Montreal Canadiens: 10 Best Free Agents You Know Marc Bergevin is Targeting

10. Cedric Paquette

The Canadiens first target at the trade deadline last season was a veteran centre to play on the fourth line. With the impending departure of Phillip Danault, you could argue the team needs a top six centre, but what they currently have is Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jake Evans and Ryan Poehling.

As good as Suzuki has been, as promising as Kotkaniemi, Poehling and Evan are, I think we will see Bergevin add a veteran centre early in free agency. The question is, will he try to land a top six centre or just go with another depth veteran like he did at the trade deadline?

If he elects to go with depth, he could do a lot worse than Cedric Paquette. The Gaspé, Quebec native came up through the Tampa Bay Lightning organization and earned a full time role with the team in 2014-15. He played all 25 games for the Lightning in the 2020 postseason, and got his name on the Stanley Cup.

At 6’1″ and just under 200 pounds, he isn’t quite Brian Boyle, but he doesn’t get pushed around or lose many battles in the corners. He doesn’t provide much offence, scoring just eight points in 47 games between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators this season, but he is, decent defensively and a great penalty killer, so he would be an ideal 13th forward who pushes Evans and Poehling to be sharp defensively.