Kent Hughes fleeces the Penguins in long-awaited trade

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Axel Williams
August 8, 2024 (9:47)

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Kent Hughes has been a tour de force every since taking over as the General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens, and it is clear that he is making the right moves.

If you remember, last year, the Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, and Pittsburgh Penguins completed a three-team trade. In this trade, the Habs ended up with Jeff Petry, Casey DeSmith, and Nathan Legare. Meanwhile, the Penguins got the best player in the deal, Erik Karlsson.

However, the trade has finally been completed thanks to a number of factors. Namely, Hughes has been able to secure a third draft pick thanks to the players he acquired. Instead of keeping dead weight on his roster, he flipped the players acquired in the deal for more draft picks that will ultimately help the Habs rebuild.

"Instead of holding onto all of these players, Hughes figured he would go back to testing the trade market with each of his players," House of Hockey reported "He ultimately traded Jeff Petry to the Detroit Red Wings for Gustav Lindstrom and a fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft. Shortly thereafter, he sent Casey DeSmith to the Vancouver Canucks for Tanner Pearson and a third-round pick next year. However, Legare was traded to the New Jersey Devils for Arnaud Durandeau, who opted not to sign with the team after the end of the season."

Considering where the Penguins are with an aging Karlsson, it is safe to say that the Habs have come away as the winners of the deal. At least that is what Habs fans believe, and it is hard to disagree with them.

Do you believe that Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens won the trade? Let us know in the poll down below. Additionally, stay tuned to Hockey Unplugged for the latest news and updates from around the hockey world. We will continue to keep you informed on your favorite teams and players.

Source: House of Hockey
Three-way trade from one year ago completed: Canadiens get three draft picks