The Montreal Canadiens shouldn’t pass on Scott Walford

Scott Walford and Jarret Tyszka are inching to the prospect deadline, and if the Montreal Canadiens can only sign one of them, it should be Walford.

Calling a player up to the podium or over to your table on the floor is the first step of a young player’s career in the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens have had a lot of positive energy from that aspect of their management group with all the skilled players they’ve drafted over the last two seasons. The prospects likely take the time to train and develop in their respective leagues getting to a point where their organization feels they’re a fit long term, but the next milestone is earning that entry-level contract.

However, that next milestone can’t take forever. It’s one of the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement where a young player and their team have a window. Players taken from any of the three leagues in the Canadian Hockey League (OHL, WHL, and QMJHL) have two years to sign their prospect to hold on to their rights. Otherwise, they go back into the draft.

The Habs have two players on the edge of that time span in Scott Walford and Jarret Tyszka and have until June 1st to get them on an entry-level. Save for Joni Ikonen, who has another two years left to sign as he was drafted out of Sweden, those two are the only prospects from that draft year without a deal.

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Seeing how close things have gone, it looks as if the Montreal Canadiens are prepared to let both players walk, but that may be a mistake. Walford, at the very least, should get an entry-level contract with the Habs.

Walford had a career year with the Victoria Royals scoring 9 goals and 38 assists in 62 games. He also played in 10 playoff games and put up 7 assists as the Royals made it to the second round after defeating the Kamloops Blazers in six games.

His confidence was the biggest part of his offensive output as Walford carried the puck out of the defensive zone and into the offensive zone a lot more. Additionally, he was making quicker and smarter passes finding his teammates for better options to score.

Walford’s defence game has always been one of his strongest qualities, and he didn’t let that falter. He skates well and makes smart decisions with the puck rarely putting his team in a bad spot.

Most importantly, he shoots left. The Montreal Canadiens do have left-shooting defencemen in the organization already with Otto Leskinen being the newest one, but that shouldn’t be a reason to let Walford walk. He’s a player worth keeping around for the three-years to track what he can become in the professional world of hockey.

If finding a spot for Walford to play on a consistent basis is the problem, the Montreal Canadiens could easily lend him to an ECHL team or another AHL team for that matter. It’s been done before. The Toronto Maple Leafs lent goaltending prospect to the Chicago Wolves for the 2017-18 season when he was clearly the third goalie on the Toronto Marlies.

One other reason why the Habs may be alright with parting with Walford is because of their contract limit. The team has 39 contracts on the books with the likes of Artturi Lehkonen, and Joel Armia left to sign. Additionally, Marc Bergevin may want some flexibility in the event the Montreal Canadiens sign some free agents on July 1st.

It’s only one contract, and Walford has proved he’s worth the curiosity. Whether the Montreal Canadiens believe that or not will depend on what happens in the next few days.