Montreal Canadiens: Contract situation provides another reason for a trade
By Omar L
The Montreal Canadiens will have to make at least one trade this offseason to deal with the number of contracts they have on defence for next year.
Capfriendly has turned over their records to the 2018-19 season. The Montreal Canadiens have 14 players set to become free agents. Marc Bergevin has dealt with that total in some respects by extending Charlie Lindgren in February and re-signing Antti Niemi to a one-year deal.
Niemi looks to be the only UFA to re-up with the Habs leaving Ales Hemsky, Chris Terry, and Adam Cracknell to test the open market. The RFA list is more extensive. Phillip Danault is at the top of Marc Bergevin’s priority list, but you have to think Jacob de La Rose and possibly Kerby Rychel are up there as well.
There is a number that stands out when looking at Montreal’s contract layout. That number is eight. Capfriendly has eight defeneman on the Montreal Canadiens next season, not including Brett Lernout. Five of them are guaranteed to be on the team’s opening night roster in Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, Victor Mete, Noah Juulsen, and Karl Alzner.
Habs defence likely to start next season
Mete took the fanbase by surprise in showing that he was ready to make the show full-time. He started the season on the top pair with Weber, but young struggles saw him slotted in at 5/6. The Woodbridge native improved his game in the second half seeing him back in the top four. An injury ended his season earlier than he’d like but there’s no doubt he’ll be on the Habs in October.
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The same can be said about Juulsen. From his first NHL game, the 2015 first-round pick displayed a heavy layer of structure and quick-thinking to his game. Claude Julien‘s trust in the young defenceman grew more and more seeing Juulsen playing on the penalty kill and in the final minutes of a game.
Additionally, Alzner looked steadier playing with the 20-year-old. He made some rookie mistakes here and there, but chances are Juulsen’s short stint in the AHL won’t be revisited.
Mike Reilly is a darkhorse in this discussion. The Montreal Canadiens acquired him from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Reilly was quickly put to the test and used on the top-pair. His skating and transition were welcomed on the team. Reilly had three assists in his first four games with Montreal finishing with a total of eight by the end of the year.
Montreal Canadiens need to make room
That leaves Jordie Benn and David Schlemko. Assuming Brett Lernout makes the team out of camp, who looked improved in his second stint with the team, one of them has to go. Benn played more this season over Schlemko who’s hand injury delayed his debut with the team.
Benn is more defensive-minded but had a tough start to the 2017-18 season. A turnover or ill-advised pinch lead to a scoring chance against and at times, a goal against. His willingness to get in the way of shots really helped the penalty kill (relatively speaking) directly prevent goals.
Related Story: Emelin not an Improvement over Benn or Schlemko
Julien made use of the veteran throughout the lineup playing him as high as the top-pair. However, Benn was quickly exposed forcing the Habs to go with other options.
Schlemko saw more of the bottom pair when in the lineup. He usually played with Jakub Jerabek or Mete but had a boost in playing time once the injuries piled on. The 31-year-old wasn’t the defenceman the Habs thought he was when they traded for him. That could do a lot with the amount of time he missed, but his on-ice awareness was put into question more often than not.
Who moves on?
If Bergevin were to move one of them, Benn seems to be the more likely candidate. He’s better defensively than Schlemko and put up more points (4 goals and 8 assists). Additionally, it’s an easier contract to take on.
Benn will be making $1.1 million next season that will have him become an unrestricted free agency. Schlemko has another two years at $2.1 million. Convincing a team to take that on will be tough. Bergevin could convince them that there’s more to Schlemko’s game than what he should this season, but teams aren’t willing to be so generous in the cap-era anymore.
The Montreal Canadiens could get a similar return for Benn in what they gave up for Reilly. Another draft pick in the first five rounds will be a good add, especially if they have more prospects in mind to select.
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It’s something to think about as the days continue to count down to the draft and free agency. This, of course, is if the Montreal Canadiens are content with only having Lernout be the new full-time addition. If Bergevin pulls out the stops to acquire a top-four defenceman, then more moves on top of the ones they already face will come.