Pierre McGuire speaks about three players linked to Habs

The relationship between Pierre McGuire and the Montreal Canadiens dates back to when McGuire had a rant during the 2005 NHL Draft.

Montreal was seemingly set in goal, in McGuire's eyes, so the prospect of drafting Carey Price was bad. He felt they should have used the pick to upgrade other areas of the team and when they didn't he was bothered by it. The decision by Trevor Timmins and Bob Gainey was a great one and the rest is history.

Nonetheless, McGuire is pretty well connected, mostly in the college hockey ranks, but he has kept his ear around the NHL. His many connections over decades of work around the league have given him tons of information and insight. So his recent comments on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro about three players linked to the Canadiens could be factual.

If they want to add a piece to the second line it is going to cost some money, especially since they are seeking immediate help. But if the Habs want to improve the team and start being considered as a legitimate contender, then making such a deal would be a great idea. There had been optimism that Kent Hughes would swing for the fences at the draft like he had the previous two drafts but it didn't happen.

Three options for the Habs second line

Martin Necas is the name that McGuire feels is the best option for the Canadiens because he is a great fit on the second line. He is big, plays with some grit and he is great at retrieving pucks from the corners and pushing the play towards the opposing net front. Necas has established that he can be a productive player at the NHL level and with an up-and-coming team like the Habs, he could be just what the team needs.

Rutger McGroarty is the second name, and he plays an in-your-face, bulldog game that grinds down the opposition. He plays the game with passion and is at his best when he is frustrating the opposition with his physicality. Adding him into the Habs top six would help them in terms of size and he has the talent to be a great complement to Kirby Dach and whoever the Habs decide is the winger opposite him.

Trevor Zegras is the third name that Tony Marinaro and McGuire discussed, and McGuire believes he is the one that should be targeted the least. While Zegras is flashy and can make the opposition look silly, he is rather one-dimensional. That isn't always a bad thing, but when he isn't scoring goals, he doesn't impact the game much otherwise.

This is the basis of what McGuire thought, not my direct beliefs, nor quotes.