Perfect road trip, Hutson’s record and trade buzz: Canadiens morning report

The Canadiens wake up back in Montreal with a clean sweep in their rear-view mirror. Thursday night’s 5–2 win over the Dallas Stars wrapped up a perfect road trip for Montreal, with four regulation victories on the swing, as highlighted by Sportsnet.

Caufield, Newhook drive offence, Dobeš gets it done

In Dallas, Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook each scored twice, according to Sportsnet, powering a Montreal offence that took control after weathering the early push from the Stars. La Presse notes that Jakub Dobeš turned aside 17 shots in the win, enough for the paper to underline that he looked confident in goal.

La Presse describes the whole trip as an “unexpected” one for the Habs, who managed to run the table despite key absences. Sportsnet points out that Montreal completed this perfect swing without Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov or Mike Matheson, and did so without leaning on a particularly effective power play.

Sportsnet also reports that Mike Matheson was out of the game in Dallas with a lower-body injury. Over at Eyes on the Prize, the game story notes that Montreal spent much of the opening minutes in its own end before gradually taking over and finishing off the Stars.

Hutson sets record, trade chatter surfaces

Individually, Sportsnet reports that Lane Hutson has set a Canadiens franchise record for most assists before age 23. The piece doesn’t spell out the numbers, but the message is clear: the young defenceman is already etching his name into team history.

On the rumour front, Eyes on the Prize aggregates several items of trade speculation. Citing the Journal de Montréal and The Hockey Writers, the site raises the question of whether the Habs would need to part with prospect Michael Hage to make a major trade, and what a potential offer for Dylan Larkin might look like. The Journal de Montréal also floats the possibility that the Detroit Red Wings could be using Montreal as leverage in the Larkin situation.

Strong Atlantic position before Penguins visit

In the standings, Montreal sits second in the Atlantic Division with 18 points in 13 games (an 8-3-2 record), a solid platform as the schedule turns toward a home-heavy stretch.

Next up, the Canadiens get a bit of rest before welcoming the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Bell Centre on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. With momentum from a flawless trip and a fan base ready to celebrate it, the Habs have a prime opportunity to keep banking points on home ice.