Adding a 2nd center: the Habs are waiting to see how the market develops

The off-season has been a little quieter than expected, with Mason McTavish and Luke Hughes still on the books and the trade market seemingly dead for the time being. But that doesn’t mean the Montreal Canadiens have given up on their plans to add top-six forwards, specifically at the center of the second line. But according to this article by Marco D’Amico, the Canadiens are waiting to see how the market evolves in the coming weeks, if not days.
I’ve heard the Canadiens would move Price to line up another trade, It’s simply a question of when.”
With his signing bonus paid, sources expect the Habs to move Carey Price’s contract, freeing cap space for potential in-season trades. Via @mndamicohttps://t.co/5HK1GvPfiA–RG (@TheRGMedia) August 31, 2025
“I’ve heard the Habs are watching a few cases, suddenly teams change their minds between now and the December trade freeze.”
–
A knowledgeable NHL source
[content-ads]The market is very quiet right now and that has restricted executives from making trades to improve their clubs, hoping that some will change their minds on their coveted player. And we know that if the off-season ends, that it’s not Kent Hughes’ style to stop working on a trade until the trade deadline. He has a tendency to make additions just before the start of the season, or well before the December freeze, as he did with Alexandre Carrier.As my colleague Mathis Therrien mentioned in an article yesterday, everything could come together for the Habs as early as tomorrow, since that’s the day Carey Price will receive his final signing bonus. That bonus is $5.5 million, and once it’s paid, teams will be more inclined to add Price’s contract to receive one or more assets.And once Price’s contract is released, the Habs will have more leeway to add that famous #2 center. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this, and D’Amico’s source recently mentioned it to him as well. In fact, here are the teams most likely to acquire Price’s contract starting tomorrow. In short, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow (at least) before we see the Habs make a move, but it shouldn’t be long now. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – J.T. Miller didn’t take kindly to veterans who tended to “pick on” rookies.
J.T. Miller was a confident, cocky kid when he broke into the #NHL with #NYR. I know, I was there. But Derek Stepan recently shared some fun stories about how J.T. “handled taking shit” from veterans back in the day Check itout
https://t.co/WKUeFLXOOP –
Jim Cerny (@JimCerny) August 29, 2025
– The
crew from
Nova Scotia.
Cc: Brad Marchand, Blayre Turnbull, Sidney Crosby & Nathan MacKinnon (
: IG/blayre.turnbull) pic.twitter.com/8iKL3arrT0
– NHL (@NHL) August 31, 2025
– Must read.
He’s a machine this season. https://t.co/7EMpnTrX59 –
Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) August 31, 2025