Montreal Canadiens: Paul Byron is an underrated piece of the roster

Paul Byro has made himself an important piece of the Montreal Canadiens roster and given certain moves, should be considered as an alternate captain.

Between the draft and the start of free agency, the next few weeks for the Montreal Canadiens could make or break the future of the franchise. Since we have all read every scouting report and trade rumor, there is, now is a good time to look at one bright spot from this season. That being Paul Byron. This season Byron proved to be a valuable part of this roster both on and off the ice.

On The Ice

First, let’s start on the ice. Since signing a contract with Montreal in 2015-16, Byron has played in 62, 81, and 82 games respectively, averaging 75 games played a year. Game after game he is going to be out there doing his best with a ‘no quit’ mentality.

He has scored 42 goals (39 even strength) in the last two years with a total of 78 points and a +/- of 17. Those may not seem like eye-popping numbers, but when you compare that with the rest of the team, you see that he stands out as he’s been second on the team in goals both of those years.

Byron is also very effective on the penalty kill. According to Rotowire.com, the 29-year-old averaged 1:51 per game when the Montreal Canadiens were shorthanded last year. He also saw a total of 150.77 over the course of the entire season which was second amongst Habs forwards. And according to Marc Dumont of had nine high-danger scoring chances this year on the penalty kill, tied for second in the NHL.

Of course, you cannot talk about Byron without mentioning his speed. Speed kills, and the Ottawa native has plenty of it, which is exactly what you need in order to compete in the NHL today. He has the speed and acceleration that can keep defensemen honest and make them think twice before pinching to keep the puck in the offensive zone.

Off the ice

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Off the ice, Byron has proved himself a leader on the team. Anyone who watched at least a handful of games this year could see he was one of a few Montreal Canadiens that gave a full effort every night. Nor is he afraid to call out teammates who he believed were not putting the effort in, just like he did on March 30 when speaking to reporters.

"Me and Brendan as well as all the leaders and veterans, it’s our job to keep working hard. Everyone must continue to play. When the last day comes, we can relax. We get paid to play all season. It’s hard to play when everyone is not working. We are able to win when everyone plays and works hard for the team. When everyone is not there, that’s where we lose. It’s not something that gives us success. For next year, we know that we cannot give only 50 percent of effort. It must be 100 percent."

With the 29-year-old Byron on the last year of his contract, which in my opinion is a bargain at only $1,166,667 per year, it is important that they do not let the speedy winger walk in free agency next year. In fact, I would go as far to say that if Max Pacioretty does get traded this summer, and assuming Brendan Gallagher or Shea Weber gets the “C,” Byron should be next in line for the role as alternate captain.

Next: Lehkonen and Hudon are in similar boats

Next year will be a big one for the Montreal Canadiens. The leadership group will be ready to make sure the entire team is ready to compete after a frustrating 2017-18 campaign. Last offseason had many doubt whether Byron could be as effective as he was that past year. But he’s proven that his level of commitment to the game on and off the ice isn’t for show.

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