Canadiens Took Blockbuster Down To The Wire Before Falling Through

Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes & Head coach, Martin St. Louis

The Montreal Canadiens did not make any moves at the trade deadline, which has some fans disappointed. But GM Kent Hughes said after the final buzzer on Friday's deadline that the team was in discussions on a blockbuster—described as a trade that would have had a "significant impact" on the team—down to the wire. But in the end, they just couldn't finalize it.

So Kent Hughes was working on a trade that would have a “significant impact” on his team. He hopes he will be able to revisit this deal in a few months. @CanadiensMTL @TVASports
— Renaud Lavoie (@RLavoieTVA) March 6, 2026

“From the start, our objective was always to try to find trades that advance our principal objective, which is to build a team capable of winning over the long term," Hughes told the media. "We spent a lot of time on one particular file, but it went down to the last minute and didn’t happen. But that won’t stop us from revisiting it in the summer.”

In other words, something is still cooking, and they will continue to look at ways to improve the team.

Hughes has insisted all season long that they would not jeopardize the long-term plan with any hasty moves that only address the present at the expense of the future.

Given that, it's safe to assume that the big splash that could still be revisited involved acquiring a player with term, and more specifically, one that did not get dealt on Friday. So, no, not Nazem Kadri.

The Habs still have a loaded cupboard of assets, with all of their own draft picks for the next few years (except for a fifth-rounder this June). They also have a boatload of top young prospects already in the system.

Montreal is solidly in playoff position, holding the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, three points up on the Boston Bruins, and only one point back of the Detroit Red Wings for 3rd place in the Atlantic. They have an 80.2% chance of making the postseason, per MoneyPuck.

For this season, they'll go to the dance with the group that's brought them this far.