Who is Maxim Shabanov?

Maxim Shabanov is a pending free agent, currently playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League.

Shabanov, a teammate of former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Zachary Fucale, has been on a tear in the KHL this season. The 24-year-old, as of February 16, according to Hockey News Hub, has 19 goals, and 34 assists for 53 points in 57 games. Shabanov, is an undersized winger, with elite skating mechanics and speed, and he is a wizard with the puck, who employs a fantastic release.

Shabanov is just 5'8" and 167 lbs, which is about what Lane Hutson was during his draft year. There is a legitimate argument to be made that he would be too small for the Canadiens. But I think there are players who ooze skill, and they get passed on because of their size.

This leads more often than not to the teams that passed on the player or disregarded him completely ending up disappointed. I'm not saying that it's the case with Kiril Kaprizov, who is a respectable 5'10" and 200 lbs, but at 18, I suspect that Kaprizov was probably not very heavy either. Shabanov is 24, which is the same age that Kaprizov was in his rookie season with the Minnesota Wild, so he isn't likely to grow, but he can add some muscle to his slight frame if he hopes to play a regular role in the NHL.

Displayed in the highlight video short above, are Shabanov's game breaking footspeed, and his tremendous shooting ability. I get that he is a small player, and Montreal already has Cole Caufield in their top six, who is 5'8" and 174 lbs, but he is a free agent. If Montreal can add a dominant KHL player in his prime, and give up nothing, I think it's worth a shot.

Shabanov controls his fate, but I would hope that he asked former NHL players, on his current team about the cities they played for. I expect that Montreal would come up in conversations of late because of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Having said that, Fucale between the pipes for Traktor, would have some knowledge about the city and the organization.

Recently, at the KHL All-Star game, Shabanov and Ivan Demidov graced the same ice. Both players put on a show, and I think the pair would be a nice duo addition to Montreal. They could ease each other's transition to the NHL, and they both speak Russian.

Demidov plays in the Bobrov Division (West) for SKA St. Petersburg, while Shabanov plays in the Kharlamov Division (East).

Shabanov has the makings of an NHL forward, and while he is on the smaller size, which we have circled back to with this statement, he has the talent to overcome any issues related to it. Oftentimes, if a player is too big or too small, they can overcome it, if they have the talent, work ethic and drive. There have certainly been examples of big players, who are physically dominant and can't do much else, and small players who falter to the competition at the professional level.

Shabanov looking to follow in Patrick Kane and Johnny Gaudreau's footsteps

It takes a special talent to thrive in a league that is dominated by big, bruising forwards and hulking defensemen. But there is a place in the league for smaller, skilled forwards - with guys like Connor Bedard, Jack Hughes and Brayden Point. I'll also give a nod to the late-and-great Johnny Gaudreau, who was 5'9" and 165 lbs, he and Patrick Kane (5'10" and 177 lbs) paved the way for many of the new, tenacious, small and skilled forwards.

It takes tremendous confidence, and high-level puck skills to pull off the Michigan goal. In the current NHL, there are only a select few who have pulled it off - Trevor Zegras, Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Forsberg, Kent Johnson, and Bedard. I'll let those names speak for themselves. Zegras and Svechnikov have scored it three times.

Shabanov can score the highlight reel goals, and make fantastic plays using deceptiveness, high hockey IQ and a knack for executing. But the benefit of being coached by an NHL great, and Hockey Hall of Famer like Martin St. Louis, who is 5'7" and 181 lbs. You can play in the NHL at that size and be a difference-maker, and St. Louis can teach Shabanov the things that made him such a special player.

Jesper Bratt and Hughes play together in New Jersey, and there aren't issues with playing two small forwards together. I think he would be a tremendous fit in Montreal, and they could plead a pretty enticing case to Shabanov. The Canadiens have Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield - Juraj Slafkovsky is on his way, and Demidov and Michael Hage are on their way.

Montreal has two first-round selections at the draft in June, and they have the assets to potentially acquire another. David Savard, Jake Evans, and Christian Dvorak are all pending unrestricted free agents, who can be dealt to contenders. Jacob Fowler is in the wings, and Jakub Dobes is right there, this team has a lot to like.

They are also keen on taking the next step in 2025-26, so he could land with a team that is on the cusp of something special. Montreal is loaded with prospects, they have tremendous depth and the struggles will pay off in June. Let's hope Calgary falls off a cliff, so their first becomes intriguing - and the Habs can add some top draft talent to their pool.

I think Hughes has a pretty good argument, and Shabanov would be missing out, if he didn't at least, consider it.