The Canadian was going to try to acquire a young center by trading Alexander Romanov

But it looks like this wasn't the only deal the CH CEO tried before finally getting his hands on Dach.

According to what the professional recruiter says Grant McCague From the specialized site Recruitsthe initial reason for this dealAlexander Romanov It was trying to draft a certain player in the first round.

It will be remembered that Romanov was traded to the New York Islanders with a fourth-round pick (98th overall) In exchange for a first-round pick (13th place overall).

According to McCague, Hughes had been given the option to try and get his hands on the young Swedish midfielder Noah Ostlund. Convinced that he would no longer be available at No. 13, he then tried to move up to the top 10 in the draft. Unable to do so, he was then traded to the Chicago Blackhawks and acquired Kirby Dutch Using a first round pick.

Ironically, Ostlund was eventually selected 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabers.

Why is this information credible? Because McCague is a former member of the Montreal Canadiens. It's easy to believe he still has some good connections within the organization.

Since arriving in Montreal, Dutch has improved a lot and become a dominant player. But he also suffered two injuries that ended his season. For his part, Ostlund is viewed as one of the top prospects in the Sabers organization.

Time will tell if Hughes made the right decision.

Watch the podcast in question in full below.