Canadiens Wrap-Up: Top Waiver Claims, Habs Prospects, Lineup

MONTREAL — There’s never a dull moment when it comes to the Montreal Canadiens, but it’s not always possible to keep up to date with every breaking news story.

Every Sunday we will recap the most exciting and relevant NHL news stories that you may have missed throughout the week.

Sunday

• Sunday is usually a quiet day around the NHL, especially during the dog days of summer. But there was something stirring between a few teams, including the Canadiens, at noon. [REPORT: Montreal Canadiens Involved In Erik Karlsson Trade]
• The report was soon confirmed to be true. The Canadiens acted as facilitators in the trade that saw Erik Karlsson join the Pittsburgh Penguins. Former alternate captain Jeff Petry returned to the Canadiens, whereas Mike Hoffman was shipped to San Jose. [Canadiens Facilitate Karlsson Trade, Petry Returns]
• There were a lot of moving parts in the blockbuster trade, but the first impression is that Hughes pulled off a masterful trade from a Montreal Canadiens point of view. [INSTANT ANALYSIS: Canadiens Come Out As Winners In Karlsson Trade]

Monday

• If general manager Kent Hughes is inclined to move Petry, the mere fact that his contract has already been discounted by 25 percent should lead to more interest around the league. If the Habs decide to retain more salary, the return could become interesting. [Canadiens Retaining Salary Could Lead To Another Petry Trade]
• The trade was a win for the Habs in a few ways, including the liberated ice time now that Rem Pitlick and Mike Hoffman are no longer on the team. Players like Juraj Slafkovsky should benefit from the available TOI. [Montreal Canadiens Youth Movement Enriched By Recent Trades]

Tuesday

• Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes completed his summer business in a very efficient manner by signing restricted free agent Jesse Ylonen to a one-year contract extension. The contract was far from an overpay, as Ylonen will only receive the league minimum next season, which is set at $775,000.[Habs Mailbag: Potential Trades, Goalie Situation, Hughes’ Wizardry]
• Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson is used to doing spectacular things on the ice, and as expected, he has been up to his old tricks at the 2023 World Junior Showcase in Michigan. [GOTTA SEE IT: Canadiens Prospect Lane Hutson’s Great Goal]

Wednesday

• In this week’s Habs Mailbag, we discuss Jesse Ylonen’s chances of making the opening-night roster, the enforcer situation in the Atlantic Division, the possibility of trading some of the overpaid veterans, prospects, special teams, and much more. [Habs Mailbag: Canadiens Lineup Choices, Xhekaj, Trades, Waivers]

Thursday

• Prospect development will play a key part as the Montreal Canadiens enter the second year of their rebuild in earnest. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the players in the prospect pool that will be seeking greener pastures with a new team next season. [Montreal Canadiens Prospects Joining A New Team Next Season]

Friday

• Montreal Canadiens fans are well aware you can’t expect to find a franchise player on waivers. But if NHL teams are lucky they can end up finding a hidden gem for free on the waiver wire, and in the Canadiens’ case, there has been a handful of very helpful players that have joined the team for free. [Top-3 Players Claimed On Waivers By The Montreal Canadiens]
• Welcome to our newest summer series in which we will evaluate various Montreal Canadiens drafts with the benefit of hindsight. To kick off the series we will take a look at one of the best drafts in team history: 2007. [Canadiens Drafts In Retrospect: 2007 Draft Among All-Time Best]

Saturday

• There’s no doubt about it, Montreal Canadiens prospect David Reinbacher has had a busy summer. And now, the 18-year-old defenceman has been named the ‘Youngster Of The Year’ in the Swiss League (NL). He was competing against Noah Delémont (HC Biel) and Simon Knak (HC Davos). [Canadiens Top Prospect David Reinbacher Receives Award In NL]
• Current Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has wisely avoided spending big money in free agency, especially when we consider that historically speaking, very few free agents end up providing long-term value to their teams. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the worst free-agent signings in Canadiens history. [Top-3 Worst Free Agent Signings In Montreal Canadiens History]