Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has taken a measured approach this summer, placing a greater emphasis on maintaining the foundation of its roster that won a pair of postseason rounds than making splashy additions.
The Canadiens locked up 2024 first-round pick Ivan Demidov with a long-term eight-year extension, reached a new three-year agreement with goaltender Jakub Dobes, and then added valuable goaltending depth by signing Kaapo Kahkonen to a short-term deal.
Meanwhile, they’ve also traded Brendan Gallagher to the Vancouver Canucks, Joshua Roy to the Utah Mammoth, and allowed Joe Veleno to depart in free agency to the Original 6 rival New York Rangers.
But there’s a chance that the club could still be active, and that’s where a key member of the Pittsburgh Penguins could come into play.
The Montreal Canadiens Have Been Linked To Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Bryan Rust
During his recent 32 Thoughts podcast, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman said that he’s heard from a source that the Canadiens could be interested in either Bryan Rust or Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins, two forwards that were heavily involved in trade rumors last offseason but ultimately remained in place.
“Someone else told me, they thought might be really a good fit in Montreal, and I have no idea if it’s even possible, one of those two Pittsburgh wingers, (Bryan) Rust or (Rickard) Rakell,” Friedman said. “I think one of those guys would have to approve. I thought with another scorer, like one of those two guys, they might look pretty good.”
Kyle Bukauskas chimed in:
“I still think of when they got knocked out by Carolina, and Mike Matheson after that game said as great as the run they had and how far they got, it was a real eye-opener of how far off they still are with how Carolina handled them. As the playoffs wore on, that was it….just having some pop in certain parts where they weren’t getting it probably started as things separated in that Conference Final. So, I can see why an idea, at least, of a Bryan Rust or a Rakell that speaks to that perfectly.”
Last offseason, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas tried to find trading partners for both Rust and Rakell, along with defenseman Erik Karlsson, but wasn’t able to do so. All three players remained with the Penguins for the entire season, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Both Bryan Rust And Rickard Rakell Were Heavily Involved In Trade Rumors
A key contributor during Pittsburgh’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017, Rust continued to provide regular offense in 2025-26. The veteran forward totaled 29 goals and 36 assists across 72 regular-season appearances before adding a goal and an assist during the Penguins’ first-round playoff defeat against the in-state rival Philadelphia Flyers.
He still has two years remaining on his contract, carrying a manageable $5.125 million annual cap charge.
Rakell is also signed through the next two seasons at a $5 million cap hit after putting together a strong season of his own, recording 24 goals and 24 assists in 60 games. He chipped in four points during the postseason, scoring once and adding three assists.
NHL Insider Links Canadiens To $30.75 Million Scoring Forward