Mike Brophy

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy writes Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday on Sportsnet.ca and appears regularly on Hockeycentral.

The Habs now have to surround Cammalleri (second from left) with the right players.

Some Monday morning thoughts from an analyst who thinks the Flyers close the series in Game 5:

Win or lose Monday, Montreal Canadiens sniper Michael Cammalleri has established himself as a solid playoff performer. With 13 goals and 19 points in 18 games, the Toronto native (yes, that is a bit of a dig at the Maple Leafs!) has been a big reason why the Canadiens made it to the Eastern Conference final.

Following last season's first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Calgary Flames, the jury was still out about what Cammalleri could bring to the table at this time of year. He had one goal and three points in six games playing about two minutes less per game. Of course Cammalleri was a bit of an afterthought on the Flames after they acquired Olli Jokinen, a playoff dud of monumental proportions himself, so it remained to be seen how he would do when the chips were down.

Not many really expected the Canadiens to make it to the third round and it is now safe to say they have established a solid foundation from which to build upon. Cammalleri is a big part of that foundation and just might be the leader this hockey team has so sadly been lacking the past few years.

The best teams in the NHL always have a great one-two punch. Think about Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in Detroit; Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh; Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf in Anaheim; the Sedin boys in Vancouver. For Montreal to take the next step, they need to find a complimentary player for Cammalleri.

For the record, Tomas Plekanec is not that player and the Canadiens would be absolutely mad to overpay him just because he is an unrestricted free agent. Plekanec is a good player, but he is not a star. And based on his play in this year's playoffs, he's not a guy who rises to the occasion. I like Brian Gionta and appreciate what he brings to the table, but he's a solid second-liner.

WHAT IS HE WORTH?

Speaking of UFAs, I wonder if Ilya Kovalchuk's inability to win at the Olympics, in the Stanley Cup playoffs and at the World Championship will affect the offers he receives July 1? It is never one player's fault when a team fails to win, but Kovalchuk turned down some big money in Atlanta to test the free agent market and I'm not convinced anyone will be crazy enough to give this guy the maximum on a long-term deal. Kovalchuk is a supremely talented offensive star, but he has never come close to establishing himself as a winner.

He had 27 points in 27 regular season games with the New Jersey Devils and added two goals and six points in five playoff games, but in two trips to the post-season, he has not made it to the second round. The Devils are likely to make an offer to keep him, but nowhere close to the $10 million a year or so that Kovalchuk wants.

When you look at the corner some teams have painted themselves into by handing out big-money, long-term deals, you'd have to think a team would be crazy to invest heavily in a guy like Kovalchuk who does not have winning on his resume.

LET THE DISMANTLING BEGIN

Last week I wrote here if the San Jose Sharks didn't make it to the Stanley Cup final, there would likely be significant changes in the organization over the summer. To be swept by the young, hungrier Chicago Blackhawks is simply proof that this group doesn't have what it takes to be a winner.

Based on what the Sharks have accomplished in the regular season, GM Doug Wilson deserves another opportunity to mould this team into a winner. However, anything short of a trip to the final next season might be curtains for him.

Beyond the GM position, there are plenty of questions to be answered:

Can Joe Thornton lead a team to glory? He leaves the playoffs sitting in 22nd place in individual scoring with three goals and 12 points, not exactly overwhelming statistics, and was minus-11, tied for the worst in the league with Marc-Andre Beregeron of the Canadiens.

Will Patrick Marleau move on? The 30-year-old centre has played 12 seasons in San Jose and is coming off a splendid career-best 44-goal season. Marleau gave a decent account of himself in the playoffs, scoring eight goals (five in his final three games) and 13 points in 14 games. I suspect there will be plenty of interest in him come July 1.

Will Rob Blake retire? The captain of the Sharks has slowed down considerably and although he is a solid leader, his best days are clearly behind him. There is a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame waiting for this guy.

Will the Sharks bid on Evgeni Nabokov? Like the team itself, Nabokov has proven to be good in the regular season and not so good in the playoffs. He is unrestricted this summer and San Jose must decide if it wants to hitch its wagon to a guy who doesn't win in the spring?