Kent Hughes Tried Landing Another Star Forward Before Trading for Patrik Laine

The Finnish forward has already made an immediate impact, bringing a new energy to the team.

Moreover, he is already producing more than expected.

This trade allowed the Habs to acquire Laine as well as a second-round pick in 2026 in exchange for Jordan Harris, a decision widely praised by fans and experts.

This brilliant acquisition comes in the context of the Habs avoiding a potential pitfall by not signing Jonathan Marchessault last summer.

You read that correctly.

Although the Quebec winger chose a five-year deal with Nashville, his disappointing production this season confirms that this was the right decision.

Reports indicate that Hughes made him an intriguing offer, but Marchy ultimately chose Nashville.

With only five goals, Marchessault is struggling to regain his effectiveness, while Laine, at just 26 years old, represents a major asset for the future of the Canadiens.

This strategic move illustrates Kent Hughes' long-term vision in a rebuilding process.

Thanks to Laine and promising young talents like Lane Hutson, Arber Xhekaj, Juraj Slafkovsky, Owen Beck and others, the Canadiens can look forward to building a competitive team in the coming years.

If this trend continues, the Laine trade could be seen as one of the pivotal moments of this rebuild.

Imagine if the Canadiens had signed Jonathan Marchessault and thus hadn't acquired Patrik Laine.. Things would be very different today!

Here's an interesting twist and a little surprising revelation.

A story to follow.