Kent Hughes has typically been very patient when it comes to making trades, at least since his arrival with the Montreal Canadiens.

He prefers to take his time and find internal solutions to his problems.

However, according to a report from Pierre LeBrun, he may depart from his usual approach and act more quickly this season. He has reportedly already begun making calls to help shake up his lineup.

Kent Hughes is attempting to finalize a trade

LeBrun is open about it-he doesn’t believe that the Canadiens’ management thought being in the playoff mix was very realistic. However, there is pressure, both internally and externally, to show at least some progress. That’s why the Habs’ slow start would not be taken lightly on the seventh floor of the Bell Centre.

“I don’t think a slow start is being ignored here by the Canadiens. From what I’ve been told by speaking to other teams in the league, general manager Kent Hughes has started calling around, doing his due diligence, and getting a sense of what might be possible. I believe the Canadiens would be willing to make a move here to shake up the lineup a bit and help this team win some games.”
– Pierre LeBrun

We’re talking about an established player here, someone who could help the team right away.

The problem is that this time of year, team executives usually hate making trades. There are very few transactions at this point in the season. But, as mentioned earlier, the slow start might change things, and Hughes could be making more calls than usual in October…

However, making a trade won’t be easy. As LeBrun reminds us, the Canadiens won’t mortgage their future to solve their current issues. There’s also the fact that the team is very close to the salary cap, which complicates any deal. The GM will need to find a partner that not only meets his needs but also allows him to balance out the salaries in the trade.

Again, this isn’t speculation from the insider, but facts reported to him by other teams in the league. Kent Hughes is currently very active on the phone.

This is a story to follow closely in the coming weeks.