Kent Hughes reveals what he is targeting as surprise acquisitions for the Montreal Canadiens this summer

While the lottery and the 2022 draft are getting a lot of attention (and rightfully so), let's not forget about the opening of the free agent market, which is just around the corner.

This will be another really important step for Hughes and Jeff Gorton.

Speaking of which, what are the Montreal officials aiming to acquire as a player this summer? What can we expect?

Hughes answered the question:

I like the idea! It's true that it's excellent, even essential, for the development of the many young people on the team, to bring more experience into the locker room.

Why not surround Caufield and Suzuki well with real leaders, who will come in and install a winning culture in town?

No one said that's a no-no, even for a young team under construction.

It's a surprise to many, but Montreal could really add some older players.

On the free agent side, we can obviously think of Kris Letang, an autonomous player who has a lot of experience, who has won championships, Cups and who has often been linked to Montreal (notably by his good friend Renaud Lavoie). There are also other good veterans, who will command smaller salaries, such as PK Subban, Justin Schultz, Phil Kessel, Mark Giordano, Nick Leddy and David Perron.

The free agent market will be very exciting for Montreal fans as Hughes is expected to be very active. Darren Dreger also mentioned it this morning: he expects an eventful summer for the CH.

Which name would you target?