Montreal Canadiens former centre Tomas Plekanec has voiced his desire to return, but it’ll be up to Marc Bergevin as to whether it happens or not.
The best thing about Free Agent Frenzy are the shock-value moments. You get the notification on your phone, or you see the ‘BREAKING’ banner on television with ‘*team name* signs *player name*,’ and a new peg in the NHL has been formed. There are a handful of signing the Montreal Canadiens could do that would catch a few off guard. However, bringing Tomas Plekanec back has been the worst kept secret.
The 35-year-old has played close to 1000 games with the Habs, but that came to an end, momentarily, after his departure to Toronto. Montreal got two prospects in return, both who played on the team, and a second-round pick to match. It was weird seeing him in Leafs attire and playing at the Air Canada Centre as a home player, but it was a necessary move to make.
With Toronto’s season coming to an end at the hands of the Boston Bruins, the next stop for Plekanec is Denmark to play for Team Czech Republic at the World Hockey Championships. After that, he hopes getting back in the Montreal Canadiens locker room is his final landing coordinates. An article by TVA Sports included a quote from Plekanec on his hopes for his future in the NHL
"Obviously, as I said before, my priority is to play for the Montreal Canadiens. But I do not know what will happen. I do not know the plans of Marc (Bergevin) and Claude Julien. So everything is open from now until July 1st… My heart is in Montreal. As I said, my priority is Montreal. (Translated)."
Again, nothing new here. We all knew that the move to Toronto was a short-term one in many ways. If it’s up to Plekanec, his name will be the first one attached to ‘BREAKING’ and the Montreal Canadiens on July 1st.
Turtleneck Homecoming
Plekanec proved again in the playoffs for the Leafs that he has what it takes to play against a team’s top players in some capacity. His best nights were games Game Four and Five by far when Mike Babcock played him on a line with Patrick Marleau and Mitch Marner to contain the Patrice Bergeron line. It wasn’t as tight as the Leafs would’ve liked at times, but they kept them to a reduced number of scoring chances at times.
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The Czech native has to know that he may not be relied on as much as he was in the past. This means probable fourth line (or third line B) duties depending on who else the Montreal Canadiens sign in the summer.
If Jacob de La Rose continues to grow the way he did after the Trade Deadline, the third line centre position should be his. That leaves Jonathan Drouin and Phillip Danault as your one-two combination with Plekanec on the fourth. Things may change in the Habs sign another centre in Free Agency which could either push de La Rose to the wing again or reduce Plekanec’s priorities.
Making a Choice
This conversation ties into the ‘plan’ aspect of Plekanec’s quote. Assuming that what we’re seeing now has been Marc Bergevin’s plan all along, it’s working out rather well so far. What if Plekanec isn’t part of it? You don’t want to have that thought around a well-loved player and figure in Montreal, but it’s possible.
Perhaps an Andrei Markov-ish situation comes up again where Habs management has their number and aren’t willing to go past it. There’s no way Plekanec gets another two-year $12 million deal. Half of that total is probably where Bergevin is willing to go, and I could see only a single year being on the table.
There are a handful of centres climbing up the ranks who the Montreal Canadiens may want to give a look at including Jake Evans, Alexandre Alain, and Ryan Poehling to name a few. And even though some of you may scoff at this, but Michael McCarron is a player who management most likely hopes will turn a corner, and that would start on the fourth line.
Right now, the ball is in Bergevin’s hands. He, as well as the entire fan base, knows where Plekanec stands. It’ll be up to him to decide on whether bringing Plekanec back is the right move first, and then at what price tag.
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Personally, I believe the turtleneck will be back at the Bell Centre to start the season allowing him to play his 1000th game in a Habs uniform. What happens after that is still up in the air.