Montreal Canadiens: Paul Stastny is increasing his stock in the playoffs
The Montreal Canadiens will have other options to consider ahead of free agency this summer, and if Paul Stastny was one of them, his value got a boost.
The shining diamond at the top of the mountain for the Montreal Canadiens is John Tavares. It doesn’t take a 50-page breakdown to know first-hand what kind of impact he would have on the team moving forward. To put it simply, the ‘Habs don’t have a number one centre’ narrative would be crumpled up and thrown out the window of a speeding vehicle.
That’s all if Tavares chooses to leave the New York Islanders and if Montreal is his final decision. There have been varying opinions on whether that happening is possible or not where some think there’s no chance whereas others feel it could work. In the case of a rejection, the Montreal Canadiens probably have a few contingency plans in the queue. One of which being Paul Stastny.
After Tavares, Stastny would be one of the big free agent centres available. There are several reasons why the 32-year-old fits with the Habs moving forward, and it’s more than the fact that he’s from Quebec.
Stastny has been an impact player since joining the Winnipeg Jets after the trade deadline. He put up 4 goals and 9 assists in his 19 regular season games with the Jets as well as 6 goals and 7 assists in the playoffs. The team was already firing on all cylinders, but the addition of the veteran centre has added another layer of depth proving to be a set-up option in the slot as well as a finisher himself.
There’s a reason why many fans and players on the St. Louis Blues were upset by Stastny being traded. We’re only now seeing it on a larger platform.
The only thing is that this complicates things for teams around the league. Stastny currently has a $7 million cap hit. Before the playoffs, many would’ve thought that a pay cut would be on the horizon for him, but his numbers in the post-season may do the complete opposite. Every point and big play is another nickel in the jar of Stastny’s next contract.
At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get something with an eight in it, and there are still two more rounds left in the playoffs.
Marc Bergevin has rarely seemed like the type of general manager to throw away money aimlessly, ignoring Karl Alzner. There is a bidding war in waiting for the rights to have Stastny. Eventually, his play will take him to a point where it won’t be worth it for the Montreal Canadiens to pursue anymore.
In Case You Missed It
Phillip Danault at 100% is critical for next season
Having Phillip Danault ready to go for the beginning of the season will be another key part of the Montreal Canadiens turning things around.
Drafting Filip Zadina and Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Most want the Habs to take Filip Zadina, while others would welcome Jesperi Kotkaniemi to the organization. Perhaps there’s a way the Montreal Canadiens could get them both.
Lars Eller Trade Proving Worse Each Year
Trading Lars Eller didn’t make too much sense at the time, and seeing his success with the Washington Capitals has made it look worse over the years.
Rinat Valiev has yet to make a final decision
There’s still a chance Rinat Valiev returns next season for the Montreal Canadiens as contract talks are set to begin early next month.
Will Bitten and Alexandre Alain are all tied
Prospects Will Bitten and Alexandre Alain are both in a 2-2 series tied after the Hamilton Bulldogs lost Game 4 while Blainville-Boisbriand won.
Next: A Trade to Draft Both Zadina and Kotkaniemi
Morning Links
After making his AHL debut later in the season because of his shoulder injury, Jeremiah Addison is looking forward to what he can do in the future.
Zachary Fucale est <<Déjà prêt pour la prochaine saison>>
Whether it’s with the Montreal Canadiens or not, Zachary Fucale is ready for the 2018-19 season.