## Canadiens de Montréal Stand Firm at Trade Deadline
Published on March 6, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Many Canadiens de Montréal fans were hoping to see the team move forward from forward Patrik Laine’s contract. Others wanted General Manager Kent Hughes to add depth to the offense, particularly at center. Still others believed the Tricolore needed reinforcements on the blue line or a solution in net with the acquisition of another goaltender. Ultimately, the GM opted for the status quo, and the Canadiens will ice the same lineup as in recent weeks.
However, this wasn’t for lack of effort, as the GM discussed his day after a long wait in the late afternoon. “Of course, our initial goal was to find trades that would move us towards our objective – building a team capable of winning in the long term. We spent a lot of time on one particular file. It went down to the last minute, but it didn’t materialize. That doesn’t prevent us from revisiting it in the summer,” Hughes confessed, adding that this trade would have been “important” for the CH.
Hughes confirmed that some players with no-trade clauses were open to lifting those clauses to join the Canadiens. The team, however, was unable to reach an agreement. Some transactions concluded in recent days across the NHL demonstrated that prices were exorbitant for acquiring help, and the Canadiens decided not to jump on the bandwagon. “The prices certainly went up. That wouldn’t have stopped us from making a trade if it was the right player for us,” Hughes added.
With 22 games remaining and in the midst of a tighter-than-ever playoff race, the Canadiens players will have to rely on the existing group to qualify for the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Other teams battling the Tricolore for a playoff spot, such as the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Islanders, were more active than the CH and all made some significant trades.
“We primarily looked at trades that could help us in the short term. But we had to assess how those transactions would impact the team in the present and also in the future,” Hughes said. “If you look at our record since the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, it’s a very good hockey team. It’s a more confident team than at this stage last year. This team is ready for what’s coming.”
Regarding Patrik Laine’s situation, Hughes was very evasive. “Patrik is part of the team like the other players. He’s not a distraction, and he hasn’t been. He’s always available; the coaches will decide on his usage.”
### A Confident Group
Less than three hours before the game between the Canadiens and the Ducks, head coach Martin St-Louis addressed the media. The Montreal coach expressed that he hadn’t experienced a very different day than usual and wasn’t overly concerned about his team’s inactivity during the day.
“I feel good. Everyone is trying to improve, and trades have to make sense for the team. The most important thing at this time of the season is the details. I don’t care who we add or who we remove. If we don’t care about the details, it doesn’t mean anything,” St-Louis explained.
In his view, the players’ confidence in Hughes and Jeff Gorton is excellent, allowing the team to focus on their game on the ice rather than the decisions of management. “I like our group, and I know it’s a group that loves each other. We have 14 healthy forwards; there are players who aren’t playing. We’re going to have to keep the morale enthusiastic and try to find opportunities to play other players sometimes. I like what we have.”
“I think the group trusts what Kent and Jeff have done. Their track record since they’ve been here… the group has confidence. I know we didn’t make a trade today, but we’ve made them in the last six months. Sometimes, the important thing is the type of trade we make and not necessarily the timing of the trade.”
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