In today’s NHL, we constantly hear general managers talk about how difficult it is to make trades mid-season. Cap constraints, limited flexibility, and the complexity of roster management are the usual excuses.
And yet, in Vancouver, there’s one GM who either didn’t get that memo—or just refuses to accept it.
Since taking over as Canucks GM on January 26, 2022, Patrik Allvin has made 23 in-season trades. That’s right—23.
Not all of them were deadline-day moves, either. He’s been active throughout the season, from October through March:
- 6 in October
- 3 in November
- 1 in December
- 4 in January
- 3 in February
- 6 in March
And these weren’t just minor league swaps or depth moves. Some of the names involved in his deals include:
J.T. Miller, Marcus Pettersson, Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Anthony Beauvillier, Sam Lafferty, Filip Hronek, Luke Schenn, Bo Horvat, Riley Stillman, Tyler Motte, Travis Hamonic, and Travis Dermott.
This level of in-season activity is virtually unheard of among today’s NHL GMs. While some front offices sit on their hands, claiming that the trade market is too tough to navigate, Allvin has been finding ways to improve his team—constantly.
Sure, the Canucks haven’t won anything yet. But that’s not the point.
The point is that, while most teams accept the narrative that making in-season moves is too difficult, Allvin refuses to make excuses.
While others talk about the challenges, he makes things happen.
Kent Hughes: A Different Approach
Meanwhile, in Montreal, the Canadiens find themselves in a different situation. They’re still rebuilding, meaning they’re not going to mortgage the future for a quick fix—fair enough.
But let’s be clear: not all of Allvin’s trades were rental deals or trade deadline moves. Many were hockey trades—the kind of deals that help a team both now and in the long term.
It’s also worth noting that Kent Hughes was hired as Canadiens GM on January 18, 2022—just eight days before Allvin took over in Vancouver.
Since then, Hughes has made just eight in-season NHL trades, and most were deadline deals, shipping out soon-to-be pending UFAs:
- Tyler Toffoli to Calgary
- Ben Chiarot to Florida
- Brett Kulak to Edmonton
- Artturi Lehkonen to Colorado
- Evgenii Dadonov to Dallas
- Sean Monahan to Winnipeg
- Jake Allen to New Jersey
- Justin Barron to Nashville
That’s it. While the Canadiens have been in full rebuild mode, Hughes has stuck to the script—trading expiring contracts for future assets.
But is that enough?
A Team in the Mix—With No Help Coming
This season, the Canadiens were in the mix but are now watching their playoff hopes slip away.
They’ve lost four straight games, while the teams around them are making moves to strengthen their rosters. With Kaiden Guhle now sidelined, the players look completely deflated, and it’s hard to blame them.
And yet, there’s been no action from the front office.
No reinforcements. No lineup adjustments. No small tweaks to help the team push through a rough stretch.
All we hear is the same old line—that Hughes won’t “sell the future for temporary help.”
But let’s be honest—no one is asking him to do that.
There are always moves to be made—hockey trades that don’t involve selling the farm. Allvin has proved that over and over again.
Yesterday, I suggested one potential trade that could help the Canadiens without sacrificing the future. I’m sure there are plenty of other options out there.
The difference is, Patrik Allvin is willing to explore them.
So while other GMs keep saying “trades are hard,” Allvin’s response remains the same:
“Hold my Molson.”
