Many fans were greatly pleased following the trade involving Sean Monahan and the Winnipeg Jets. After all, Kent Hughes managed his assets in an incredible way, obtaining a second first-round pick for taking on the contract of the former Calgary Flames forward.
However, Monahan's departure highlights a significant weakness in the Canadiens, namely the lack of center players in Martin St-Louis's lineup. Indeed, due to injuries to Kirby Dach, Christian Dvorak, and Alex Newhook, the Habs currently have only two players who can play at this position, Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans.
Moreover, during the general manager's press conference, several journalists asked questions about this delicate position, mentioning that the CH is now in a precarious situation for the remainder of the 2023-2024 season.
Kent Hughes, however, had a very encouraging response to this issue. Indeed, the former Avalanche player is quickly approaching a return to play, and he is likely to have a much more significant role when he is able to rejoin the Blue-White-Red lineup.
The 16th overall pick in 2019 will need to assume considerable responsibilities upon his return to the ice. Let's hope he lives up to expectations, as relying on players like Mitchell Stephens and Lucas Condotta is clearly not ideal.
