The Montreal Canadiens have announced that the team has come to terms with both Will Bitten and Michael Pezzetta on three-year entry-level contracts. The deals will start in the 2018-19 season, and take them through 2020-21.
Selected in the third round two years ago, Bitten hasn’t yet taken the expected next step in the OHL. After a 30-goal, 65-point season with Flint when he was 17, the last two years with the Hamilton Bulldogs haven’t been much of an improvement. Bitten failed to make the Canadian World Junior team, and though he’s still a tenacious two-way player, there was expected to be more offense to his game as he matured. Now, he looks more like a future bottom-six player for the Canadiens if he can reach the NHL level.
In Pezzetta, the Canadiens have the opposite story. Selected in the sixth round in 2016, Pezzetta had very little offensive performance and was taken for his physical game and ability to punish defenders on the forecheck. He’s taken a step forward this season in terms of offensive production, but is still a long-shot to make much of an impact at the NHL level. There is still a role for energy forwards in the professional ranks, but Pezzetta will need to show off some excellent defensive skill to really excel at the next step in his career.
While teams around the league continue to sign their previously drafted prospects, it’s important to remember that 2016 draft picks out of the CHL will become free agents if not under contract by June 1st. That was the case for Bitten and Pezzetta, who will turn 20 before the 2018-19 season begins.
Bitten’s OHL career has gone through an interesting transition. He’s gone from being a pure shooter to almost a pure passer. He’s a high motor player in the mould of Brendan Gallagher but he doesn’t have the same tenaciousness that Gallagher has. Based on what I’ve seen, if he keeps on his current development path, he’ll likely end up as a middle-6 winger with a 40-50 point offensive ceiling.
I’m not nearly as sold on Pezzetta as some. He’s very limited offensively and he looks like he’ll be an at best 4th line energy guy. Still, getting a possible NHL regular in the 6th round is good value.