The Montreal Canadiens have desperately needed top centers for a number of years. If Sebastian Aho ends up in Montreal, their centers would be the envy of the entire league.
The Montreal Canadiens went many years without having a first line center. There were many years where Saku Koivu filled the role admirably, but was far from one of the best centers in the league.
Then there was the lengthy David Desharnais era. He was a serviceable player but not the best option to be centering a line with sniper Max Pacioretty. He was the best option that the team had at the time.
Recently, Phillip Danault has been asked to fill the role of top line center. Danault is a solid two-way center who scored a career high of 53 points. Not bad, especially for a guy who got plenty of Selke attention this season, but not exactly an elite first line center either.
Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin is clearly sick of the Habs lack of depth at the center ice position. Two years ago, he drafted Ryan Poehling in the first round of the NHL Draft. A year ago, he passed on some interesting wingers with the third overall pick to take center Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Today, Bergevin pulled the boldest move of his seven-year tenure with the Canadiens and signed Sebastian Aho to an offer sheet. There is no guarantee that Aho will ever suit up for the Montreal Canadiens, as the Carolina Hurricanes have a week to match the offer or let him go to Montreal and take the compensation.
The compensation for this contract, which is a five year deal with a cap hit just a shade under $8.5 million would be a first, second and third round draft pick in next year’s draft.
That draft ironically, is being held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, but I think fans would be okay with waiting a long time for the Habs to make a pick if Sebastian Aho just played 82 great games for the team.
Aho would immediately become the best center this franchise has seen in decades. He scored 30 goals and 83 points in 82 games last season at the age of 21. This contract would have him play in Montreal from the age of 21-26 which is essentially the best five offensive years for players these days.
There is no telling what his ceiling is at this point, but history tells us players don’t usually set career highs in points during their entry-level contract.
Aho would immediately step into the number one center role and fellow Finland native Jesperi Kotkaniemi would soon be the number two option. Kotkaniemi scored 34 points in 79 games as an 18 year old this season. He is a smart two-way center with a knack for setting up linemates as well as a great shot.
In the meantime, if Kotkaniemi isn’t quite ready for a top six role yet, Max Domi could maintain his position at center where he played extremely well last season. Domi scored 72 points in 82 games last season and at the age of 24 has plenty of great hockey in front of him.
Also an option at center is Phillip Danault who garnered some love as a Frank J. Selke Award contender. Danault plays an excellent defensive game, but also scored 53 points this season. Making him your third or even fourth center shows the excellent depth the team already has at the position.
Coming up through the ranks are a couple of more great centers. Poehling just finished a great NCAA career at St. Cloud State and looked like a machine at the team’s development camp this week. The 20 year old was the MVP of last year’s World Juniors and looks like a Ryan O’Reilly clone.
Nick Suzuki is another top prospect for the team and was incredible in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs this year. He scored 42 points in 24 games, leading the Guelph Storm to the Memorial Cup after winning the OHL Championship.
Already, the Montreal Canadiens have a number of options at center and a handful of excellent prospects that could join the team as early as this season. Adding Sebastian Aho to the top of that list would give the team the best depth at the most important position in the NHL.