Montreal Would Rather Trade Pacioretty Than Extend Him
While it’s common knowledge the Montreal Canadiens have been considering trading their captain Max Pacioretty. The 10-year Canadiens’ veteran survived the trade deadline, but TSN’s Insider Bob McKenzie said on his most recent TSN Hockey Bobcast to expect Montreal to shop Pacioretty as the team must find a way to re-tool their roster, since rebuilding with the contracts of both Carey Price and Shea Weber is impossible.
Pacioretty, who has one more year on a reasonable six-year, $27MM deal he signed in 2012, had a major drop in performance this year. After tallying 30 or more goals for four straight seasons, Pacioretty managed just 17 in a forgettable 2017-18.
“I don’t believe that the way things currently stand, barring a change, that Montreal wants to make a long-term commitment to Pacioretty,” McKenzie said. “He’s got a year left on his deal. I think that they want to explore some different options and that possibly trading Pacioretty would satisfy those… I think Pacioretty, in a perfect world, would love to stay on Montreal on so many levels. I think he considers it home now, and he loves playing for the Canadiens. But I’m not sure that it’s a marriage that’s necessarily working at this point, so I would expect Pacioretty’s name to be front and center in a lot of trade talk between now and the NHL draft.”
The bigger issue is what the team hopes to get back in return for him. His value is presently quite low, so it seems unlikely the team will get a major return for the 29-year-old.
“But by the same token, they can’t give him away,” McKenzie added. “And he didn’t have a great year this year. The Montreal Canadiens didn’t have a great year. But he’s still a pretty consistent goal scorer, and you can’t give these guys away.”
However, with the team in desperate need for help at the center position, the team may need to use Pacioretty as a trade chip to fill that hole in their lineup. At the moment, the team had been using Jonathan Drouin and Phillip Danault as their top two centers. Neither belongs in those spots as the team has been trying to convert Drouin into a center, which hasn’t gone well so far, while Danault may just not be a top-six player. To make matters worse, the Canadiens have the third pick in the upcoming draft, but this year’s crop of prospects is weak at the center position. And with few other trade chips, they may have little to no choice, especially if the team is hesitant to sign Pacioretty to a long-term extension next year.
Offseason Keys: Montreal Canadiens
While the playoffs are ongoing, many teams have already started their offseason planning. What storylines lie ahead around the league? Our Offseason Keys series continues with a look at the Montreal Canadiens.
Not a lot went right in Montreal this season. A year after winning the Atlantic Division, they found themselves out of the playoff race in a hurry while many of their key players were injured or struggled considerably. As a result, plenty of changes are expected again this coming summer. Here are their keys to offseason success.
Add Center Help
This one has been at the top of the list for a long time now. GM Marc Bergevin attempted to address it last summer with the acquisition of Jonathan Drouin with the hopes that he could play down the middle but that experiment didn’t go as well as intended. Bergevin himself even admitted that in a perfect world, Drouin would be on the wing. Needless to say, a true number one center is at the top of the priority list.
The need at that position doesn’t stop there, however. Phillip Danault (a pending RFA) slots in as their number two but he’s more ideally suited for a third-line role. There are no other in-house options and even if Tomas Plekanec gets his wish and signs with the Canadiens in the summer, he’s not a fit in that role either. Basically, they also need a number two unless they’re content with keeping Drouin away from his natural position. Finding one top-six center is hard enough so two is going to be a real challenge.
Partner For Weber
Lost in the aftermath of the blockbuster trade two summers ago with Nashville is the fact that Shea Weber has not had a top-notch partner to play with like he did with the Predators. Two years ago, Nathan Beaulieu and Alexei Emelin saw the bulk of the minutes. The former was traded to avoid being left unprotected in expansion while the latter was left unprotected (and was picked) in expansion. Back to the drawing board they went.
Montreal’s big offseason signing on the back end last summer was Karl Alzner and his style of game doesn’t mesh with Weber’s so those two didn’t see much five-on-five time together. That wound up resulting in rookie Victor Mete spending a lot of time in that role. The results were mixed and ultimately, he’s not an ideal solution there at this stage of his development and neither is the collection of depth defenders that they have on the roster. Basically, it’s back to the drawing board again.
Unfortunately for the Canadiens, the UFA market for left-shooting rearguards isn’t exactly robust so their options to improve there are limited. Accordingly, this void may have to be filled via a trade as if they have eyes on contending for a playoff spot next season, it’s hard to imagine them wanting Mete back in that spot full-time.
Decision On Pacioretty
Like many of Montreal’s top players, it was a tough year for winger Max Pacioretty. He tallied just 17 goals in 64 games, failing to reach the 30-goal mark after doing so the previous four years. He was also prone to several stretches where he struggled and for the first time, trade speculation started to pick up.
Ultimately, he wasn’t dealt at the trade deadline as the asking price was said to be too high, same for most of the non-rental wingers that were made available. However, that speculation is sure to be back in full force in the weeks to come.
Pacioretty is entering the final year of a team-friendly deal that carries an AAV of $4.5MM. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and will certainly be looking for a considerable raise. Is Bergevin going to be comfortable handing that out to a player who turns 30 in November? If not, the time may be right for a trade, at least on the surface.
However, with the stated goal to get back to the postseason, trading a top forward (and their captain) may be somewhat counterintuitive. Quality goal scorers are hard to find and on a team that struggled to score, dealing Pacioretty would only make a big problem even worse. It’s not going to be an easy decision to make either way but this feels like a situation that needs to be addressed before next season begins.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Morning Notes: Evans, Bruins, Hamilton
Jake Evans was a seventh round pick by the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, but after four outstanding seasons at Notre Dame he’ll head into 2018-19 with some high hopes. Unfortunately, he’ll have to deal with a lengthy rehab before he gets to next season, after undergoing sports hernia surgery on Wednesday.
Evans faces a 12-week recovery period, but hernia surgery is notorious for having lasting effects for several months. Though he’ll likely be cleared in time to participate in the Canadiens’ training camp, they’ll have to closely monitor his effectiveness before making a decision on where he’ll start the season. Some believe the 21-year old could make an impact at the NHL level right away, but it seems more likely that he’ll start with the Laval Rocket and try to prove his worth on the professional circuit.
- The Boston Bruins will insert Ryan Donato into the lineup tonight, but it could come at a heavy cost. Both Brad Marchand and Jake Debrusk are game-time decisions, and either would be a huge loss if they can’t got. Marchand has been his usual infuriating-and-outstanding self during the playoffs, riling up opponents while registering 15 points in 10 games. DeBrusk on the other hand is having a coming out party in his first postseason, scoring six goals in 10 games and dominating the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round.
- Dougie Hamilton was mentioned by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet as a potential trade target on the latest 31 Thoughts podcast, noting that there are plenty of teams with interest in the Calgary Flames defenseman. Hamilton has three years left on his current contract, and had another big offensive season for the Flames in 2017-18. If the Flames decide something has to change on the back end after a disappointing season, there would be a huge market for the right-handed Hamilton, but it still seems unlikely.
Montreal Canadiens Agree To Terms With Lukas Vejdemo
The Montreal Canadiens have convinced one of their international draft picks to sign his first NHL contract. The team announced today that they’ve agreed to terms with Lukas Vejdemo on a two-year entry-level contract that will begin next season. CapFriendly provides the financial breakdown:
- 2018-19: $650K salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $182.5K performance bonus
- 2019-20: $750K salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $82.5K performance bonus
The contract, like any other entry-level deal, is two-way and will pay him a lower amount whenever playing for the Laval Rocket.
Vejdemo, 22, was selected in the third round of the 2015 draft and has been a full-time player in the SHL for the last three seasons. Though his point totals were still relatively low this season—22 in 47 games—that’s partly because of his role down in the lineup for Djurgardens. His overall play was quite good, and has earned him a chance to jump to North America and test himself against AHL competition.
It’s very unlikely that Vejdemo would make the Montreal roster out of camp, but he’s a legitimate NHL prospect that the Canadiens can add to their minor league system and continue to develop. The Laval team was atrocious this season, and needed a boost of talent that Vejdemo can provide.
Poll: Which Open Coaching Job Is Best?
It was an uncommon year in the NHL with no coaches being fired in-season. Some of the worst teams in the NHL – the Buffalo Sabres, Arizona Coyotes, and Vancouver Canucks – had coaches in their first seasons and were willing to reserve judgement at least into a second season. Others, like the Ottawa Senators (confirmed today), Montreal Canadiens, and New York Islanders are willing to wait and see with relatively new staffs.
Entering the first full month without regular season activity, the season is over for all but eight teams. Yet, only two coaches have been fired: the New York Rangers’ Alain Vigneault and the Calgary Flames’ Glen Gulutzan. The Dallas Stars’ Ken Hitchcock retired and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Bill Peters opted out. Peters then quickly took the Flames job and what is left are just three coaching openings in the NHL.
The Carolina Hurricanes, under new ownership, are still looking for a GM and likely will wait to make a decision on a head coach until after that initial decision has been made. However, for those free agent coaches, the ‘Canes do offer an attractive mix of long-term depth and talent on defense, youth and skill on offense, a solid prospect pipeline, and mass amounts of cap space to get better. However, Carolina lacks two of the hardest things to find in hockey: a legitimate starting goaltender and a bona fide #1 star center. Any coach who is excited about the team’s potential has to look at Peters’ inability to turn it into wins and wonder if the few pieces missing in Carolina are the most important ones.
It took a late season collapse for the Dallas Stars to miss the postseason this year. The team has three superstars in Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and John Klingberg and a handful of very good players behind them like goalie Ben Bishop, defensemen Marc Methot and Esa Lindell, and forwards Alexander Radulov and Radek Faksa. They also have the potential for a quick turnaround if Jason Spezza and Martin Hanzal can bounce back. Beyond that group though, the team is lacking in depth on the roster and there doesn’t appear to be real game-changing talent in the pipeline either outside of Miro Heiskanen. They’re also right at the top of the salary cap limit. The Stars have the appearance of a team that is close to being a contender, but may not be able to get much better than they already are.
The New York Rangers are this year’s rebuild option for a coaching candidate. After trading away both impending free agents and core players at the deadline, the Rangers are left with a young-top nine that bring energy and skill but lacks experience and top-end talent and defense corps with veteran leadership surrounded by youth and potential but also lacking any high-end ability. However, they still have an all-world goalie in Henrik Lundqvist and are now loaded with prospects at every position and a wealth of draft picks. The Rangers may not look like much now but have a lot to offer down the road.
So, if you were a top head coach candidate with no particular style preference, which team would you choose?
Which Open Coaching Job Would You Take?
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New York Rangers 46% (369)
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Dallas Stars 32% (259)
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Carolina Hurricanes 12% (95)
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Stay where you are and wait for a better option 10% (83)
Total votes: 806
Tomas Plekanec Wants To Return To Montreal
When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Tomas Plekanec at the trade deadline, they knew he likely would only be there for a few months. The 35-year old center is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and now has made it clear that he would like to return to the Montreal Canadiens if possible. In an interview with TVA Sports this morning, Plekanec spoke about his upcoming free agency.
Obviously as I said before my priority is to play for the Montreal Canadiens, but you know, what’s going to happen? I don’t know. I don’t know what Marc [Bergevin] has planned, I don’t know what Claude Julien has planned so everything is open I guess from now on until July 1st. Like I said, my heart is in Montreal, my family is in Montreal, so that’s my priority…
Plekanec played 17 games down the stretch with the Maple Leafs but didn’t find his groove until after Nazem Kadri was suspended in their first round series with the Boston Bruins. Plekanec slid into a checking role with Patrick Marleau and Mitch Marner—two players he speaks highly of in the interview—and matched up well against the Bruins’ top unit.
His four points in seven playoff games actually doubled the two he recorded during the regular season with the Maple Leafs, part of the lowest season total of his career. The veteran forward is on the last season of a two-year $12MM pact, but will have to take considerably less money to return to Montreal next season.
The Canadiens are weak down the middle, but Plekanec can’t be relied upon as anything more than a checking option at this point. Now closer to 40 than 30 and with dwindling point totals in three consecutive seasons, he may have to take an incentive-laden contract. Montreal is expected to push hard in free agency to try and turn around their franchise after a disappointing season, but they may choose to go in a different direction.
Carolina Names Rick Dudley Senior VP, Hockey Operations
The Carolina Hurricanes are still looking for a new general manager, but today added an experienced voice into the front office. Rick Dudley has been named Senior Vice President, Hockey Operations, leaving his post as an assistant GM with the Montreal Canadiens.
Dudley has been around the NHL for several decades, first as a player and then as a coach and executive. With a deep scouting background, he’s served as GM of four different franchises, and worked closely with Carolina interim GM Don Waddell in Atlanta. Hurricanes owner Thomas Dundon praised this experience in the press release announcing the hiring:
Rick brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our management group. He has been a part of building championship teams on every level of professional hockey, and will play an important role in helping us build a winner in Raleigh.
Working with the Canadiens since 2012, Dudley will undertake a new challenge in Carolina where there currently is no permanent GM or head coach. With that in mind, bringing on an experienced scout and manager ahead of the upcoming draft can only benefit the Hurricanes. The team moved up in the draft lottery to second overall, and needs to make sure they select a star talent that can help their group in the short term.
Draft Notes: Mock Draft, Rangers, Canadiens, Sabres
Now that the lottery portion of the 2018 NHL draft has clarified, TSN’s Craig Button has already released his first mock draft. No surprise, the Buffalo Sabres are projected to take defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. The Carolina Hurricanes are projected to take winger Andrei Svechnikov at No. 2, who Button compares to Marian Hossa and who could walk in and join Carolina immediately next season, aiding their struggling offense.
Wingers Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk are targeted to be taken at No. 3 and No. 4 by the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, respectively, while the Arizona Coyotes are projected to select defenseman Quinn Hughes with the fifth pick, rounding out the top five.
- While there is no shot at getting Dahlin, the New York Rangers have made it clear they want to move up in this year’s draft. With the eighth-worst record in the NHL this past season, the team moved back a spot in Saturday’s draft lottery. The Rangers have the ninth-overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft, but have after tearing down their team at the trade deadline, the team has quite a few assets to offer a team willing to trade down. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes the team is focusing on two teams, including the Ottawa Senators and Arizona Coyotes, two former trade partners, as potential landing spots at No. 4 and No. 5. While it’s considered to be a deep draft and the Rangers would get a quality player at No. 9, there is said to be a drop off around No. 4 or No. 5. The Rangers not only have the ninth-overall pick, but also have two other first-round picks, including the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins’ first-rounders, which could fall anywhere between 24 and 31. They also have two second and two third-round picks.
- The Montreal Canadiens might also be a trade possibility for teams looking to move up. While the team had a couple of extra hours to imagine winning the lottery when they were among the top three first announced Saturday, the team ended up at No. 3. While there are plenty of high-quality wingers that would be available to the team, it doesn’t really help with the team’s top need, which is a big center, writes Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette. One interesting option would be if the Canadiens trade down or just reach for center Joe Veleno from the Drummondville Voltiguers of the QMJHL and was coached by Dominique Ducharme, who was just hired by Canadiens as an assistant coach. Cowan compares this situation to the 2016 draft when the Columbus Blue Jackets shocked everyone when they took Pierre-Luc Dubois with the third-overall pick, although no one is complaining now.
- An interesting note from the Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington, the Buffalo Sabres won the lottery twice Saturday. They initially won the No. 1 pick and then again won the No. 3 pick. The No. 3 pick was then was redrawn, which allowed the Montreal Canadiens to move up.
Buffalo Wins The 2018 Draft Lottery; Will Select First Overall
The Buffalo Sabres have won the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes. Buffalo has one of the most hockey-rabid fan bases in the entire league and their faith has been rewarded with the chance to plant a franchise player on the blue line. After years of suffering with bottom of the standings finishes and placing second in the Connor McDavid race, the Sabres finally have the top choice.
Buffalo’s draw was revealed during the second period intermission of Game Two of the Vegas Golden Knights-San Jose Sharks series, after picks #4-#15 had been revealed earlier in the night. Vaulting their way into the top three was Carolina, who had a 70% chance of picking 12th overall. Instead, the Hurricanes now sit with the second overall pick to add to their collection of young talent, which has implications in terms of getting a chance at selecting a lethal goal scorer in Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, or Brady Tkachuk.
Montreal’s suffering through the 2017-18 season was eased a bit by getting the third overall pick and a shot at a talent who should be on NHL ice come fall, giving them the goal scorer they so desperately need. They could also go back to addressing the blue line with several high-end options available at the top of the draft, but scoring is a need and Zadina, Svechnikov, or Tkachuk would help with that need.
Dahlin has been pegged as the #1 overall choice for a while now and is projected to dramatically change the fortunes of whichever team won the rights to draft him. Buffalo won that right, tonight.
The top fifteen picks in the 2018 NHL Draft are as follows:
#1- Buffalo Sabres
#2- Carolina Hurricanes
#3- Montreal Canadiens
#4- Ottawa Senators
#5- Arizona Coyotes
#6- Detroit Red Wings
#7- Vancouver Canucks
#8- Chicago Blackhawks
#9- N.Y. Rangers
#10-Edmonton Oilers
#11- N.Y. Islanders
#12- N.Y. Islanders (from Calgary)
#13- Dallas Stars
#14- Philadelphia Flyers (from St. Louis)
#15- Florida Panthers
Buffalo, Montreal, Carolina Early Winners In Draft Lottery
The Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes each have won spots in the top three of the 2018 NHL draft at Saturday night’s NHL Draft Lottery. Any of the three can win the first overall pick and consensus first-overall pick defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in upcoming draft. The three teams will have to wait until the second intermission in tonight’s game between the San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights to find out which of them won the lottery.
Buffalo, which has had the best chance to win the lottery in three of the last five years are still in it as the Sabres hope to add a franchise changing defenseman to their core of young players including Jack Eichel. The Sabres drafted eighth each of the last two years. They picked second in 2015 when they took Jack Eichel.
Montreal, who had the fourth best chance to get the top pick also won the lottery and will move up. The addition of Dahlin to their defense could help rebuild their blueline after an injury-plagued season by their top defenseman Shea Weber.
Carolina is the biggest surprise as they had the 11th best chance to fall into the top three. The franchise, flooded with quality young defensemen, would only get richer if they end up with the first overall pick.
Regardless of the top pick, there are several other top players that will round out the top three, including forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk.