The 23rd installment of our 25 Montreal Canadiens in 25 days series focuses on Brian Flynn.
Flynn may not be the flashiest member of the Canadiens, but he’s got underrated skill and the ability to play all three forward positions.
The native of Lynnfield, Mass., had a prolific college career in the NCAA’s Hockey East division, posting 156 points in 153 games with the Maine Black Bears, earning first-team All-Star recognition in his senior year.
As a 22-year-old, Flynn signed a two-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres in the summer of 2012.
The following season, he recorded 16 goals and 32 points in 45 games with the Americans before scoring six goals and 11 points in his first 26 games with the Sabres to close out 2013.
The 2013-14 season proved more challenging for Flynn. Though he appeared in 79 games, he only managed six goals and 13 points.
With the Sabres dealing players to collect as many draft picks as they could in the midst of a dismal 2014-15 season, Flynn was scooped up by the Canadiens at the trade deadline.
It’s his versatility and his experience that saw him signed a to a two-year extension last summer. Considering he’s on a one-way deal, don’t expect him to spend much time with Montreal’s AHL affiliate — the St. John’s IceCaps.
As a depth forward with over 150 NHL games under his belt, Flynn will serve as an insurance policy in the event of an injury to any one of Montreal’s forwards. Coach Michel Therrien might also be inclined to use him to stimulate internal competition at the bottom end of his forward group.
Who: Brian Flynn l No. 32 l depth forward (shoots right) l 6-foot-1 l 183 lbs l Age: 27 l
Acquired: Trade (2015) for a 2016 fifth-round pick
Contract status: 2 years, $950,000 AAV (expires 2017)
2014-15 Stats: 63 GP l 5 G l 12 A l 17 P l 14:54 TOI l 37.9 CF%
Career stats: 168 GP l 17 G l 24 A l 41 P l 14:40 TOI l 42.4 CF%
The book on 2014-15:
Flynn had a respectable 17 points in 54 games with the Sabres. He played mostly on Buffalo’s third line, averaging 47 seconds per game on the power play and 1:51 on the penalty kill.
Flynn likely made an impression on the Canadiens when the Sabres came to Montreal in November and he was named the game’s the first star after scoring the tying goal late in the third period before scoring the winner in the shootout.
Another reason the Canadiens decided to add Flynn at the trade deadline was because they lacked right-handed players capable of winning faceoffs and he had proved capable by winning nearly 50 per cent of his draws with Buffalo.
But with Torrey Mitchell also coming over from the Sabres at the deadline, Flynn quickly found himself on the outside looking in. He was scratched on numerous occasions, which made it hard for him to adjust, and in his nine regular season games he failed to record a single point.
As marginal as his role was, Flynn provided a shocking spark for the Canadiens when the Stanley Cup playoffs rolled around. Game 1 of Montreal’s first-round series with Ottawa was also Flynn’s first ever playoff game, and he managed two assists before scoring the game winner.
Four games later, Flynn once again found himself out of the lineup, and he failed to record any points in the other five playoff games he appeared in.
Off-season updates:
On June 30, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin signed Flynn to a two-year deal worth $1.9 million.
“He brings the right attitude to the dressing room day in and day out, and has a professional approach to the game,” said Bergevin on the day of the signing. “We are proud to have him among our group of forwards.”
2015-16 outlook:
At the top end of his game, Flynn can get to 25 points and serve as a viable shootout option (three-for-five in his NHL career).
But it’s not about production for Flynn. He’s an energy player who can kill penalties and move up and down the lineup.
With things jammed up in Montreal’s bottom-six, he will have to make an impact when he gets slotted in for an injured or struggling player in order to stick. And if he fails to do that, one can’t help but wonder if he’ll eventually have to forfeit his spot to one of Montreal’s up-and-coming prospects.
