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Montreal Canadiens: Top 3 Roster Battles To Watch At Training Camp

By Ken MacMillan

MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 06: Ryan Poehling #25 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs in his first career NHL game at the Bell Centre on April 6, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 in a shootout. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 06: Ryan Poehling #25 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs in his first career NHL game at the Bell Centre on April 6, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 in a shootout. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 6: Ryan Poehling #25 (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 6: Ryan Poehling #25 (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2. Who Will Be The Fourth Line Center?

The Canadiens didn’t make any huge signings in free agency this summer. They did sign some depth pieces, and it has created a bit of a logjam at the bottom of the roster. There is nothing wrong with having plenty of depth pieces, but it does lead to tough decisions at the end of training camp.

The Habs top three centers last season were Max Domi, Phillip Danault and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. All of those players are returning, but the fourth line role is wide open. There are veterans, newcomers and rookies all battling for the job. Who are the top candidates?

The favourites:

Ryan Poehling

Poehling was a first round draft pick of the Canadiens in 2017. He had a stellar career at St. Cloud State, leading the Huskies to two seasons of being one of the best team’s in the entire country. He signed his entry-level contract when the Huskies season ended in April and made his NHL debut.

Poehling scored a hat trick in his only NHL game to date and added a shootout winner as well. Not a bad debut. He has the potential to be an excellent two-way center in the Ryan O’Reilly mold, but could he handle a fourth line role as a 20 year old? He will soon be a huge part of the Habs penalty kill and wouldn’t be on the fourth line for long before he moves up the lineup.

Nate Thompson

Nate Thompson is great at winning faceoffs. That’s about it. However, he did sign a one year contract extension shortly after last season ended. This would lead you to believe the Canadiens have plans for him. He is not going to play a top nine role, so the only spot for him would be as the fourth center. Keep an eye on his defensive play to see if he is reliable enough to play every night.

The longshots:

Nick Cousins

The Canadiens somewhat surprisingly signed Nick Cousins to a one year contract this summer. They appeared to have enough options for the bottom of the lineup, but again, what is wrong with a little extra depth?

Cousins played last season with the Arizona Coyotes and scored 27 points in 81 games. He is not a terrific skater, but is a smart defensive player who can be trusted to get the job done is his own zone. He has primarily played center, but only won 46.7 percent of his draws last season. There is a possibility he earns the fourth line center job, but he will have to prove he is a better option than Poehling and Thompson over the next few weeks. Otherwise he could find himself moved to the wing.

Jake Evans

Jake Evans was drafted in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Habs. He played four years at Notre Dame before making his pro debut last season. He was second on the Laval Rocket in points with 45 in 67 games. He looked good at the recent prospect camp as well and has a chance to make the NHL roster if he continues that play during the main training camp.

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