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Montreal Canadiens: How back tracking can make a trade look worse

By Omar L

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 07: General manager of the Montreal Canadiens Marc Bergevin addresses the media prior to the NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre on January 7, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 07: General manager of the Montreal Canadiens Marc Bergevin addresses the media prior to the NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre on January 7, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Besides his hope in the fate of the season, Marc Bergevin surprised a lot of Montreal Canadiens fans in his comments on Jonathan Drouin.

After the Montreal Canadiens had another early playoff exit, fans expected two things: search for goal-scoring help and acquiring a top center. We thought that it would take Alex Galchenyuk to get the middle man the Habs have been looking for. However, the 2012 1st round pick was instead resigned to a three-year deal worth $4.9 million per season.

That wasn’t a problem, in fact, it was a good thing, seeing as how the Habs got their center from the Tampa Bay Lightning in Jonathan Drouin. The story has been beaten to death already, but it did take the organizations best defensive prospect in Mikhail Sergachev.

What made it an easier deal to accept was that both Claude Julien and Mark Bergevin voiced their confidence and belief that Drouin could be a center in this league. It’s a tough position to play in the NHL. Management had seen enough of Alex Galchenyuk there and wanted to hand over the reigns to Drouin.

Half a season later and the 22-year-old has had flashes of good play at center, has made his mistakes, but there’s potential there. This is his first year of doing it, and you have to think Drouin will improve in all areas next season and the ones after that.

However, what Bergevin said during his press conference about him is rubbing fans the wrong way. According to the Habs general manager, if the team already had a bonafide number one center, Drouin would be best to play on the wing.

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That’s not a good look for Bergevin whatsoever. As skilled and dynamic as he is, what the Habs didn’t need was another winger, especially when you look at the state of the organization’s center depth.

A lot of teams have hurt players by placing them in positions where they’re not meant to be. Drouin could very well slot in down the middle for the remainder of his tenure with the Montreal Canadiens, but personally, I’m not sure if he’ll ever become the number one that they need.

We can’t be completely upset with Bergevin here though. After voicing his confidence in Drouin to play center at the golf tournament, he did say he would make the trade regardless of where he played.

"I just want to be clear on this, I didn’t make that trade to say well, [Drouin] will be our next center. No matter where he plays, I would have made that trade because getting a young player with that skill level, it doesn’t come that often, and especially a French-Canadian kid that wants to be here, wants to be successful, it’s something that I couldn’t pass on."

Regardless of that, there were a lot of Habs fans who were on managements side when it came to that trade. That may not be true anymore after that press conference.

Next: Push or Tank?

Did your thoughts on the Drouin trade change after Bergevin’s press conference? Let us know what you think down in the comments.

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