When Jeff Petry asked to be traded to the United States due to the pandemic, it put Kent Hughes in a weird spot. After all, he didn’t want to give away his defender and he wanted a veteran in return for his services.
But Petry, due to his contract of $6.25 million per year until 2025, was not easily tradeable. He was a prisoner of his contract, which he had signed when he knew that the pandemic had begun. But anyway.
Finally, after months of searching, Kent Hughes found the fit with the Penguins. He built a trade around Petry and Mike Matheson in addition to sending Ryan Poehling (which was stagnating and still stagnating) to Pittsburgh and received a fourth pick in 2023.
And right now, no one is going to tell me that the transaction is not working for CH – on the contrary.
The Michael Matheson and Jeff Petry transaction: is it a Kent Hughes theft? pic.twitter.com/A2gQ5rucns
— The Antechamber (@Antechamber) February 23, 2023
Apart from the fact that the CH needs more right-handed defenders than left-handers for the future, Kent Hughes has pulled off a major coup by bringing in a defender seven years younger and more productive.
He knew what he was doing by picking up his former client in a transaction that caused a stir this summer. No one can say otherwise.
While the Penguins are considering trading Jeff Petry (even if Pierre LeBrun isn’t sure), the Canadiens are very happy to have a guy who has a more positive contribution in the locker room and who wants to be in town to “take care of the train”, as they say.
Since the beginning of February, he has been the CH’s leading scorer (six points, including two goals) and he is at the heart of the wave of goals scored by the Canadiens’ defenders.
He’s skating more than well and he’s a better positive point guard than Petry, who was looking to jump ship.
The Canadian, who is in a facelift, managed to do so by taking out Petry, seven years older than the Quebecer, to bring home a guy from here who is proud to represent his boyhood club.
For the past few games, the Quebecer has been making Kent Hughes look good! https://t.co/TUjvMQYsbv #Bergy
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) February 23, 2023
The feeling I have is that playing for his childhood team gives him gas. But in addition, the fact of having concrete responsibilities and being a leader forces him to surpass himself.
In Pittsburgh, when you’re behind Kris Letang, it’s hard to do – and that’s normal.
Seven months later, what do you think of the transaction that brought Mike Matheson to Montreal?
“He plays hockey as good, if not better, than Jeff Petry during his good years in Montreal” -Stéphane Waite
Sports enthusiasts with @LangloisMario
98.5 FM pic.twitter.com/yPYE72J1f6— 98,5 Sports (@985Sports) February 23, 2023
So right now, the Canadian could hardly be happier with what he’s getting from a guy who, being healthy, can really make a difference to his training… and good for Kent Hughes and Jeff Gordon.
I liked Jeff Petry in Montreal, but towards the end, it was time to move on.
A lot of
– We get along.
“Defending from a position of strength” – Norman Flynn pic.twitter.com/uyPPynxbFO
— The Antechamber (@Antechamber) February 23, 2023
– Logic.
And unlike last year, the circumstances are favorable in 2023. https://t.co/T6MMH8Xg9v
— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) February 23, 2023
– Once again.
Claude Julien back in Leventina https://t.co/OMOCZKenAc pic.twitter.com/kkvNdothH3
— SwissHabs (@SwissHabs) February 23, 2023
– Pass the first round to save the job of Kyle Dubas? [TSN 690]
– Excellent point.
We talk about staff exchanges and assessments with @LangloisMario, @Lappy14 et @thetender1987of @lapochebleue.
Josh Anderson des @CanadiensMTL will he be at his best at 32, or will his market value ever be better than he is right now????? ⬇https://t.co/jK9LuFH6PD— 98,5 Sports (@985Sports) February 23, 2023