Montreal Canadiens: Ryan Poehling’s future depends on Phillip Danault
By Omar L
Cole Caufield, Joel Teasdale, and Jesse Ylonen, to name a few, are players who could make the jump in the next year or so. The same goes for Ikonen or Olofsson, although the latter is a centre, overseas.
Montreal is running out of room, and as much as Marc Bergevin doesn’t want to start trading pieces of the future, he may have to start. When it comes to Poehling, it depends on what happens with Phillip Danault.
The 2020-21 season is going to be a heavy one for the Montreal Canadiens as Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Tatar, Joel Armia, and Jeff Petry will be pending unrestricted free agents. Danault is also part of this camp.
If the Habs move on from Danault, that will leave an open centre spot. By now, Kotkaniemi or Suzuki could’ve grown enough to be able to handle those top-line assignments while Poehling could be free to centre the third line. However, if they keep Danault, which is the more likely option, something will have to give, and that could be Poehling.
There’s also a plot hole in the ‘If Danault leaves’ scenario. There will be an open spot, but if Domi is still on the roster by then, he’ll take it up for himself if the Montreal Canadiens decide he’s a better option at centre.
Poehling is at a point right now where he has to show vast improvement or something unique to stick around. The fact that he doesn’t look to be in the opening lineup for the Qualifier while Jordan Weal and Dale Weise are is concerning despite it making sense. You’d hope he could show more to outwork the veteran players in the bottom lineup, even if they are preparing to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Habs are close to their 31-player roster. dark. Next
Bergevin will need to start making moves at some point to improve the team and get them to that contender level. He doesn’t have all the time in the world, and the pressure is on him as much as it is on Claude Julien. And by the looks of it, Poehling could be a casualty. As much as Danault’s trajectory will affect his future, the way he handles himself in the organization will do so as well.