Victor Mete is entering the final year of his entry-level contract and needs to make it clear to the Montreal Canadiens he’s part of the long-term core.
It sounds crazy to think, but the Montreal Canadiens don’t necessarily have an extensive list of ‘Marc Bergevin would never trade them’ players. Carey Price, Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brendan Gallagher, and Paul Byron likely make the list as well as players in Ryan Poehling‘s category. This is the core Bergevin has created, and you could argue Max Domi has propelled himself into that ranking while Victor Mete is still on that bubble.
Mete has been a part of the Habs new build after making the team as a teenager for the 2017-18 season. Not only did he make the team, but he was entrusted with top-pair minutes next to Weber initially before his yo-yo-ing up and down the lineup at the hands of Claude Julien.
The 21-year-old looked as if he would take a significant step in the right direction from how calm yet confident he appeared to be in training camp. That confidence wasn’t lost too much throughout the season. Mete, as well as a number of Habs defenceman, benefited from the mobility push on the blue line from the coaching staff.
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Mete would join the rush more often and do his best to get back in time but would sometimes miss defensive assignments. His play had him sent down to the AHL for a short window with the Laval Rocket before coming back to the Montreal Canadiens for the rest of the year where he was predominantly used in the top-four.
He still didn’t have a goal, but he improved his defensive awareness such that Julien could use him in more situations.
That said, I wouldn’t put Mete in the ‘untouchable and won’t be moved’ section of the Montreal Canadiens. It’s highly unlikely, but I don’t believe he’s done enough to send that message to the organization.
Mete can change that. The 2016 fourth-round pick is an organizational premium given he’s a left-shooting defenceman with experience playing on the top pair. What Mete has to do is round out the rest of his game such that Julien can throw him in any situation with Weber and not give it a second thought.
It also helps, or hurts, that Mete is heading into a contract year. Bergevin has a knack of bridging his younger players first with the only exception being Jonathan Drouin who he signed to a six-year contract after acquiring him from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Mete has done enough to earn a bridge but can really push the narrative in the 2019-20 season based on how well he plays overall. What works in his favour is that there isn’t much pushing at the seams for an opportunity in the NHL yet. Who knows what happens with Otto Leskinen or Jordan Harris after he’s finished with his NCAA years.
Not to mention Gustav Olofsson who didn’t get much of an opportunity to play this season after being shut down with an injury.
For now, the left side of the top-four is for Victor Mete to dominate. Whether he does or not will determine whether the Montreal Canadiens can truly and without a doubt, consider him a part of the core. But only time will tell.