Montreal Canadiens: Ales Hemsky’s Role on the Team

The Montreal Canadiens took a flyer on veteran Ales Hemsky who is set to have a bounce back season after missing time with injury.

Ales Hemsky has been in the NHL for 15 years so far. The Montreal Canadiens will be his fourth team to play for after being drafted 13th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2001.

A lot of fans didn’t understand the signing. The goal for the offseason was to acquire a top-line center and more goal-scoring. This became more important after Alexander Radulov signed with the Dallas Stars. So when it was announced that Marc Bergevin signed Hemsky, there were a lot of question marks around the fan base.

The 33-year-old will have a lot to prove this season. In his final year in Dallas, he only played 15 games in a season where he missed a lot because of injuries. However, if you take a look at Hemsky’s stats over his career, goal-scoring was never one of his main strengths. On average, teams can expect roughly 10-13 goals from the right-winger. That’s not terrible for the Canadiens considering he should be on the team’s bottom six.

Related Story: Can Galchenyuk Score 30 Again?

Hemsky’s Role

There are two aspect’s of Hemsky’s game that’s stayed consistent throughout his career. His playmaking ability and possession are attractive qualities that will be put to good use in Montreal. Claude Julien will like that part of Hemsky’s style. Possession was one of the main stats that improved after he was hired.

More from Editorials

• Montreal Canadiens: Senators Rebuild At Crisis Point As Kent Hughes Moves Forward
• Montreal Canadiens: Jonathan Drouin Continues Charity Work In Montreal After Leaving Habs
• Montreal Canadiens: Laval Rocket Lineup Going To Be Must Watch
• Montreal Canadiens: Jesse Ylönen Contract Extension Analysis
• Montreal Canadiens: Top 31 Prospects – #31 Quentin Miller

Hemsky may not shoot the puck often, but he will hold on to it for some time and set up his teammates to score. He’ll be a solid addition to the team’s power play unit as a puck distributor. The only question is whether he’ll be playing with forwards who can finish themselves.

If Hemsky is on the fourth line, then he’ll most likely have Torrey Mitchell as his centre. Mitchell unfortunately isn’t known for offence on the Habs. This just strengthens the case for Charles Hudon to make the team. Perhaps Hemsky can set up the young forward to finally get his first career NHL goal next season.

The veteran wasn’t brought on to be a game-changer or a show-stopper. The Canadiens saw the supportive value he brings on the ice. Hopefully those skills can help improve the team for new season.

Next: Prospect Competition at Camp

How do you think Hemsky will fair for the Montreal Canadiens? Will he surprise people with how well he plays? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Player stats from Hockey-Reference.com