Poll: Who Will Be The Montreal Canadiens Second Line Right Winger?
We have decided on a top line for the Montreal Canadiens next season so far in our vote to predict each player in the Habs lineup next season. In our quest to foreshadow the Canadiens lineup, we have chosen a first line of Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais and newly acquired P.A. Parenteau.
We shifted our focus to the second line yesterday when we started the vote on who will be the pivot behind Desharnais. Thus far Plekanec is in the lead, and why not, considering he scored 20 goals last season and is the best two way forward on the team.
Sep 15, 2013; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing Sven Andrighetto (58) shoots against Buffalo Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth (1) during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
Now we will decide who gets to play the right side on the second line, and there are a few candidates. The first one that jumps out at you is obviously Brendan Gallagher who played mostly on the first line last season, but finished the year on a second line with Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk.
Gallagher made a name for himself immediately upon entering the NHL as a player who will do whatever it takes to earn his next shift. He is far from the biggest player in the league but he heads straight to the dirty areas of the ice as if he were bigger than Zdeno Chara.
In just two NHL seasons, Gallagher has become a very important player on the Canadiens, and makes you wonder where the team would be without him. He scored 19 goals and 41 points last season, but it is his character and willingness to do everything it takes that makes him so valuable to the Montreal Canadiens.
He is an excellent candidate to return to his role as second line winger, where he will face tough competition as Plekanec’s line always does. However, Gallagher showed at the end of last season that playing against the opposition’s best players does not slow him down, much like nothing has slowed him down since he arrived with the Habs in 2013.
Jiri Sekac was a free agent signing out of Czech Republic, and the best place for him may be on a line centered by countryman Plekanec. Sekac is being billed as a two way winger with a great shot. Though we are yet to see what he can do at the NHL level, would it make sense to start him with a fellow native of the Czech Republic where he would be most comfortable?
Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Nikita Scherbak poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number twenty-six overall pick to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Another potential fit is first round pick Nikita Scherbak. Though he was drafted late in the first round, he would not be the first player to surprise in camp and earn his way onto the NHL team’s roster. He is a dynamic offensive talent who scored at will with the Saskatoon Blades last season, even though he had very little help on his team. Is it too soon to give the youngster a prominent role?
Sven Andrighetto was the best forward on the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. He has blazing speed, a great shot and offensive instincts that can not be taught. Is he ready for a prominent role on the Montreal Canadiens already?
Have your say in the poll below, or fire off a comment to explain why your pick is the right one. This evening we will take a closer look at who we picked as the second line center, and tomorrow we will find out who will be playing the right side on the second line.