After a surprising season that saw the Montreal Canadiens return to the playoffs ahead of schedule, general manager Kent Hughes was suddenly at the center of a pivotal offseason. Expectations are no longer about development; the team has a foundation to build on and a fan base that’s hungry for more. With cap space, a deep prospect pool and a clear identity, Hughes entered the summer with several key objectives: improve the defence, add scoring depth, maintain long-term flexibility, and continue developing from within.
Noah Dobson Trade
The biggest headline this summer came when Hughes acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders for both of their 2025 first-round picks (16th and 17th overall) and forward Emil Heineman. Hughes had been openly pursuing a right-handed, top-pairing defenseman with size, mobility, and offensive skill, and at 25 years old, Dobson is coming off a strong season and is just entering his prime.
Hughes signed him to an eight-year, $9.5 million per season contract – not cheap, but fair market value for a number one defenseman with upside. He’s locked in long-term and gives Montreal instant credibility on the back end.
Montreal already has a deep prospect pool, and adding a proven piece like Dobson, who fits the team’s timeline and identity, is the kind of bold, calculated move a playoff team needs to make and can reshape a defence core. With Dobson, Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, and David Reinbacher, the Canadiens now have one of the most exciting young blue lines in the NHL.
Grade: A-
Zachary Bolduc Trade
In another well-calculated transaction, the Canadiens dealt Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Zachary Bolduc. On paper, this trade is about organizational fit and positional need. Mailloux is a talented offensive defenseman, but with Dobson and Reinbacher ahead of him on the right side, his path to the NHL became tougher. Hughes moved quickly and capitalized on Mailloux’s value, flipping him for a young, NHL-ready forward with upside.
Bolduc is only 22 years old and scored 19 goals in his first full NHL season. He has a good release, plays with pace, and fits naturally into Montreal’s need for secondary scoring. A top-six ceiling isn’t out of the question, and even if he settles in as a third-line contributor, that’s a solid return for a prospect whose opportunity was drying up in Montreal. This trade also balances the depth chart and shows that Hughes is managing the long-term makeup of the team carefully, not just accumulating talent aimlessly.
Grade: A
Canadiens 2025 NHL Entry Draft
Despite trading away their two first-round picks ahead of the draft, Hughes and his scouting department once again found high-upside talent on Day 2. Alexander Zharovsky, selected 34th overall, is a dynamic, creative forward with strong puck skills and a potential top-six future. LJ Mooney, taken in the fourth round, is undersized at just 5-foot-7, but incredibly skilled and intelligent. He posted 51 points in 51 games with the U.S. National U18 Team and looked excellent at development camp. Hayden Paupanekis, picked in the third round, is a big 6-foot-4 center who plays a smart, two-way game and has shown flashes of offensive growth in the Western Hockey League.
Related: Grading the Montreal Canadiens’ 2025 Draft Class
While there’s no clear-cut star in this class yet, each of these players fits a role the Canadiens will eventually need to fill. For a draft with no first-round picks, Montreal came away with legitimately exciting talent, and that deserves praise.
Grade: A-
Canadiens Free-Agent Signings
Hughes was relatively quiet in free agency, and that’s not a bad thing. Instead of overpaying, he focused on low-risk, depth moves. Samuel Blais brings size, energy, and a physical edge to the bottom six. He can move up the lineup in a pinch and has playoff experience. Kaapo Kähkönen, signed to a one-year, $1.15 million deal, provides veteran competition in net, especially after Cayden Primeau’s departure. He’ll push Jakub Dobes for the backup spot behind Samuel Montembeault and offers flexibility if injuries arise.
Neither signing is flashy, but both improve the team’s depth and bring internal competition, which will benefit a young team looking to take the next step. They also come with virtually no risk. These are smart, stabilizing moves that round out the roster without handcuffing the team’s future.
Grade: B+
Beyond these moves, what makes Hughes’ offseason impressive is the cohesion between short-term improvement and long-term planning. Adding Dobson and Bolduc improves the NHL roster immediately. Drafting players like Zharovsky and Mooney ensures the prospect pool stays rich. Signing affordable veterans creates healthy pressure for young players without blocking their development.
Hughes has avoided the trap of rushing the rebuild or committing to expensive, long-term contracts for aging veterans. Instead, he’s strategically building a team identity centered around speed, intelligence, and structure, and doing it without sacrificing cap flexibility. He’s also sending a message: the rebuild phase is over. Now, it’s about taking steps forward, winning more games, and making deeper playoff pushes. If Hughes continues at this pace, the Canadiens may become serious contenders sooner than expected.
