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The Montreal Canadiens are stuck in a high-stakes standoff where rival GMs are hunting for the absolute best pieces in the system.
Eric Macramalla recently shed light on a massive roadblock facing Kent Hughes as he tries to fix his roster.
Opposing teams aren’t looking at the leftovers. They’ve zeroed in on three specific targets that Montreal refuses to touch.
The market is starting to churn.
But the price of admission is getting ugly for the Habs. Everyone wants a piece of the future, and they’re asking for the cream of the crop.
The names Michael Hage, Jacob Fowler, and Alexander Zharovsky are the only ones coming up in talks for a blockbuster move.
Hughes has made it clear that moving any of them is a non-starter.
Hage is the high-ceiling center the team desperately needs. Fowler is the clear-cut goalie of the future.
Zharovsky rounds out this trio of untouchables that management won’t sacrifice for a quick fix.
It’s the right move for the long haul. Fans don’t want to see the future mortgaged just to finish 20th instead of 25th.
Kent Hughes must find a way to win a trade without losing his core
This stubbornness puts the front office in a corner. If the best assets are off the table, making a splash becomes nearly impossible.
Hughes needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat. He’s looking for a dance partner willing to take a pile of draft picks or B-level prospects instead of the blue-chippers.
Maybe someone still sees the elite potential in David Reinbacher?
He’s the wildcard in this whole deck. It’s a classic game of chicken.
Hughes is betting he can improve the group without tearing out the foundation he just built.
The ball is in the court of the other 31 GMs.
They’ll have to blink first and drop their demands if they want to do business with Montreal.
Will Hughes actually land a top-six forward without moving one of his big three prospects?
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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