Morning Habit: Canadiens May Have A Different Look At Deadline
With everything Canadiens’ General Manager Marc Bergevin has been able to pull at the trade deadline, especially after the acquisition of Thomas Vanek from the New York Islanders last season, fans are chomping at the bit to find out what direction the organization will be going in.
According to the Fourth Period Magazine, there were 3 scouts in attendance from the Canadiens in Toronto when the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Arizona Coyotes. There are more than a couple of viable options for the Habs to look at from both teams.
From The Rear…
After the trade that brought Sergei Gonchar to Montreal from Dallas, fans were worried that the Canadiens’ defense would be a little too slow to compete with the other contending teams in the Eastern Conference. That is certainly true, if you look at how the New York Rangers’ d-core is built. It also seems to be weighing heavily on the Habs’ brass.
Both Toronto defenseman Cody Franson and Coyotes’ rearguard Keith Yandle are thought to be available. Both defensemen are about the same age (Franson is 27, Yandle a year older) and have more than decent offensive skills. Yandle, however, has always had questions asked about his defensive skills, carrying a -22 rating this season along with his current $5.5 Million contract. Franson is a much more affordable player at $3.3 Million and despite playing on a team who defense is suspect at best, has only a -6 rating.
My only problem with looking at the defense first is the future of players currently on the Canadiens’ farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs. With big Jared Tinordi ready to make the jump, and his teammates Greg Pateryn and Magnus Nygren on the cusp, there is enough talent to allow the Habs the luxury of being a little more patient.
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Blue Line Station
Scoring Needs A Boost
Even though the addition of either Yandle and Franson would help the Canadiens’ transition game, the bottom line is that there is a desperate need for a secondary offensive boost up front.
For years it was thought the Devils’ winger Jaromir Jagr would be the perfect player to help bolster the offensively challenged Canadiens’ top six, while giving the NHL’s 22nd ranked power play a real kick in the keister. I tend to agree with that logic, although the wing isn’t really where the Habs need the help.
Before considering deal for the future Hall of Famer, the team might be better served looking at younger options.
With the obvious success and chemistry, Alex Galchenyuk former Sarnia Sting wingman, Edmonton’s Nail Yakupov would definitely be a player the Canadiens’ should consider. Yakupov has had little success with the struggling Oilers, which means he won’t be asking for the moon coming off of his entry-level deal, which like Galchenyuk’s, expires at the end of the 2014-2015 campaign.
Of course, the Canadiens have also been rumoured to be interest in Coyotes’ Antoine Vermette. While he is still a very serviceable player, Vermette has a lot of hard miles on his 32-year-old frame, and not nearly as effectively a player as he was with Ottawa or Columbus.
Survey Says…
At the end of the day, I’m sure Marc Bergevin will pull off another trade that might knock our socks off, but it may not involve any the names mentioned above. After all, no one saw Vanek being on the Canadiens’ radar. Until the deadline is upon us, it’s all talk. The Canadiens’ front office isn’t about talk, at least not anymore. They are about making the right deal for the plan that is in place for the organization moving forward. Whether that means the Habs may not make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals or not, the future is bright and we should be willing to wait.