Hughes and the Canadiens could revisit the Blues for a right-shot defensive upgrade

The conversation around the Montreal Canadiens this offseason is starting to circle the same problem: how to add a true right-shot presence on defense so Lane Hutson can play on his more natural side. According to reporting tied to Kent Hughes’ roster-building approach, Montreal’s next significant transaction could again involve the St. Louis Blues, this time focused on obtaining a right-handed defenseman rather than forward help.

Hutson’s role is central to the Canadiens’ planning. When a team has an elite passer and puck-mover developing at a young age, the question becomes not only how many minutes they can handle, but how matchups and pairings affect their effectiveness. Montreal’s reported ideal is to pair Hutson in a way that fits his handedness and deployment, and that requires organizational depth at the position, specifically another right-shot option in the top end rather than a stopgap.

The Canadiens did address their need last offseason with a notable trade involving right-handed defenseman Noah Dobson, acquired from the New York Islanders. In the same set of moves, Montreal also sent Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues, acquiring forward help in Zachary Bolduc. The point of that earlier swing, per the reporting, was to accelerate the Canadiens’ competitive window, while also rebalancing the roster in key areas.

This time, the specific player type Montreal is said to be seeking remains a right-shot defenseman who could eventually become part of the trusted top four. The reporting frames David Reinbacher as a right-shot possibility, but stops short of treating him as a proven answer at that level. That leaves Montreal with what Hughes would likely view as a “build-around” problem, because right-handed defenders who can play heavy minutes are not usually available without cost.

St. Louis, meanwhile, is described as having at least one right-shot player they tried to move earlier in the season. Colton Parayko was mentioned as an example of a defenseman the Blues were willing to consider trading, but the situation included a major obstacle: Parayko has a full no-trade clause and would not waive it to go to Buffalo during that earlier window. That factor matters because a no-trade creates leverage for the player and limits how freely the club can adjust its roster through standard market mechanics.

The Canadiens also enter this offseason under a broader reality that playoff hockey exposes. The reporting indicates Montreal’s postseason run highlighted multiple areas to improve, including center support and defensive depth that the coaching staff can rely on. Even if a trade does not solve every issue at once, adding a top-pairing-capable right-shot defender would reshape the way Montreal can deploy its young core over a full schedule.

For Montreal fans, the headline question is not whether a trade will happen, but whether Hughes will make another “big swing” the way he did in the past year. Watching the Canadiens’ internal decision-making in camp, including what roles get solidified for Hutson’s pairings and who fills the right-side defensive responsibilities, should clarify whether the organization is chasing a specific type of player or simply adjusting the plan around what it already has.

As for St. Louis, the willingness to move Parayko (or any comparable defender) depends on more than market interest. A no-trade clause can turn trade talks into a constrained bargaining process where only certain destinations are realistic. Even so, the fact that Montreal and St. Louis are already connected through last offseason’s assets makes a follow-on conversation between the clubs plausible, even if the outcome remains uncertain.