Kent Hughes had surprises for us during his press conference, and it's very revealing

It's now done! The trade deadline has passed, and teams aiming for the playoffs can now focus on their postseason qualification.

Shortly after 3:00, the time when it was no longer allowed to submit transactions to the NHL, Kent Hughes appeared in front of the media, visibly satisfied with the overall work.

It's worth noting that just because there is little or no action doesn't mean there isn't a lot of work involved. GMs may not conclude transactions now, but they can certainly have started discussions for other projects that may materialize during the summer.

For Kent Hughes, there were two trades (Jan Mysak for Jacob Perreault and Jake Allen for a 3rd-round pick), but he had discussions for other players.



Obviously, the first name that comes to mind is David Savard, but there is also Arber Xhekaj, who has probably been mentioned frequently.

Finally, the Canadiens' GM firmly intends to be a buyer again at the draft in June or a little before. With 23 picks over the next two seasons and plenty of prospects as it stands, Hughes has ample means to make an aggressive offer for a young player, such as Trevor Zegras, for example.