Elliotte Friedman said late Saturday that the Canadiens plan to have Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky in Montreal once their seasons end.
That cuts against the idea that either prospect is a trade chip. The rumor was simple: to land a big fish on the market, Montreal would have to part with one of its two best young players.
Friedman said on the air that other teams have plenty of interest in both players, given what they've done this season. The Canadiens, he reported, see them in a Montreal uniform as soon as their current seasons are over.
For anyone who needs the background, Hage is a 20-year-old center from Mississauga, taken 21st overall in 2024. Zharovsky is a 19-year-old right winger from Klin, Russia, picked 34th overall in 2025. Neither has played an NHL game.
Grant McCagg's argument about waiting for Hage was already pointing in this direction. The Canadiens may not need to trade for a second-line center if the answer is a few months away.
Hage has 20 points in nine games at the University of Michigan. He's a responsible center who is also gifted offensively, and that combination is the one every contender wants in the middle of the ice.
Why the Canadiens may not need a blockbuster
Zharovsky is in his second season against men in the KHL. He had 42 points in 59 games last year and now has 18 points in 23 games for Salavat Yulaev Ufa. That's a teenager still adding to his totals against grown professionals.
Montreal is 11-3-3, fifth in the NHL and second in the Atlantic Division. It's 8-0-2 over its last 10 and just beat the Maple Leafs 4-2 in Toronto, a game built around John Tavares's return to the lineup.
A team in that position doesn't have to mortgage its prospect pool to get better. Moving one of these two for a rental would be a mistake. Both are close enough that the Canadiens can simply wait for them to arrive.
The caveat is that Friedman's report is about intentions, and the market moves fast. Another club could still make an offer Montreal can't ignore, and Kent Hughes will be asked about it often.
For now, the plan on the table is patience. Montreal returns to the ice Tuesday, November 10, against the Minnesota Wild, and the next few weeks will show whether the front office sticks to it.
Quick hits
COLORADO AVALANCHE: Martin Necas didn't overthink it after the 4-0 win over the Red Wings on Saturday night. Special teams get them going, he said. Simple formula, and it worked.
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EDMONTON OILERS: Connor McDavid's assist streak has reached 18 games, according to NHL PR, as the Oilers face the Canucks tonight. Nobody is going to be surprised if it keeps going.
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VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Brock Boeser pulled Vancouver within one late in Edmonton, but the Canucks still lost 4-2. That's five straight defeats, and the standings are starting to sting.
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OTTAWA SENATORS: Tim Stutzle moved into the top five for most assists in Senators history, the team announced tonight. That's real company for a player still in the middle of his career.
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NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Jack Hughes did it again, winning it in overtime as the Devils beat the Islanders 5-4 on Long Island. New Jersey trailed 4-2 at one point. That's a comeback with a signature finish.
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Should the Canadiens keep both Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky instead of trading one for a star?
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