The Montreal Canadiens are among the teams believed to be in hot pursuit of one of this year’s top NCAA free agents.
As more and more college teams see their seasons end, undrafted players ending their NCAA careers have an opportunity to sign NHL contracts.
One of those players is Michigan Wolverines star, TJ Hughes. At 24, Hughes is pretty much ready to hit the pro game. He’s about as ready as he’ll ever be and could be a major contributor to any team that signs him.
And yes, there are various teams kicking the tires on Hughes. But it’s the Canadiens that have an edge. Hughes has a direct connection to the Habs.
Hughes confessed his admiration for the Canadiens to R.org’s Marco D’Amico. The Michigan star admitted that he grew up a Habs fan despite living in Toronto Maple Leafs territory in Southern Ontario.
But Hughes’ ties to the Habs go much deeper than that. The Wolverines’ captain has made a close friendship with Canadiens’ first-round pick Michael Hage. The duo has lit up the NCAA to the point where Hughes is among the names in the Hobey Baker conversation this year.
Hughes’ 19 goals and 50 points in 36 games have put him on the radar. That’s why teams are looking to bring him in asap.
But there’s another natural connection to the Habs. Former Montreal captain Max Pacioretty joined Michigan’s coaching staff this season. And it just so happens that Pacioretty was one of the players Hughes grew up watching.
That’s a connection that other clubs can’t ignore. It might just be the edge the Canadiens need to land one of this season’s top NCAA free agents.
Canadiens’ Pursuit of Hughes Similar to Vesey
Over a decade ago, there was another big-ticket NCAA free agent hitting the market. Jimmy Vesey won the 2016 Hobey Baker and became the target of several NHL clubs. While the Canadiens didn’t land him, the buzz around Vesey was impressive.
In the end, Vesey signed with the New York Rangers. He was coming off a 22-goal, 46-point season with Harvard. Unfortunately for Vesey, he couldn’t translate his college success into NHL stardom.
If Hughes ends up coming away with this year’s Hobey Baker, the pursuit of Hughes will only get tighter.
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How Hughes Fits into Habs’ Lineup
The Habs would love to bring Hughes into their organization and hopefully team him up with Michael Hage. That combination could give the Habs another duo similar to the Cole Caufield-Nick Suzuki combo.
Hage, who was a common ask from opposing GMs at this year’s NHL trade deadline, is firmly in the Canadiens’ plans down the line. The Habs have made him off-limits since they feel he can become a highly valuable top-six center.
So, why not add another potential high-end forward in Hughes?
Adding Hughes could give the Canadiens the top-six forward they have been looking for. While he may not instantly become that coveted forward, there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t have a similar impact to the one Ivan Demidov had at the end of last season.
Perhaps Canadiens fans will see Hughes in the postseason much the same way they did with Demidov. That much remains unclear for now.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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