The Montreal Canadiens got forward Hunter McKown from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. This was in exchange for forward Luke Tuch. 

General manager Kent Hughes announced this trade as Montreal continues to reshape its roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. While adding another young forward while letting go of prospects who have spent several years within the team.

" The Canadiens have acquired forward Hunter McKown from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Luke Tuch." Canadiens Montreal posted on X.

McKown arrived in Montreal after playing within Columbus' system. He’s from San Jose, standing at 6-foot-1, a right-shot centre, and was selected by the Blue Jackets out of Colorado College.

This was where he scored 55 points in 96 NCAA games before turning into a professional player.

He played in 12 NHL games with Columbus, made two assists, while spending most of his time with the Cleveland Monsters in the AHL. 

In 184 regular-season games in Cleveland, he scored 31 goals and made 49 assists, with four goals and eight points in 25 playoff games. He also represented the United States at the 2022 World Junior Championship.

Montreal may consider McKown as a center who’s dynamic and could push for NHL time. His AHL track record shows good results at the minor league level, and at 23, he still has the time to develop into a more elite role.

Meanwhile, Luke Tuch heads to Columbus after several seasons with the Canadiens team. He is the younger brother of former NHL forward Alex Tuch. Luke was drafted by Montreal and passed through the Laval Rocket in the AHL. 

Neither player has solidly marked themselves as an NHL regular; clearly, this is more about depth rather than just roster rebuilding. 

Montreal's Busy Offseason Continues

The McKown trade is just one of Montreal's moves this summer. The bigger headline is surrounding the Canadiens, which involves the veteran forward Brendan Gallagher, who might be leaving the team soon. 

Gallagher carries a $6.5 million cap hit and has one year remaining on his contract. 

According to ClutchPoints,TSN's Darren Dreger reported that Montreal GM Kent Hughes and Vancouver Canucks GM Ryan Johnson have already discussed a potential trade that could send Gallagher back to his home in British Columbia.

If a trade cannot be arranged before the June 30 deadline, a buyout remains an option. That route would free up roughly $2.67 million in cap space for 2026-27 at the cost of $1.33 million in dead money the following season.

Their core is already strong enough with players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Ivan Demidov. McKown gives the team another forward option as that rebuilding process continues.

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi