Possible key news for Kent Hughes, one week before the NHL trade deadline

Last night in Philadelphia, the Canadiens played an inspired game and once again put on quite a show.

Rem Pitlick and Cole Caufield allowed the Habs to save themselves with a spectacular victory, a win of character. Honorable mention to Ben Chiarot who, one week before the NHL trade deadline, had quite the game. It was perhaps his last with the Habs.

Despite this great 4-3 win in overtime, there were two bad news yesterday and it will be to watch closely today.

During the warm-up session, Canadians forward Artturi Lehkonen injured his upper body. Then, during the game, Ryan Poehling also got injured.


In both cases, we have just learned that their situation will be reassessed today. So we will have answers.

The two players will indeed be examined in more detail over the next few hours, with the goal of knowing more about the severity of their injuries, as mentioned by Patrick Friolet of RDS.

This is important, especially in the case of Lehkonen, because it could really change Kent Hughes' plans for the NHL trade deadline. Artturi Lehkonen (along with Ben Chiarot) is one of the players most likely to be traded, for two simple reasons:

1- He's playing so well that the contract he's going to ask for this summer is getting bigger and bigger (he'll be a restricted free agent).

2- His value on the trade market has become very interesting and it will be difficult for Hughes to say no if he is offered a first-round pick and another element, for his Finnish forward.

It will therefore be important the news that we will have today on Lehkonen, whether his injury is major or not. We really hope it's minor. And if that's not the case and it aborts a possible trade involving Lehkonen, it might as well be a gift in disguise, because he's really good and keeping him in Montreal might be the right decision, in the end.

More details to come...