Rumor: Shane Wright nearly dealt at NHL trade deadline and insider shares the details
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Head coach Martin St. Louis nearly welcomed a familiar name to the Montreal Canadiens. The front office aggressively targeted Shane Wright at the trade deadline.
Kent Hughes wanted to make a massive splash before Friday's 3 p.m. cutoff. The general manager kept his primary target completely hidden from the local media.
An insider report finally uncovered the mystery player. The Canadiens were heavily negotiating with the Seattle Kraken to bring the former fourth-overall pick to Bell Centre.
Wright nearly dealt at the deadline
Wright continues to struggle finding his footing out in the Pacific Northwest. The 22-year-old center remains trapped in a restrictive bottom-six role with his current club.
With just 11 goals and 12 assists in 62 games this season, his offensive output is undeniably stagnating. He averages a mere 13:59 of ice time on a nightly basis.
Seattle management made their trade intentions crystal clear to the rest of the league. They are willing to move the young forward for a legitimate top-six scoring threat.
The Kraken sit right in the thick of a tight Western Conference wild-card race. They desperately need immediate veteran help to secure a guaranteed postseason berth.
The 2022 NHL Draft remains a massive talking point in Montreal. The historic franchise infamously passed on Wright to select Juraj Slafkovsky with the first overall pick.
Slafkovsky is currently thriving on the top line under his current coaching staff. The big winger already banked 52 points through 62 games this year.
Adding Wright to this active roster would completely flip the script. Hughes clearly believes a simple change of scenery could spark the highly touted prospect.
Montreal possesses an absolute war chest of future draft assets. They hold 22 total picks over the next three summers to use as premium trade ammunition.
The massive asking price from Seattle ultimately stalled the deadline blockbuster. The Kraken refused to accept a standard package focused strictly on futures and mid-round draft capital.
Also read on Blade of steel :
Elliotte Friedman reveals the NHL canceled this trade at the trade deadline
Elliotte Friedman reveals the NHL canceled this trade at the trade deadline
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MARS 8|68 ANSWERS Rumor: Shane Wright nearly dealt at NHL trade deadline and insider shares the details Should the Canadiens trade for Shane Wright this summer ? | ||
| Yes | 27 | 39.7 % |
| No | 41 | 60.3 % |
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