The Montreal Canadiens are coming off one of their worst seasons in recent memory, one that felt doomed from the start. With just three wins in their first 10 games, and only one coming in regulation, the team was never taken seriously as a playoff contender. Rightfully so, as the Habs finished with the fourth-worst record in the league.
General Manager Marc Bergevin didn’t sufficiently replace the departed Alex Radulov at forward, nor the mainstay that was Andrei Markov on defense. Jonathan Drouin was brought in, and was given much responsibility playing centre and more consistent top-six forward minutes, resulting in growing pains and a disappointing debut season. The Canadiens’ big free agent acquisition, defenseman Karl Alzner, was a defensive liability in his first season with the Canadiens.
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The team was never completely healthy either, as the list of wounded warriors grew larger and larger as the season went on. Notably, All-Star defenseman Shea Weber injured his foot and tried to play through it before being shut down in February. Carey Price was also not himself in 2017-18, battling a lower-body injury and a concussion throughout the season, one in which he only played 49 games and won 16. With all the injuries he’s faced over the last few seasons, there’s a general uneasiness around Price as he enters the first year of an eight year, $84-million dollar contract in 2018-19.
Scoring was also an issue for the Canadiens as they ended with the third-worst offense in the league. Only two players had 20 goals or more during the 2017-18 season and neither of those players was captain Max Pacioretty, who slumped his way to 17 goals and 37 points in 64 contests. In addition to Alzner’s deficiencies on defense, the team lacked in talent at the back end even with Shea Weber in the lineup. The team had to rely on young, and not completely ready, talent like Victor Mete and Noah Juulsen to pick up the slack.
It’s on Bergevin to fill his team’s needs at forward and defense, but it seems every move he makes is met with panic from the fanbase. They’re already scratching their heads at Bergevin’s most recent trade of one-time 30-goal scorer Alex Galchenyuk to Arizona for Max Domi, a winger who has yet to crack the 20-goal plateau.
Needless to say, Bergevin has his work is cut out for him this offseason.
Canadiens’ offseason to-do list
1. Acquire elite puck-moving defenseman
The Canadiens lacked capable and elite puck-moving defensemen during the 2017-18 season. To make matters worse, the Habs parted ways with a number of them in the past few seasons (Mikhail Sergachev, P.K. Subban, even the inconsistent Nathan Beaulieu come to mind). Young, offensive-minded puck-movers on defense are key in the present day National Hockey League. If the Canadiens want to compete, they’ll need to find at least one, if not more.
2. Adding a natural born finisher, or a facilitator
The Habs’ offensive struggles were well documented this past season, but it’s not like the players they have up front haven’t scored goals before. Outside of last season, Max Pacioretty is a 30-goal scorer, and Brendan Gallagher has hit that mark, too. Paul Byron can be relied on as a secondary scorer. But with the departure of Alex Galchenyuk, the Canadiens could use another player who can find the back of the net. Alternatively, the Canadiens could use players with great possession numbers to set up scorers like Pacioretty. While the Domi trade caught a lot of negative feedback, he is a forward who can rack up primary assists and if that results in goals for his fellow linemates, fans might come around.
3. Land a number one centre
It’s been on the Canadiens’ wish list since the turn of the century: finding an elite number one centre. Drouin does not appear to be that player, and the team can’t afford to go another offseason without successfully addressing this need.
Canadiens 2018 draft preview
Draft picks: 3rd overall, 35th overall, 38th overall (from Chicago), 56th overall (from Toronto), 62nd overall (from Washington), 66th overall, 97th overall, 102nd overall (from Edmonton), 122nd overall (from Winnipeg), 128th overall.
Picking players through the draft has been hit or miss for the Canadiens over the last decade or so. As for the Canadiens’ draft picks who have made the jump to the league, it’s been well documented how the team has had no problem shipping them away, to mostly no avail. Galchenyuk was the team’s last draft choice at the third overall position in the draft, just six years ago. Only days before the draft, he’s now switching area codes. But this year’s draft gives the team an opportunity to add to their cupboard of prospects, which could use some new additions if players like Nikita Scherbak, Charles Hudon, and Victor Mete see more time with the big club this fall.
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Ten picks in this year’s draft will give the Habs a haul, but none will draw more attention than the third overall choice.
For quite some time, Filip Zadina looked as if he could be the ideal man for the Canadiens at third overall. The product of the Halifax Mooseheads was a top-10 scorer in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and is being lauded for his offensive and defensive play as a forward. But with draft rankings changing by the day, the Canadiens may consider trading down for a centre, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi is a player who could fit the bill for the bleu-blanc-rouge.
Centre/winger Brady Tkachuk, and offensive minded defensemen Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard, and Noah Dobson are all possibilities at the three spot, as well.
Canadiens’ free agent/trade targets
The Canadiens were active during last year’s free agent market, and there’s reason to believe that they may be active this coming July once more. John Tavares is obviously at the top of everyone’s wish lists, including Habs’ fans own, but there are a number of players out there that the team should consider pursuing if Tavares doesn’t join the team.
Paul Stastny
The centre was a welcome addition to the Winnipeg Jets’ playoff run this past year, picking up points in all but two playoff games. If he reaches the market, the Canadiens will undoubtedly be interested in his services as the team would likely see him as a top-line centre.
Ryan O’Reilly
It’s clear that O’Reilly can play centre at a high level, scoring 24 goals and 61 points in 81 games this past year. He’s come up in trade rumours with the Canadiens over the last few weeks. But at what cost? Would Bergevin be willing to part with Pacioretty, the best winger he has available, and/or the third overall pick in this week’s NHL Entry Draft for that prize? Likely not, especially when factoring in O’Reilly’s $7.5 million cap hit through 2022-23. But it doesn’t mean the Habs can’t come up with an enticing package for the solid two-way centre.
Noah Hanifin
If he hasn’t already, Bergevin should already be trying to make a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes for someone on their roster since the ‘Canes have the For Sale sign displayed prominently. The asking price will be high on Hanifin, a 21-year old puck-moving defenseman who would be a drastic improvement for the Canadiens’ top defensive pairing. Ditto for Carolina teammate – and captain – Justin Faulk.