Deadline Primer: Montreal Canadiens
With the trade deadline now less than two weeks away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?
The Montreal Canadiens got off to a flying start to the season, opening up with a 13-1-1 record and looking like real contenders in the East. They’ve struggled since then (18-19-7), however, and last week switched coaches as Claude Julien replaced Michel Therrien for a second time. While the team is hopeful that the change will spark the team, it’s likely that they’ll be looking to add to their lineup as well for the stretch run.
Record
31-20-8, 1st in Atlantic Division
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$4.1MM – full-season cap hit, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly
Draft Picks
2017: MTL 1st, MTL 2nd, WSH 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, MTL 5th
2018: MTL 1st, CHI 2nd, MTL 2nd, WSH 2nd, MTL 3rd, MTL 4th, MTL 5th, MTL 6th, MTL 7th
Trade Chips
For starters, the Canadiens have five second round picks in the next two drafts as the result of the Lars Eller and Dale Weise deals made last year. Second rounders are often the currency of the deadline so it wouldn’t be shocking to see one or two of those picks move.
Montreal also has several players who are on the fringes of making the NHL on a full-time basis. Those players also are regularly moved in deals for rental players with the seller getting a closer look at a youngster to see if they’ll fit beyond that season so there’s a good chance one or more those players are dealt. GM Marc Bergevin has indicated that their top prospects are unlikely to be dealt, especially for short-term help.
Many analysts have called the Canadiens an ‘all-in’ team this season. If Bergevin does indeed make a big splash or two, players like centres David Desharnais or Tomas Plekanec have been speculated to be traded, primarily as matching salaries if a player with a high salary was to come Montreal’s way.
Five Players To Watch For: RW Sven Andrighetto, LW Daniel Carr, C Jacob de la Rose, C David Desharnais, LW Charles Hudon
Team Needs
1) Top Four, Left Shot Defenseman – While Alexei Emelin has fared relatively well at times alongside Shea Weber on the top pairing, he’s not an ideal fit as Weber is best served playing with a puck mover. Nathan Beaulieu has the skill set to complement Weber but his inconsistent play makes it tough to put him into a top pairing role while Andrei Markov at age 38 simply is too old to handle those types of minutes on a long-term basis.
It’s unlikely that Bergevin will be able to bring in someone signed beyond this season to fit the bill, especially with the expansion draft looming. There are, however, a handful of rental players that may fit in well with Weber. On top of finding a top four option, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Montreal try to add a depth blueliner as they have done a few times at the deadline in recent years.
2) Top Six Center – Alex Galchenyuk has spent a good chunk of the year slotted in as the top line center but there are questions as to the depth behind him. Phillip Danault has exceeded expectations offensively this season but at this point, he isn’t a second line option. Plekanec was supposed to fill that role but he’s in the midst of arguably the worst season of his career while Desharnais, only two years removed from a 48 point season, is on the outside looking in at simply getting in the lineup right now. Basically, if there’s a center that’s available, there’s a good chance that Montreal has at least inquired about the asking price.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Alexander Radulov Seeking Long-Term Deal
On Hockey Night In Canada between the second and third periods in the Ottawa-Toronto game, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet reported that Montreal Canadiens forward Alexander Radulov is seeking a long-term deal that could be up to as many as six years. The Canadiens don’t necessarily want to go that long, but may do it if the AAV drops a bit. 
Kypreos mentioned the possibility of a short-term deal with a much higher salary, even as much as $7MM on a three-year deal. We listed Radulov at #2 on our ranking of the Top Midseason Free Agents, and it’s clear that he would have multiple suitors should he hit the open market again this summer.
For what it’s worth Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz, who maintains a friendship with Radulov from his days in Nashville, recently said that he would be “shocked” if Montreal and the Russian forward didn’t come to some sort of an agreement. Trotz said that Radulov loves it in Montreal, and if he is looking for a long-term deal he may be there for a while yet.
Montreal has a few contracts coming off the books next year, including David Desharnais and Andrei Markov but also will need to re-sign Alex Galchenyuk this summer. While he’s had a very up and down season, hit by injuries and inconsistency, Galchenyuk should get a very substantial upgrade to his current $2.8MM hit, especially if he gives up several free agent years.
Assigning upwards of $6MM per season to a soon-to-be 31-year old for more than five years would be a risky proposition regardless of his excellent production this year. The Canadiens already have Shea Weber on the wrong side of 30 earning a ton of money for a long time (nine more years in fact) and Jeff Petry signed until he’s 34.
It does seem like there is a deal to be worked out between the two sides, after Montreal convinced Radulov to come back from the KHL, but how long and for how many millions is still very much up in the air.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor Transactions: 2/17/2017
The Washington Capitals announced that they have recalled rookies Zach Sanford and Jakub Vrana from the AHL’s Hershey Bears. The pair has combined to play in 33 games for the Capitals in 2016-17, and their continued growth will become even more important down the stretch. Sanford has played in 21 games, but has only a goal and an assist in limited ice time. Vrana has suited up for just 12 games, but has a goal and two assists in that time, as well as a +2 rating. When active, Vrana has seen more ice time with the Capital’s skill players, while Sanford has settled into a bottom-six role. Regardless, both players need to work harder to bring their strong AHL production to the next level in Washington. With Andre Burakovsky sidelined, the Capitals approach the Trade Deadline with very little forward depth beyond their starters other than the two rookies. If Sanford and Vrana can’t pick up the pace when the Caps return from their bye week on Saturday, Washington will very likely target one or two veteran forwards by March 1st.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Arizona was forced to promote goalie Marek Langhamer last night on an emergency basis, as backup Louis Domingue was injured earlier in the day. The AHL Tuscon Roadrunners’ keeper traveled to Los Angeles to meet the team prior to their road game and will head back to Arizona and remain with the team for now. Langhamer hasn’t had his best season in 2016-17, posting a .914 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average to accompany a losing record in 12 games with the Roadrunners, but performed much worse in his first AHL season last year. Langhamer has looked much better down in the ECHL over the past two campaigns and seems to just need more time to develop. He is still a better prospect than many would have expected when he was drafted in the seventh round in 2012 out of the Czech Republic national junior program.
- In the wake of injuries to Olli Maatta and Justin Schultz, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled fellow defensemen Steven Oleksy and Cameron Gaunce from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Maatta will miss the next six weeks, while Schultz’ condition is still unknown, so a long-term role or two may have just opened up for Oleksy, Gaunce, or Chad Ruhwedel.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have promoted forward Gabriel Dumont from the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. Dumont was passed through waivers last month and demoted to the minors, but in need of an extra body up front, he’ll return to West Florida from upstate New York. Dumont has just two points in 14 games with the Bolts, and five points overall in his NHL career.
- The Calgary Flames assigned defenseman Brett Kulak to the AHL’s Stockton Heat, the team announced. Kulak has played in 21 games with the Flames this year, picking up three assists while averaging a little more than 14 minutes per game. He also has suited up in 11 minor league games with the Heat, recording five points.
- Anaheim Ducks blueliner Shea Theodore has once again been re-assigned to their AHL affiliate in San Diego per a team release. This marks the 12th different time he has been sent down this year in an effort to save cap space and to get him as much playing time as possible. In 30 games with the Ducks, Theodore has eight points but has been more of an offensive threat in the minors with nine points in just 13 games.
- The San Jose Sharks continued their near-daily shuffle of youngsters to and from the minor leagues, announcing (via Twitter) that winger Timo Meier and defenseman Tim Heed have been assigned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. Meier has played in 26 games with the Sharks while Heed, despite being recalled eight separate times since January, has played just one NHL game this year.
- The Nashville Predators have flipped backup goalies once again, sending Juuse Saros to AHL Milwaukee while recalled Marek Mazenec, reports Adam Vingan of the Tennessean. The move will allow Saros to get into a game or two in the minors to stay in game shape before likely returning to Nashville next week.
- The Montreal Canadiens announced that they have recalled center Michael McCarron from St. John’s of the AHL. McCarron had been sent down to play while the team was on their bye week. McCarron, who is one of the players Arizona is coveting in a Martin Hanzal trade, has a goal and four assists in 18 games with the Canadiens this season.
- The Winnipeg Jets announced that they recalled winger Brandon Tanev from the Manitoba Moose. Defenseman Toby Enstrom was placed on injured reserve (retroactive to February 12th) to make room on the roster for him. Tanev has spent the bulk of the season with the Jets, playing in 39 games while scoring two goals and two assists.
Friedman’s Latest: Dallas, Colorado, Flyers, MVP
Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman made his weekly appearance on Edmonton radio, and commented on a few topics from around the NHL.
Friedman broke down some potential sellers, saying he could see “a lot of teams throwing themselves at Johnny Oduya” out of Dallas. The Stars have lost six of their last seven games, and are now seven points out of the final wildcard spot. Other names out of Dallas include pending UFAs Patrick Eaves and Patrick Sharp, and “maybe” Ales Hemsky. The latter was expected to be done for the season, but will play again this season according to Mike Heika of the Dallas News.
One of the few clear sellers, the Colorado Avalanche, has set a “very high price” for their players, according to Friedman. However, there may be a wider market than many realized. Friedman listed Pittsburgh among others as unexpected teams calling GM Joe Sakic. Citing GM Jim Rutherford‘s willingness to win now and “sort things out” in the offseason, Friedman speculated that the Penguins could consider moving Olli Maatta as part of a package for Matt Duchene. To be clear, Friedman isn’t suggesting the Penguins have made an offer, simply that they’re interested and Maatta is the kind of player that the Avalanche would be interested in. Another potential suitor for Duchene could be Montreal, but GM Marc Bergevin “doesn’t like the price.”
Former Canadiens forward and Flyers UFA signing Dale Weise will be a healthy scratch in Edmonton tonight; he has just two goals and five points in 46 games after signing a four-year contract worth $2.35MM per season. Friedman pointed out that many players struggle in their first year with a new team, but the Canadiens won’t be interested in re-acquiring Weise at his current term.
Staying in Philadelphia, Friedman said it’s not just Shayne Gostisbehere who “doesn’t look like himself.” The whole team is looking for answers; after their ten-game winning streak earlier this season, they’ve won just eight games of their last 25. Friedman told Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer that several teams scouted Gostisbehere “to death” over the summer, and he hasn’t been able to adjust his style.
It remains to be seen what will happen in the next couple weeks, as the GMs are all playing “one big poker game” leading up to the deadline, according to Friedman.
Trade deadline aside, Friedman chatted about the MVP race this season. With Brent Burns sitting between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby at the top of the scoring race, Friedman predicted a scoring title would guarantee an MVP title for Burns. However, he also said that if Edmonton makes the playoffs, then Friedman “doesn’t know how [he’s] not going to vote for Connor McDavid.”
Another consideration is goal scoring. Both Burns and Crosby are outscoring McDavid considerably, but Friedman pointed out that McDavid has clearly put the Oilers on his shoulders and elevated them to a playoff team.
Claude Julien Discusses New Job, Lineups, Bruins
We’re all still recovering from the Canadiens shocking coaching changes earlier this week. We already heard GM Marc Bergevin discuss the decision to replace Michel Therrien with Claude Julien, and yesterday, we got to hear from the team’s new head coach.
During his conference call, Julien touch on a variety of subjects, including his relationship with the Canadiens organization and his firing by the Bruins’ front office. Thanks to Boston.com, Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette, and Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe, we were able to compile some of those notable quotes below:
On replacing Therrien:
I was a guy that was let go a little over a week ago. I know the feeling of when you’re let go. It’s not a fun feeling, it’s not something that you like to go through. We know how much it affects not just you, but your family. So I certainly want to talk about Mike Therrien, who I know is going through those same feelings right now.
“It’s not easy for me as a coach to come in here knowing that you’re replacing another coach who is going through the same things that you have. Mike is a good coach, I know from coaching against him he’s not an easy coach to try and match lines against, etc., and he’s done a great job there. So I want to wish Mike the best of luck because I know he’s a good coach and I know he’ll bounce back at some point.”
On whether he learned anything during his previous stint in Montreal:
I don’t know if there’s a lesson. I think it’s more about experience. I really didn’t feel even if it was my first job in Montreal … I really never felt that there was an issue as far as media pressure and everything else.
“Am I going to get criticized? Absolutely. There’s no place in this world of hockey that you don’t get criticized. That doesn’t matter to me. I think what matters to me is that I focus on my job, I don’t get bogged down by what some people call white noise. But I feel in my heart that I’m doing the right thing for my team. The rest I can deal with and that’s probably the experience of being in the league for so long that I’ll probably be able to handle even better now the second time around.”
On any game plan changes he may implement:
We’re going to play as a team, we’re going to play with some pace, we’re going to create some pride in all aspects of our game. All the other adjustments system-wise, I’m going make them, but you can’t come in the middle of the season and change everything.”
On his relationship with Bergevin:
He’s a good manager, a good man and it’s important for me to work for good people. I also spoke to (Canadiens owner Geoff) Molson and I realize I’m going to a good organization.”
On getting fired by Boston:
I’d been in the office the day before, really looking to fix things and get us back on the winning track. The next morning, I found out. It’s not a shocker, but I don’t think I was necessarily expecting it.”
Canadiens GM Discusses Coaching Changes
The Canadiens shocked the hockey world yesterday when they fired head coach Michel Therrien and replaced him with the recently-fired Claude Julien. We learned at least one new detail this afternoon, as NHL.com’s Dave Stubbs passes along (via Twitter) that Julien inked a five-year contract (not including this season). This will presumably keep Julien in the organization at least through the 2021-22 season.
Following the Canadiens’ sudden moves, general manager Marc Bergevin met with the media to discuss the drastic changes this afternoon.
Thanks to the Montreal Gazette and Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo.com, we’ve compiled several of his notable remarks below:
On the firing of Therrien:
“Michel and I worked very closely together over the past five years. We fought some big battles and experienced strong emotions together. And above all, we always demonstrated integrity in our dealings with each other and with the Montreal Canadiens organization. Those who know me, I am engaged body and soul with my team. I will never think twice about going down in the trenches and fighting alongside them, players and coaches. This is what I’ve always done with Michel and I will do with Claude and this is why the decision was all the more difficult.”
On the decision to swap coaches:
“I’ve reached the conclusion that we were at a turning point for our team and that’s why I decided to make this change in the club’s best interests. I’m convinced that in hiring Claude Julien we are getting one of the best coaches in the NHL. In my estimation, to this point we have reached, Claude is the best man to help reach our goal. Claude has proved his worth.”
On whether Julien being fired in Boston influenced the firing of Therrien:
“I didn’t make my decision based on how Boston operates…[w]e were at a turning point for our team. We’re just not playing our game. There was something missing.”
Writers, Analysts Weigh In On Julien’s Hire, Therrien’s Exit
Well that was fast. PHR’s Mike Furlano asked yesterday if Michel Therrien was on the hot seat, along with others in the hockey world, and well, it’s obvious now as the Habs canned Therrien and (re) hired Claude Julien for a second stint with the club.
The Canadiens pushed their chips into the middle and are ready to see if Julien can take them further than Therrien. It worked in Pittsburgh when the Pens, half a season removed from a Stanley Cup Final appearance, fired Therrien in favor of Dan Bylsma. The Penguins went on to win the Cup that season.
Here are some thoughts from around the league:
- CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty writes that it’ll be interesting if the Habs gamble works out. Haggerty is surprised that the Bruins would allow Julien to interview in Montreal, in light of the historic rivalry between the teams. However, Haggerty argues that the Bruins have seen an uptick in play since relieving Julien of his post, and that the Habs, in their own right, gain a French-Canadian–which is important to many in the fanbase. What Haggerty loves most is how this should heat up the rivalry even more–which only makes for good hockey.
- USA Today’s Kevin Allen explains that Julien will get the most out of the younger players, and be “more open minded” when it comes to deploying them on the ice. Additionally, adding a coach of Julien’s caliber makes Allen believe that it’ll add a spark. Finally, should he be able to restore Carey Price‘s confidence, Allen believes the Habs are a sleeper in the Eastern Conference.
- Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski indicates that it’s a wonderful opportunity for the Canadiens, and a potentially embarrassing one for the Bruins. The Boston front office has taken its fair share of heat since letting Julien go, especially after fans and analysts wondered aloud if it was the front office to blame for the B’s woes. Should Marc Bergevin trade for more assets, Wyshynski believes this to be a potential curveball in what looked like a one division race for the Eastern Conference crown.
- Wyshynski’s colleague Josh Cooper points out that the Habs hopped on the hiring before anyone could get a chance to acquire Julien’s services. Noting that Julien is considered one of the NHL’s top coaches this decade, it was a no-brainer to swap him in for Therrien as there’s been a noticeable drop off for the Canadiens. But he says the pressure is on Julien to prove that this was indeed, the best move for the organization.
Canadiens Fire Michel Therrien, Hire Claude Julien
Following a recent stretch that saw the team drop 10 of their past 13 games, the Canadiens have decided to make a coaching change. The team announced that they have relieved head coach Michel Therrien of his duties and have hired Claude Julien as his replacement. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweets that the rest of the coaching staff will be retained for the time being.
“I would like to sincerely thank Michel for his relentless work with the Montreal Canadiens over his eight seasons behind the bench, including the last five seasons when we worked together,” said general manager Marc Bergevin. “The decision to remove Michel from his coaching duties was a difficult one because I have lots of respect for him. I came to the conclusion that our team needed a new energy, a new voice, a new direction. Claude Julien is an experienced and well respected coach with a good knowledge of the Montreal market. Claude has been very successful as an NHL coach and he won the Stanley Cup. Today we hired the best available coach, and one of the league’s best. I am convinced that he has the capabilities to get our team back on the winning track.”
Therrien re-joined the organization back in 2012, and he led the team to the playoffs during his first three seasons. However, the team struggled last year, finishing with a .500 record for the first time since the 2011-2012 campaign. Bergevin made several bold moves this past offseason, and the team seemed to have regained their form, starting the campaign with a dominant 13-1-1 record. However, the squad has struggled recently, and despite sitting atop the Atlantic Division, their lead is quickly fading.
There were plenty of whispers that Therrien could find himself on the hot seat, as our own Mike Furland wrote yesterday. A number of teams recently saw an uptick in production following a coaching change, which perhaps added some fuel to the fire in Montreal.
This will be a reunion of sorts for Julien, who coached the Canadiens for 159 games in the early 2000s. The 56-year-old spent much of the past decade in Boston, where he led the team to seven playoff births and a Stanley Cup Championship. However, the Bruins failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and their 26-23 record this season led to Julien’s firing earlier this month. ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that the Canadiens asked the Bruins for permission to interview Julien on Sunday. In a subsequent tweet, LeBrun reports that multiple teams reached out to Boston in hopes that they could secure an interview with their former coach.
Ironically, this is the second time the organization has replaced Therrien with Julien, as the former head coach was replaced by the future Bruins head coach during the 2002-2003 season. Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec are the lone holdovers from Julien’s previous stint with the organization.
Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs, Bruins, Canadiens
For the Maple Leafs, the past calendar year has been one of wild swings. In the last 12 months (and a few days) the team dealt team captain Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa for cap relief, finished last in the NHL, drafted the future face of the franchise and vaulted themselves into playoff contention. In the last few weeks though the team has held on tight as the roller-coaster has tilted up on two wheels.
The team currently sits tied with Philadelphia for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, but has had trouble keeping the puck out of their own net in recent weeks. After two back-to-back shutouts over Calgary and Detroit in late January, the team has allowed 30 goals in eight games and gone 2-4-2. Kristen Shilton of TSN reports on their mediocrity and where the team’s mindset is as they try to turn things around. One of the positive notes has been the play of William Nylander, who after an early season demotion to the fourth line has recharged his defensive tanks and become a leader on a shutdown line with Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov.
The team has no time to settle in though, with a condensed schedule and eight games in the fifteen nights remaining in February. They’ll take on the New York Islanders tomorrow on home ice.
- The Boston Bruins are 3-0 with their new head coach, getting a boost from the new voice of Bruce Cassidy behind the bench. They tore apart their rival Montreal Canadiens last night 4-0 and have put some space between them and the struggling Maple Leafs. Perhaps the coaching move was the right choice, but they’re in for a tough road trip when they come back off their mandated bye-week. The team will hit the road on the west coast with matchups against San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles and Dallas out of the break—a tough schedule for anyone.
- Montreal could do with a little of that coaching magic, writes Michael Traikos of the National Post. While the Bruins surge, the Canadiens flounder at the top of the Atlantic Division, now only six points ahead of the Ottawa Senators despite having played five more games. For what at one point looked like a lock for the top see in the division, Montreal now faces a tough final stretch of games. Traikos opines that Michel Therrien should be fired like his Boston counterpart, despite still holding onto that top seed. For now he remains with the team an they’ll come out of their break against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
- Hopefully they will return with some help, says Ken Campbell of The Hockey News. In his latest column, Campbell examines the Canadiens need for some secondary scoring help behind the top duo of Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov. After Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic and AGM Chris McFarland were seen in attendance at the Bruins-Habs matchup on Sunday, hope sprung in Montreal about a possible addition of one of the two young players on the Avalanche trade-block. Both Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog would provide a nice punch to the second line for the Habs, though the asking price remains as high as ever.
Is Michel Therrien On The Hotseat?
Fresh off a 4-0 loss to longtime rivals the Boston Bruins last night, questions swirl about whether Montreal Canadiens coach Michel Therrien is the right man for the job. And with the Canadiens entering their bye week, the focus will be entirely on management to address the current state of the Canadiens.
After starting the season 13-1-1, the Canadians have slowly let their Atlantic Division lead slip away. That slow decline hastened in February, where the Canadiens have not yet won a game in regulation. They are 1-5-1, with that sole win coming in overtime against the 29th overall Arizona Coyotes. They still sit atop the Atlantic, but the Ottawa Senators—currently 3rd in the Atlantic—actually have a better win percentage due to playing less games.
GM Marc Bergevin made bold moves this summer to realign his team for a playoff run. He traded away P.K. Subban for Shea Weber, and acquired Andrew Shaw and Alexander Radulov. With that level of investment, Bergevin will not be happy with a first-round exit. And if the playoffs started today, the Canadiens would face the New York Rangers (due to the crossover rule), a team with three more points than the Canadiens in the standings.
Further complicating things for coach Therrien is that the three most recent NHL teams to fire their coach are experiencing a drastic improvement. The New York Islanders are 8-2-2 after firing Jack Capuano. The St. Louis Blues are 5-1 after Ken Hitchcock was let go. Closest to home, though, is that the Boston Bruins are 3-0 since firing Claude Julien. Montreal management may feel the need to cut bait with enough time to install a new head coach that can lead the Canadiens to the promised land. Sometimes hastily firing your coach is a short-sighted move, but then again, the 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup after firing Therrien right around this time that season.