Let me ask you this: If you were building a championship contender, would you sign a player with zero NHL points in 13 games and a career that’s mostly been buried in the minors? That’s exactly what the Montreal Canadiens did this summer, and it’s making me wonder if Kent Hughes is playing a long game I’m not seeing. The projected roster for next season feels like a carbon copy of last year’s team, minus Brendan Gallagher. It’s not just the lack of upgrades—it’s the absence of upgrades. Brett Berard and Reilly Walsh? One’s a AHL scrub, the other a KHL journeyman. This isn’t a rebuild; it’s a repeat of the same tired script.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the sheer audacity of it. The Canadiens’ core is still Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky—players who, to be fair, have shown flashes of brilliance. But when you pair them with Jake Evans as the second-line center, you’re essentially asking a fourth-liner to carry the weight of a playoff run. Evans is a good guy, a solid grinder, but he’s not the guy who’s going to unlock the potential of Ivan Demidov. Watching DemiGod flounder on a line with Evans feels like watching a supernova get smothered by a fog machine. This isn’t just a line pairing—it’s a psychological barrier. Demidov’s talent is wasted here, and that’s a shame because he’s one of the few players on this team who could actually change a game.
Then there’s Kirby Dach. Seven years into his contract, and we’re still debating whether he’s a bust or a work in progress. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Dach’s $3.6 million deal smells like a desperate attempt to avoid arbitration. The Canadiens are clinging to hope, but hope isn’t a strategy. Dach has never been consistent, and the fact that they’re re-signing him now feels like a tacit admission that they’ve run out of options. If this is the best they can do, maybe it’s time to cut ties and let someone else take a chance on him. The team needs a spark, not a placeholder.
But here’s where it gets really interesting: the Canadiens’ blue line. They’ve got Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson, sure, but where’s the grit? Where’s the physical presence that can shut down a power play or flatten an opponent’s top line? Arber Xhekaj is a restricted free agent, and yet he’s barely on the radar. The coaching staff gave him zero ice time in the Conference Final, which is baffling. Xhekaj isn’t a superstar, but he’s a warrior. He’s the kind of player who can turn a game in the third period. If Martin St. Louis doesn’t trust him, why keep him on the roster? This isn’t just about tactics—it’s about culture. A team without heart can’t win in April.
What this all suggests is that the Canadiens are stuck in a paradox. They want to be contenders, but their moves feel like they’re trying to win with last season’s playbook. Hughes has had three months to fix this, but so far, the only thing he’s added is more uncertainty. I get it—late summer isn’t the best time for blockbuster trades—but if you’re not even trying to upgrade your roster, you’re not just failing. You’re wasting everyone’s time. The fans deserve better, and the players deserve a chance to win. Right now, this team looks like it’s content with mediocrity, and that’s a dangerous mindset. If the Canadiens don’t make a move soon, they’ll be watching the playoffs from the same familiar seat: the couch.
