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Montreal Canadiens Camp: The Third Line

By Mat Germain

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Montreal Canadiens Camp: The Third Line

It’s one of the most interesting stories of the camp for the Habs now that the Captaincy issue has been resolved. Who will be on the third line for the Habs when camp is over? Will Michel Therrien decide to go with the old guard and make it his shut down line? Could a rookie surprise everyone and make a run at a role on the line? And will the Marc Bergevin decide to look elsewhere to fill that role? Those are questions we’d like to look into a little more closely.

Assumptions made: Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Plekanec, and Max Pacioretty will be the first line, and Lars Eller, Alex Galchenyuk, and Alexander Semin will be the second line.

Who will be on the third line for the Habs when camp is over?

The Candidates:

Feb 24, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman

Zdeno Chara

(33) tries to hook Vancouver Canucks right wing

Zack Kassian

(9) as he takes off with the puck during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

I think it’s fair to say that the most likely scenario at Centre on this line, unless a trade is made, is that Desharnais will centre Kassian and Weise. However, things are not that simple. Desharnais could be moved to the wing in favour of Mitchell, but that would mean sending either Kassian or Weise to the fourth line. There’s also a chance that Smith-Pelly earns a role on the third line now that he’s lost some weight and gained a step in speed. Should Smith-Pelly make the third line, he’d likely replace Kassian who can be on the wing beside Mitchell and De La Rose on the fourth line.

The options don’t end there, however, as many fans want to see some younger players get a chance to prove themselves. Someone like Hudon would fit in nicely beside Desharnais and Kassian or Weise. To me, it depends on how much faith the Habs have in their youth, whether they feel it would be a major improvement or not, and whether they still have the option to send them to the minors or not.

It’s also likely that for the first half of the season, the third line will be fairly fluid and may see many players get a chance to prove themselves in that role. That said, I expect the initial season game to see the following as the Habs third line (barring trade):

Dale Weise (6’2″ 210 lbs) – David Desharnais (5’7″ 215 lbs) – Zack Kassian (6’3″ 215 lbs)

This line provides energy, speed, and toughness on the wings. They may not provide a lot of scoring, but they should be a fairly responsible group that is able to provide some scoring. It would leave Mitchell to man centre on the fourth line, with Smith-Pelly and either De La Rose or Flynn on the wings.

Will Michel Therrien decide to go with the old guard and make it his shut down line?

May 12, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Montreal Canadiens right wing

Devante Smith-Pelly

(21) is escorted to the penalty box by official Jay Sharrers (57) for a two minute holding penalty during the second period in game six of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

As much as I’d love to see some youth injected on the fourth line, the Habs did re-sign Flynn to a $1.9 million for 2-years deal which indicates they fully expect him to make the team. They traded Jiri Sekac for Smith-Pelly, a player who is still young and has a lot of promise as a gritty winger. Meanwhile, Mitchell has $1.8 million per season for 3 years left on his deal, meaning the roles on the Habs are fairly set in stone unless an injury or trade occurs. The sole spot I could see open up is for De La Rose to be sent to Hamilton in favour of a player that can help the Habs out offensively, such as Hudon or Andrighetto. It still seems unlikely though since you would think the Habs want their young players to get as much playing time as possible.

Therefore, yes, I expect Therrien to go with the old guard as a shut down line.

Could a rookie surprise everyone and make a run at a role on the line?

Alright, if we’re picking favourites in terms of which rookie would be most likely to break into the third line, I have two options. The first involves Mike McCarron as the centre, something that would require Desharnais to either move to the wing or be traded. The second is simpler, with Charles Hudon or Sven Andrighetto manning the wing alongside Desharnais and Kassian.

If I were forced to make the call today, I’d say that it’s more likely Hudon makes it onto the third line than any other rookie. He has the two-way playing ability to make an impact in the NHL this season and would also add an offensive flair to the third line. In this case, the line would be Kassian – Desharnais – Hudon, with Weise joining Mitchell and Flynn on the fourth line, making them the real shut down line while the third line would essentially become an energy line. You can really call either third or fourth, with Therrien deciding which matches make the most sense in each case.

Will the Marc Bergevin decide to look elsewhere to fill that role?

This is where things get really intriguing, as many teams have players that could fill the third line centre role very effectively for the Habs. Here’s a short list of 5 players Bergevin could target to fill the third line centre role:

  1. Jordan Staal: Carolina is struggling, they need depth, and they’re not likely to compete much this season. Size, strength, smarts, Staal has struggled some in Carolina but may be a perfect fit in Montreal between Kassian and Weise or other. The big issue here is that Carolina has really aimed to make Jordan their franchise player, signing him to $6M per year through 2022-23, something that may be too steep for the Habs to trade for.
  2. David Backes: In the final year of his contract with the Blues, acquiring him would bring someone that can really set the tone as a sizeable centre. The only reason the Habs may be able to acquire him without overpaying is the one year left on his deal ($4.5M).
  3. Eric Staal: Yes, either Staal would fill this role perfectly and provide balance at centre throughout the Habs lineup. The most obvious issue is the last year of his contract being so large ($8.25M). The added bonus in Eric’s case is that he can also help out the PP if required.

I still find it very unlikely the Habs are able to make a move before the season begins and believe it’s something they may be able to do prior to Christmas instead, once teams know how competitive – or uncompetitive – they are. Other VERY long shot candidates that come to mind if their teams should fall out of competition: Antoine Vermette, Anze Kopitar (last yr of contract), and Logan Couture.

I can honestly say that I hope the Habs decide to go with what they have with one or two added youthful players to begin the season. My reasoning being that you can make better decisions after the player has shown the team what he has to offer. If you bring up Hudon, play him, and strike gold, great! If he’s a bust, you can look elsewhere – either in the minors or in trade, and fill the need.

The possibilities are endless on the Habs third line. Who do you like most? What line do you see as most probably beginning the year with the shut down assignment?

Next: Habs Camp Eller Plays LW With Galchenyuk at C

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