Montreal Canadiens TPT: McCarron and Scherbak’s Future

Nikita Scherbak and Michael McCarron have played well for the Montreal Canadiens so far, can they turn this call up into permanent spots on the roster?

The Laval Rocket has been a fun team to watch so far. Not only are they new, but it also has a handful of Montreal Canadiens prospects to watch. Nikita Scherbak and Michael McCarron have been two who fans have been intrigued with since they were first drafted.

Montreal selecting Scherbak in the 1st round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft was an easier sell considering his offensive production in junior. McCarron on the other hand drew more interest from his size and the position he played. However, there was hope that his minimal point production could improve later into his career.

Both have already seen time at the NHL level, but neither have run with it. Granted, whenever they were with the Habs, it was on the fourth line playing with grit players opposed to skill. This call up is different is a little different. Sure they’re on the fourth line again, but they’re lined up with Alex Galchenyuk.

Scherbak and McCarron had solid games for the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. They looked different from the players in preseason who Claude Julien hinted at being disappointing. With Ales Hemsky possibly out long-term, this opportunity could last longer, but how long exactly?

For this week’s Twitter Poll Thursday, we ask Habs fans whether Scherbak and/or McCarron will remain on the team for longer than we originally expected.

Poll Results

The sample of votes have spoken! Most fans believe that Scherbak will stick around in the NHL longer. Comparing both of their style of play, it definitely makes sense.

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Scherbak and Galchenyuk have some pretty good chemistry going between them, and it’s only a matter of time before they combine for a goal. At the same time, he’s faster and was using that speed on both ends of the ice. If Scherbak keeps this up, it will only be a matter of time before Claude Julien throws some power play time his way.

Again, McCarron was solid as well. He made great use of his size and was able to effectively get the puck back to Galchenyuk and Scherbak. Additionally, there’s an added element of aggression in the lineup with him playing. Montreal gets that already from Andrew Shaw to an extent, but it’s different coming from a guy who is six-foot-five.

The Montreal Canadiens still have Jacob de La Rose in the ranks and unfortunately he needs waivers. If Hemsky or David Schlemko return, McCarron could be the one to get the chute back to Laval. I agree with the voters and think that Scherbak can stretch this opportunity out for a while, and it would be in the team’s best interest to do so.

At the same time, I could also see the two former 1st round picks being send back to Laval. It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for them. An all 1st round line sounds pretty good.

Next: No Trades for the Time Being

Do you think one or both of them will stay with the Montreal Canadiens? Let us know your thoughts down below.