallied 89 points last season and could now hit the 100-point mark. After scoring 37 goals, can Cole Caufield reach 50?

Their teammate Juraj Slafkovsky is working extremely hard in training this summer and is determined to take his game to the next level. The forward has notably progressed in his shooting, which is now more powerful and accurate.

The arrival of Noah Dobson has fans dreaming, and he is expected to form a duo with Kaiden Guhle. Sensation Lane Hutson certainly isn't done amazing us yet.

With Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Noah Dobson, Arber Xhekaj, David Reinbacher, and Adam Engstrom, the Canadiens' blue line is well-stocked for many years to come.

In addition, the club made a big splash by selecting Bryce Pickford in the 2025 draft. He is extremely talented and will likely enter the picture quickly.

However, Kent Hughes and management also made a much quieter selection - one that could turn out to be highly rewarding.

Carlos Handel, a 6'1", 176 lb defenseman, was picked by Montreal at 177th overall. Since a young age, the native of Erlangen, Germany, has completely dominated wherever he's played. In 2022-23 with the under-17s, he finished with 25 points in 12 games.

Before coming to North America last season, he headed to Sweden and posted 23 points in 28 games with the Malmö Redhawks.

At just 17 years old, Handel joined the QMJHL and recorded 26 points in 52 games with the Halifax Mooseheads. He has great vision, can carry the puck well, and owns an excellent shot.

I encourage you to keep an eye on his performance in 2025-26 - and I have a feeling that by this time next year, we'll be hearing a lot more about him.