One centerman's name keeps coming up for Kent Hughes in blockbuster trade
The Montreal Canadiens' second-line centre problem might solve itself this summer, and Nico Hischier's name is now impossible to ignore.
Reports out of New Jersey suggest the Devils and their captain are working toward an extension, but nothing is done.
With the NHL Draft set for June 26th, the clock is ticking on every unsigned star in the league. Unresolved situations have a way of turning into trade conversations fast.
Here's the thing about this particular situation: the fit with Montreal is almost unfair to think about.
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Nick Suzuki just closed out a 101-point season. He's a legitimate first-line centre who drives offence. But every strong top line needs a second pivot who can hold the room together below it, and right now that spot on this roster has no clear answer.
Ivan Demidov posted 62 points in his rookie season, flashing real talent on the wing. The question is what centre unlocks his full potential at five-on-five.
Oliver Kapanen was held scoreless in seven playoff games, which tells you everything about the limits of that second-line setup during the postseason.
Hischier's two-way game is exactly what Demidov needs beside him
Jake Evans was outstanding in the playoffs, putting up 10 points in 19 games, but Evans is a bottom-six centre. Asking him to anchor a second line long-term is like asking a strong supporting actor to carry the whole movie.
Hischier plays a different game entirely. He drives offence, wins the puck back, and can be deployed in every situation.
The Devils finished the season ranked 21st overall with a -24 goal differential. A team going nowhere in a hurry is exactly the kind of franchise that might eventually decide its franchise centre's window doesn't match the rebuild timeline.
Montreal finished sixth overall at 48-24-10 with 106 points. Kent Hughes has the standing and the assets to make a real push if Hischier becomes available.
Any deal would almost certainly require a sign-and-trade structure, given Hischier heads into the final year of his contract. That means Montreal would be committing to a long-term extension as part of the package, likely north of $9.5 million per season.
Noah Dobson already sits at a $9.5 million cap hit. Adding another nine-figure commitment at centre changes the financial picture for this team significantly, and that conversation is one Hughes cannot avoid.
The prospect cost alone would be steep. Hischier is a prime-age two-way centre with playoff experience. Nobody trades that for picks and pennies.
Whether the deal ever materializes depends entirely on what happens in Jersey over the next two weeks. Martin St-Louis has built something real in Montreal, and right now the second-line centre position is the most obvious gap standing between this team and a legitimate Cup contender.
The Devils might hold. They might get their extension done. But if they don't, Hischier becomes the most coveted centre on the summer market. And the Canadiens had better be ready to move fast.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 6, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mitch Marner | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Taylor Hall | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Martinook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Seth Jarvis | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||