Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes made a bold move by acquiring Sean Monahan from the Calgary Flames. Monahan struggled with injuries but excelled last season with 35 points before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets.
He later signed a lucrative contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets to reunite with longtime friend Johnny Gaudreau following a tragedy that struck both families. Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were tragically killed in an accident.