The Montreal Canadiens should target Olivier Galipeau

As the Montreal Canadiens continue to add talent to their prospect pool they should look no further than Acadie-Bathurst defenceman Olivier Galipeau.

The 100th Memorial Cup had franchise-setting history at its end as the champion was crowned. The Acadie-Bathurst Titan won their very first Memorial Cup after doing away with the QMJHL and raising the President’s Cup. It was a tough loss for Montreal Canadiens fans who wanted the Regina Pats to win. However, now there’s an opportunity for the organization to add another player to its ranks.

Marc Bergevin has made it his mission this offseason to sign young promising players. Hayden Verbeek, Alexandre Alain, and most recently Michal Moravcik and David Sklenicka have been intriguing additions who could turn into solid options down the line. If the Habs want to go back to the CHL to continue their search, Olivier Galipeau should be a consideration.

Galipeau looks to be done with junior after finishing his overage season with the Titan. The 21-year-old is a left-shot defenceman who plays with a bit of bite. He led all defencemen in the QMJHL in scoring with 25 goals and 49 assists in 67 games. Galipeau also added 20 points in the playoffs and 3 assists at the Memorial Cup.

A lot of his production has come from his ability to get shots through to the net from the point. Additionally, the slap pass is one of Galipeau’s specialties that has led to a lot of goals for Acadie-Bathurst.

When it comes to goals, Galipeau likes to fire them off from the slot. 16 of his 25 goals have come from in between the circles and as expected, the bulk of his 271 shots this season, which was a 106 increase from the year before, were along the blueline.

Related Story: Memorable Habs Performances at the Memorial Cap

A Spot With the Montreal Canadiens

His defensive play has always been one of his hallmarks dating back to his draft year. What was holding him back was health as well as his play with the puck. It’s safe to say that Galipeau has improved on that front.

Despite being a leader on and off the ice (Galipeau served as captain of both Val-d’Or Foreurs and Chicoutimi Saguenéens), there is one more thing that sets him up as a quality candidate for a contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

It’s a match made in heaven, wouldn’t you say?

Seeing as how focused Bergevin has been this offseason, it would be a shock if the Montreal Canadiens haven’t reached out to Galipeau’s camp. At the same time, not every situation can be like Alain. The Armada captain mentioned in an article that the Habs were a childhood team of his but he would still consider interest from other teams.

That worked in Montreal’s favour and he chose to play closer to home, but Galipeau may have a different mentality. He’s spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks over the past two years at development camps and may have allegiance to one of them.

The Montreal Canadiens have the contract and cap space to get the deal done. With the signings of Moravcik and Sklenicka, Bergevin has a total of 37 contracts on the books. Phillip Danault, Michael McCarron, and Jacob de La Rose to name a few are expected to re-sign which could bring that number to somewhere in the 40s.

Next: What the Moravcik and Sklenicka Signings Mean

It may bring their threshold close to the max, but Galipeau has the potential to be an effective player. Let’s see if Bergevin can get another win for the Habs and their offseason.