One pending free agent the Canadiens can steal from their Atlantic Division rivals

Keeping the Montreal Canadiens rebuilding plan and smaller amount of cap space before adding additional factors like LTIR in mind, it’s tough to see them bringing in a prize free agent in 2024-25. But lengthening the window of opportunity as wide as possible is the goal for general manager Kent Hughes, so bringing in a top-end free agent this summer or a trade piece that will get fans talking shouldn’t be his top priority. 

Instead, Hughes - and the Canadiens fan base - should be more than fine with bringing in under-the-radar players who can either fill the lower lines and pairings or provide organizational depth. With just a few current Canadiens slated to be free agents, both restricted and unrestricted, there is a good chance the Habs lineup will look similar to what we have seen this season. 

But if he moves a few players around, there will be some openings, and that may warrant Hughes to sign a pending unrestricted free agent or two from elsewhere. So what if ‘elsewhere’ meant a familiar face from the Atlantic Division? Here are seven players he could bring in as one-year stopgaps. 

Danton Heinen, Forward/Boston Bruins

As mentioned above, don’t expect many big names on this list, and Danton Heinen is one good example. But he also hasn’t put up half-bad numbers lately, judging from his 15 goals and 30 points in 67 games. No, these aren’t anywhere near all-star stats, but they show us that Heinen would still make for an outstanding contributor on a team’s bottom-six, even one that is rebuilding, should the Boston Bruins decide to move on from him. 

Heinen, who has averaged 14:19 of average total ice time this season, has also shown he could even climb onto middle-six should injuries strike his next team, whether that’s the Canadiens or someone else. 

He would also bring more defense to Montreal and an edge, judging from his 75 hits and 31 takeaways. And it seems like the older Heinen gets, the more of an edge he possesses. For a team in transition like Montreal, he would definitely add more physicality to a team that has logged a solid but unspectacular 21.8 hits per game. 

Eric Robinson, Forward/Buffalo Sabres

While none of the names are particularly flashy here, there will be a common theme that began in the first slide: Do not underestimate these players, especially Eric Robinson. While it’s true he couldn’t find a spot on the Columbus Blue Jackets, Robinson arrived in Buffalo via a trade and has since never looked back. 

He’s played so well with the Sabres, there is a chance general manager Kevyn Adams re-signs him, especially now that Kyle Okposo is gone. But if Robinson tests the market, he’s another player in this year’s free agency class who would be a great fit on the Canadiens lower lines. 

He won’t score much, judging from his nine points in 37 games with the Sabres, he doesn’t get in front of many shots on goal, and he doesn’t even really get a stick on the puck. But Robinson is so good at positioning himself near the net to draw attention his way, and he’s also sensational at building chemistry with others on the lower lines. 

At 5-on-5, he’s been on the ice for 13 goals for and 14 goals against, while his on-ice save percentage is a sound 92.3. He also has a Corsi For of 52.0 percent this season, further showing he is an under-the-radar lower-liner capable of making things happen. 

Christian Fischer, Forward/Detroit Red Wings

Christian Fischer may have never enjoyed an outstanding stat line in this league, and that trend has continued with the rather high-octane Detroit Red Wings this season. But he still has experience on his side, and he’s also proven to be a trusted asset in one location for an extended span. 

Before his stint with the Red Wings, Fischer played for the Arizona Coyotes for seven seasons, becoming a fixture on primarily their bottom-six and someone who could finish at least one and often two body checks per game, on average. That trend continued so far during his time with the Red Wings, where Fischer has 119 hits for a team that needed to bring on someone unafraid of contact. 

But players need to be more than just one-dimensional hitters to hold more value, and luckily, Fischer will bring that to his next stop. He’s been trusted to help out when his team has been short-handed over the past few seasons, and his on-ice save percentage has been 92.4 percent or better at 5-on-5 over the past three. 

Here is another intriguing stat for Fischer: His xGA at even strength this season is 33.0 as of April 2nd, but he’s also been on the ice for just 31 goals allowed in that same situation. That was also the case last season in Arizona when his xGA was 48.4, but his on-ice goals allowed sat at just 44. 

Kyle Okposo, Forward/Florida Panthers

If the Canadiens want to add a true leader to their locker room next season, Kyle Okposo should be the top choice among affordable pending unrestricted free agents. He may finally win a Stanley Cup in Florida and retire, but if that isn’t the case, then the Canadiens and every other young team in the league need to at least extend an offer to one of the NHL’s most respected players. 

In 2024-25, Okposo doesn’t need to be a captain, and he can even factor in as a 13th or 14th forward, so he’s not getting in front of anyone still in the Habs system who could graduate to the NHL. Further, Okposo is still good enough of a player to be a fourth-liner and take up a spot in the lineup if a prospect isn’t ready to move up. 

Over the final three seasons in Buffalo, Okposo’s on-ice save percentage at 5-on-5 sat at 91.9 or higher, and this season, he was on the ice for more goals for than goals against. He’s still a player who will record over 50 percent in the Corsi, and at even strength, he was on the ice for just 23 goals against, despite an xGA of 27.8. 

Calvin de Haan, Defenseman/Tampa Bay Lightning 

The only defenseman on this list, Calvin de Haan is also one of the older, more experienced players who has seen time with some winning franchises over the years. Like everyone else listed above him, he doesn’t log many minutes and would factor best in a third-pairing, but de Haan is another player who would also bring a dose of physicality and with it, an intimidation factor. 

You probably figured out just from the description above or by watching him that de Haan is a stay-at-home type of defenseman whose game is not flashy in the slightest. He’s never had great numbers, even when you look at his advanced stats, be they at 5-on-5, at even strength, or even short-handed. 

Overall, de Haan is nothing more than an affordable stopgap who can play bottom-pairing minutes or factor in as a seventh defenseman. It’s the role we have seen him in lately, but his experience, as with many on this list, would be great for an upstart team like Montreal. 

If he can provide leadership, then de Haan doesn’t need to impress anyone on the stat sheet. And best yet, if he tested the market, signed with Montreal, and the Canadiens are a better team after what would be a departure after one season at this stage in his career, then he did his job. 

Max Domi, Forward/Toronto Maple Leafs

There is always at least one player on these lists who could always make a return trip, and Max Domi is that player in this slideshow. If you have followed the Canadiens for a while, you may remember Domi from his time in Montreal between 2018 and 2020, and he was a rather serviceable player during that stretch. 

He saw 153 games during his first stint with the Canadiens, recording 116 points and 45 goals. The 72 points he registered in 2018-19 remain a career-high, and while he won’t get anywhere near that output these days, Domi can still put up serviceable numbers whether he’s seeing time on the top-six, or more ideally, logging middle or bottom-six minutes. 

We have seen that this season in Toronto, where through 74 games, Domi has 42 points and eight goals. We saw it last year when he split time with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Dallas Stars with 56 points and 20 goals through 80 games. 

If Hughes wanted a serviceable stopgap who could put up moderate productivity, Domi would be his answer. Don’t expect the same player you saw during his time in Montreal, but he still plays well enough to provide more than adequate production. 

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference as of April 1st)