A single phone call, a name whispered in boardrooms, and the fate of two NHL franchises nearly changed forever. The image is vivid: Jordan Kyrou, the electrifying St. Louis Blues winger, streaking across Madison Square Garden, unleashing a shot that leaves the crowd breathless. But for Montreal Canadiens fans, it’s the trade that didn’t happen—the deal that hovered on the edge of reality before vanishing into rumor—that now dominates the conversation, casting a long shadow over the team’s current struggles.

As injuries mount for Montreal—Kaiden Guhle, Alex Newhook, and Kirby Dach all sidelined, leaving gaping holes in the lineup—the question grows louder: What if Kent Hughes had pulled the trigger on the blockbuster offer from the Blues? What if Kyrou, not just a rumor but a reality, was skating in a Canadiens sweater, injecting desperately needed speed and scoring into a team suddenly starved for offense? The answer, revealed in a recent episode of the Pool Cast podcast, is as tantalizing as it is frustrating—and it exposes the razor-thin margins that separate vision from regret in the NHL’s high-stakes trade market.

According to insider Marco Normandin, the negotiations this summer between Montreal and St. Louis were far more dramatic than anyone realized. The deal that ultimately sent Zachary Bolduc to Montreal for Logan Mailloux was, at one point, set to include Kyrou—a move that would have rocked the league and instantly redefined the Canadiens’ forward group. But there was a catch, and it was a big one: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong wanted Kaiden Guhle in return, a price Kent Hughes simply couldn’t stomach.

It’s easy to see why. Guhle, young and tenacious, is viewed by Montreal’s brass as a cornerstone for years to come—a defenseman with the poise and upside to lead the blue line through a rebuild and beyond. But fate is cruel, and as Guhle now faces another extended absence due to injury and surgery, the calculus shifts. The Canadiens, suddenly desperate for reinforcements, are left pondering what might have been. Did Hughes and Jeff Gorton gamble too conservatively, clinging to a future that’s now on hold while Kyrou continues to dazzle in St. Louis?

The debate is fierce, and the hindsight is merciless. Fans and analysts alike are dissecting every detail: the numbers, the potential, the risk of losing a franchise defenseman versus the reward of landing a top-six forward in his prime. Would Kyrou’s arrival have transformed Montreal’s season, or would sacrificing Guhle have left the defense fatally exposed? The answers are elusive, the emotions raw, and the trade rumors swirling with new urgency as the Canadiens search for solutions.

Tonight, as Jordan Kyrou’s name resurfaces with every highlight and every missed opportunity in Montreal’s lineup, the story of the failed trade becomes more than just a footnote—it’s a lesson in timing, trust, and the unforgiving nature of NHL decision-making. For Kent Hughes, the echoes of this summer’s near-miss may linger long after the final whistle, shaping the narrative of the season and the future of the franchise in ways no one could have predicted.

Photo credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The name of Jordan Kyrou continues to surface in trade rumours involving the Montreal Canadiens.

Recent injuries to Kaiden Guhle, Alex Newhook, and Kirby Dach may end up forcing Kent Hughes to act quickly to find reinforcements up front, but if he had accepted one of the St. Louis Blues’ requests this summer, the Canadiens’ general manager likely wouldn’t be in this position.

On a recent episode of the Pool Cast podcast from the HABSolumentFan team, Tony Marinaro was the guest, and several topics related to the Canadiens’ current situation were discussed.

A major trade offer submitted by the St. Louis Blues to Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens

One of the topics covered was the possibility of Jordan Kyrou coming to Montreal, and Marco Normandin provided new information, suggesting it came very close to happening. However, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong had a particular request for Kent Hughes.

Here is Normandin’s explanation:

“According to my information, the trade that brought forward Zachary Bolduc to Montreal in exchange for Logan Mailloux was originally much larger and also involved Kyrou. However, the two teams were unable to agree on the price for the forward and ultimately decided to stick with Bolduc and Mailloux.

Still according to my information, the price to acquire Kyrou would have been defenseman Kaiden Guhle, which GM Kent Hughes refused.”

– HABSolumentFan

We know the Canadiens organization values Kaiden Guhle greatly and considers him one of the pillars of their defense. However, he will once again be sidelined for an extended period because of an injury requiring surgery.

But Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton could not have predicted, during the offseason, that the young left-shot defenseman would get hurt again after playing only five games.

Would you have accepted this trade involving Logan Mailloux, Kaiden Guhle, Zachary Bolduc, and Jordan Kyrou?