Montreal Canadiens: In Other News… Tough Start to Cup Finals, Rocket Sign Poulin

Lightning Strike Early and Often, Take 2-0 Series Lead over Canadiens

There were a few things one could take away from Games 1 and 2 of the Cup Final, but one of the main ones (particularly with Canadiens fans) is that the Tampa Bay Lightning are a very, very good hockey team. In the lead up prior to Game 1, some of you doubtless caught sight of the numerous advanced metrics that were brought up regarding the Lightning’s offensive efficiency, such as their xG (Expected Goals) on the powerplay over 60 minutes being over 12 goals a game (yes, really).

While Montreal managed to stick with Tampa through the first period and most of the second on Monday, Lightning eventually struck twice, and then a third time, and a fourth, and a fifth. While Ben Chiarot spoiled Andrei Vasilevskiy’s shutout bid with a twice-deflected shot from the point, Tampa looked as calm and composed as ever. On the road once more in Game 2, before heading back to the Bell Centre for Game 3, Montreal turned a fantastic start through the first two periods, into blown chances, giveaways, and a last-second dagger from Blake Coleman.

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Having played some of the best hockey of his career up to this point, with his first (and possibly last) legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup in sight, Carey Price was doubtless humbled by Tampa’s definitively lethal shooting, with both Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov getting in their fair share of chances. Brayden Point, who’s been the toast of the post-season with his league-leading 14 goals, focused on dishing out some apples instead with a 3-assist night in Game 1, ditto Kucherov who posted 2 goals and 1 assist. Duelling price at the other end has been Vasilevskiy, who’s looked as unflappable as ever as the Habs have struggled to put pucks past him.

In what has been an uncharacteristically dry start offensively for Montreal (at least in these playoffs) there were still some bright spots, as Shea Weber and even Josh Anderson have brought some much-needed physicality, with Nick Suzuki rebounding from a less than impressive Game 1 with his sixth of the post-season in Game 2. While this wasn’t a great start to the Final, the stage is now set for Montreal to rebound at home in Game 3, and prove they belong here just as much, as they’re cup-defending rivals.

Former Hab Sergachev Playing With Aggressive Edge

Though it seems like ancient history at this point, it appears as though the now-infamous trade that sent Montreal Canadiens top prospect Mikhail Sergachev to the Tampa Bay Lightning, is still fresh in the mind of the now 23-year old blueliner. There’s not really much point in mentioning who the Canadiens got for Sergachev, and after an utterly tumultuous 2020-21 season, it seems as if Jonathan Drouin would like things to be kept that way.

Drouin didn’t have the easiest of times in Montreal, never quite living up to the lofty expectations placed upon the former third overall pick. In spite of back-to-back 40 point seasons to start, injuries and an apparent lack of motivation, unfortunately, caught up to Drouin. After posting just two goals over his first 44 games to start 2020-21, the Sainte-Agathe native took a leave of absence just prior to the post-season, for undisclosed reasons.

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While it’s clear Drouin simply needs time to sort out whatever struggles he may be going through, (separate from the past criticism he has received), whether he ultimately decides he’s done with hockey or not, Sergachev has certainly been playing with a chip on his shoulder (in spite of some less than dubious plays) is looking to make the Canadiens regret their decision. Since arriving in Tampa Bay, the Russian native has been a key part of their defensive lineup, shifting from first pairing to third pairing with ease. With 4 consecutive 30-point seasons under his belt, now looking for his second straight Stanley Cup Championship, I think it’s safe to say that Sergachev’s abilities would be of use to the Canadiens as the team looks to stay competitive against the reigning champs.

Brandon Baddock Re-signed on One-Year, Two-Way Deal

Brandon Baddock was certainly one of the more intriguing additions made to the Laval Rocket last season, in that well, he was the only one for the majority of the off-season. Before Tyler Toffoli, Corey Perry, and Michael Frolik were picked up on team-friendly deals, Baddock was the Canadiens’ first free-agent addition last October, and, in spite of limited opportunities, managed to serve a role quite well in Laval in spite of a crowded lineup and off-kilter schedule. With the Rocket looking to add to their depth and build for what looks to be a promising 2021-22 season, Montreal opted to re-sign the Alberta native, to a one-year, two-way deal.

A former sixth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2014, Baddock bided his time with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL before joining the Devils organization, first with the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, and later the AHL’s Binghamton Devils. At 6’03 and 221 pounds, Baddock’s main attribute is his size, having served the role of an enforcer for most of his career up to this point. The Canadiens affiliates have been no stranger to enforcer-like players in the past, from fan-favourite David ‘Brolldozer’ Broll, to their brief experiment with Montreal native Mathieu Gagnon in 2016-17.

While Broll and Gagnon were brought in primarily for their firsts, Baddock ended up serving a solid role on Laval’s penalty kill with his hard-hitting approach to the game. With 2-3-5 totals and a career-high +5 rating over 25 games, Baddock should continue to be a key part of Laval’s bottom six, and a perfect fit for Head Coach Joel Bouchard’s hard-working system. Aside from a plethora of injuries and or need to teach another team a lesson of a variety, however, it’s unlikely Baddock sees time with the Canadiens or the NHL in general.

Kevin Poulin Signed to One-Year, AHL deal

In keeping up with their recent trend of intriguing AHL-contracted additions, the Rocket added another piece to the puzzle, inking veteran goaltender Kevin Poulin to a one-year AHL deal on Monday. A former fifth-round pick of the New York Islanders in 2008, Poulin (a Montreal native) brings his fair share of travels and experience to the table. After serving a starting role for the QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres, Poulin spent the next five seasons drifting between the Islanders and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, managing to get in a full season as Evgeni Nabokov’s backup in 2013-14.

Since then, however, Poulin has struggled to find reliable work, before managing to turn things around a bit over the past few seasons. In between a brief stint in the LNAH with the Laval Predateurs, and the KHL with Astana Barys, Poulin went back to a starter’s role in both the DEL with the Berlin Polar Bears and the Swedish 1st Division with Bjorkloven IF. After spending the 2019-20 season bouncing between the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins and Ontario Reign, Poulin will look to earn another shot in North America with Laval.

Following the departure of failed KHL experiment Vasili Demchenko to Avangard Omsk (which I had covered previously) Poulin should fill in the gap Demchenko left in the lineup nicely. With Charlie Lindgren, Michael McNiven, and Cayden Primeau all vying for playing time in Laval’s crease, it remains to be seen whether or not Poulin can find room.

Should he struggle to see playing time, though, expect him to get some starts with the Trois-Rivieres Lions, where (like some of the Laval’s other recent signings) he could serve as a true fan favourite and superstar for the first-year team? Otherwise, however, expect him to serve as a veteran presence and mentor for Primeau and McNiven, and a potential starting option similar to Eddie Pasquale’s surprise return in 2015-16.