On Tuesday, Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin held a press conference where he fielded questions from the media and shed light on his approach towards this offseason as well as what it means for organization going forward.
General Manager Marc Bergevin had kept busy since the Montreal Canadiens elimination the Philadelphia Flyers in the form of acquiring goaltender Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues, Joel Edmundson from the Carolina Hurricanes and Josh Anderson from the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, the organization managed to obtain one of the bigger names available in this year’s free agency pool in forward Tyler Toffoli.
Montreal Canadiens Look to Improve Scoring in Tyler Toffoli Signing
On Monday, the Canadiens announced the signing of Tyler Toffoli to a 4-year, $17 million contract on Tuesday. In the 2019-20 season, although he split time between the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks, Tyler Toffoli nonetheless managed to record 44 points (24 goals, 20 assists) in 68 games played. The 28-year also added 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 7 playoff games.
Marc Bergevin had this to say regarding the recent signing:
"“Yes, we had had internal discussions about Tyler. What I like about him is that he’s a player who has won the Stanley Cup, who can play all the positions – on the right, on the left – on the power play, he kills penalties, and he brings leadership. So we’re bringing in a guy with experience to our group of young player, and I also see a player who can produce offensively.”"
Tyler Toffoli, while lacking the finish that would make him a high-end sniper still adds an element that has been lacking for the Montreal Canadiens. A top-6 scoring winger capable of playing on either side who has gone all the way to a Stanley Cup championship at a bargain contract is quite the acquisition.
However, it should be noted the majority of Toffoli’s success has come from the right side so the team should not fully resort to him playing on the right side, although playing on his off wing could result in successful powerplay deployment.
A Successful Offseason So Far
When the Montreal Canadiens were first eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the hands of their Philadelphia Flyers, Marc Bergevin set out to make several key changes to the roster. He reiterated those points on Tuesday.
"“With everything available, we made some big changes, we brought [size and offensive production]. We had four boxes to check, and we did it. As a whole, we’re satisfied with our team today and, even though we don’t know when the season will start yet, we’re very excited and I hope our fans are, too."
With the acquisitions of the Joel Edmundson and Josh Anderson, the Montreal Canadiens improve on both the size and physicality front while also banking on a return to form for Josh Anderson where he scored 27 goals in the 2018-19 season. Both players have a physical side to their game and are able to hold their ground and likely make the Montreal Canadiens a tougher team to play against.
"“If Carolina decided to keep Joel Edmundson and Vancouver had re-signed Tyler Toffoli, we wouldn’t have this team. So there’s a bit of luck there, too. I didn’t raise my hand one morning last month and say, ‘Today, I’m going to do this.’ It happened that way. Some things fell into place, and we took advantage when we had he chance. There were some things we had wanted to do in the past that we weren’t able to. You could say that since we finished in Toronto, the puzzle pieces have fallen into place.”"
Looking to Shed Salary
As a result of signing Tyler Toffoli, the Montreal Canadiens are now over the salary cap. While there is ample time until the next season begins, they will be required to bring themselves below the prior to its start.
"“We’ve established some scenarios that would put us under the salary cap. So for the time being, there isn’t a problem. For sure, it’ll probably be a bit more difficult to have 23 players on the roster, but we’ll see when the time comes.”"
A trade involving forwards Paul Byron or Jordan Weal or defenseman Brett Kulak would make the Canadiens cap compliant once more. Sending players to the AHL would also be aid them. However, Marc Bergevin has often made it clear he prefers to have some breathing room when it comes to cap space and a trade would certainly provide him with that luxury.
Marc Bergevin also went on to mention that players may have to take discounts in the following years if they would like to remain with the organization.
Is Montreal on the Right Path to Becoming Appealing for UFAs?
It is no secret that more often than not that free agents may look the other way when given the opportunity to play for the Montreal Canadiens. The taxes, the weather and the pressure above all make it difficult to the organization to attract. When being asked about the matter, Bergevin had this to say:
"“I think what we did in the offseason and the way the team is heading now, it might be more appealing for players to come to Montreal”"
Marc Bergevin may not be the only one who believes so as Tyler Toffoli, along with mentioning the appeal of the Canadiens’ center depth, also cited the team’s offseason moves and playoff stint as a part of his reasoning behind signing with the organization.