Montreal Canadiens Add Big Power Forward to Organization Built to Become a Fan Favorite

The summer of 2025 is a busy one for Kent Hughes and the Canadiens' management, as the club aims to take the next step after a brilliant 2024-25 season.

The arrival of defenseman Noah Dobson is undoubtedly the biggest move of the offseason. To acquire his services, the Montreal organization agreed to send Emil Heineman to the New York Islanders along with two first-round picks in 2025.

Then, Hughes also acquired young forward Zachary Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Logan Mailloux. The latter was sad to leave Montreal and showed a lot of class in his comments after the trade. He also had kind words for Lane Hutson, for whom he has a lot of respect.

Rumors continue to swirl around the Canadiens, and all indications are that the GM isn't done shopping. Recently, Yegor Chinakhov requested a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and it's believed that the Russian could be a candidate in a potential deal involving Kirby Dach.

Beyond trades, the organization also brought in a player who's currently flying under the radar, but who's likely to quickly win the hearts of hockey fans in Quebec.

Hayden Paupanekis, who was selected 69th overall by the club at the most recent draft, is a power forward who can score goals, play a physical game, and even drop the gloves.

Standing at 6'5", 203 lbs, the 18-year-old center is still adding muscle mass and is already very physically strong.

Paupanekis also has good puck-handling skills and a lot of power. However, he'll need to stay healthy in order to continue his development.

I can assure you that this young man is very high on the Canadiens' radar. The organization made a move to bring him in, trading their 79th and 108th picks to the Bruins.