Another reason why Kent Hughes hit a real home run with the acquisition of Sean Monahan

Not only did he become one of the pillars of the team's offense at the start of last season, but he was also rewarded with a new one-season agreement with the Canadiens.

But we too often forget that Kent Hughes received future compensations, as well as a first-round pick from the Flames. As reported by Cédrick Gervais, from the site Marqueur.com, this personnel move could very well make the Canadiens' GM look like a genius.

It could be a home run, a real one!

Indeed, according to information reported by Frank Seravalli, everything indicates that Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Mikael Backlund will test the free agent market next summer, all of whom could be traded in the coming weeks.

With the arrival of a new management in Calgary, some Flames players have shown their intentions not to stay in Alberta in the long term, including Tyler Toffoli who is now with the New Jersey Devils.

If the Flames were to lose all these people for the 2024-2025 season, the team could struggle on the ice and drop in the rankings, which could give the Canadiens a top 15, or even top 10 pick.

The Canadiens could also get the Panthers' pick if it is lower ranked than the Flames', but it would be surprising if Florida finishes behind the Flames in the overall standings.

Imagine if both teams miss the playoffs and the Canadiens get a top 15 pick for the simple and unique reason of having pocketed Sean Monahan's salary for a season.

That would be a real stroke of genius from Kent Hughes!