Breaking down the Montreal Canadiens ahead of NHL Free Agency.
Pending free agents
Unrestricted: 13 | Restricted: 4 | See full list
[teamleaders league=”nhl” team=”mon” season=”2013″]
Canadiens overview
Giving a state of the union on the Montreal Canadiens is a tricky endeavor. On one hand, the team has a number of quality young pieces, won its division in the lockout-shortened 2013 season and made the Eastern Conference final this past year. So things are good, right? Yep. Kinda.
In their two years on the job, general manager Marc Bergevin and coach Michel Therrien have been doing yeoman’s work getting this organization headed the right way, so much so that Therrien was rewarded with a four-year extension already this summer. But for all the forward momentum in Montreal, the team still lacks two critical elements it seems forever in search of: size and high-end skill up front.
Montreal relies too heavily on goalie Carey Price and finished 21st in the league in terms of goals per game (2.55). In fact, only two Montreal forwards — Max Pacioretty and David Desharnias — eclipsed the 50-point barrier this past season. The Canadiens’ top prospects all seem to be on the blueline, so there’s no imminent scoring boost coming from the farm. Montreal is also in the bottom third of the league with regard to puck possession, something many believe needs to change for the team to grow.
Bergevin has gone out of his way to stress the fact his club is still very much a work in progress. With Price in goal and P.K. Subban on the blueline, the Habs have a pair of tremendous pillars. But despite winning a couple of rounds in the spring, this club will be right back in a dogfight to make the post-season next year.
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| Click player positions to see depth chart | ||
Areas to address
Right wing is a huge hole, especially if captain and pending UFA Brian Gionta isn’t brought back. Even if he is, neither Gionta nor scrappy Brendan Gallagher can be penciled in to produce 50 points. The Canadiens desperately need a player who could be counted on to bag 25-30 goals on the flank, relieving some of the pressure on Pacioretty. It appeared Thomas Vanek might be the answer for a while, but that ship hit the rocks and the wreckage will be re-assembled elsewhere.
Montreal entered the off-season with two big question marks on the back end, one of which has already been answered. The Canadiens came together on a three-year deal with defenceman Andrei Markov before the 35-year-old hit the open market. Now, the club has to hammer out a deal with restricted free agent P.K. Subban, who is poised to cash in after winning the Norris Trophy in 2013 and leading the Habs in scoring during the playoffs this year. The Canadiens have youngsters Nathan Beaulieu, Jarred Tinordi and less-known Greg Pateryn all pushing for ice time, so it will be interesting to see if the club is comfortable letting veteran UFAs Francis Bouillon and Mike Weaver walk, or if they’ll keep at least one of those guys around for some insurance.
Size continues to be an issue for Montreal, but the reality is you don’t often find guys who have both heft and skill on the open market. The Canadiens haven’t really been linked to any of the big centres featured in trade rumours, but you have to know a 1-2 of David Desharnais and Tomas Plekanec will never be enough up the middle. That’s where Alex Galchenyuk comes in. The six-foot-one 20-year-old is entering his third year in the league and might be moved from wing to centre at some point. Regardless, Galchenyuk — who has been sheltered in his first two seasons — needs to take a significant step toward becoming a go-to offensive guy.
Possible signing targets
Ales Hemsky (RW): He produced well for the Ottawa Senators after finally leaving Edmonton at the trade deadline.
Radim Vrbata (RW): The goals seem to dry up when he’s not playing in the desert, but he’s an option worth exploring.
Matt Moulson (LW): Habs need more scoring on the other side, but Moulson gets greasy net-front goals.
Mark Fayne (D): Big guy who would come cheap and could kick in third-pair minutes if there’s a shuffle on the back end.
