Hockey fans in Montreal were calling for GM Marc Bergevin’s head after he failed to upgrade their top-six forward group at last year’s NHL trade deadline. A first-round playoff exit at the hands of the New York Rangers hasn’t made things any better. Factor in P.K. Subban’s role in the Nashville Predators run to the Western Conference Finals and it seems like tensions are reaching a peak level for the Canadiens. Bergevin will have his work cut out for him this offseason as he attempts to put together a Stanley Cup contender. Here is a look at the Canadiens offseason plan.
3 Things The Canadiens Have To Work On
1. Find Top-Six Scorers
Size was the focus for Bergevin at the NHL trade deadline this past season. Montreal added Dwight King, Andreas Martinsen, Steve Ott and Jordie Benn. However, Bergevin failed to address the club’s biggest need, which is its lack of scoring. Max Pacioretty was the lone 30-goal scorer for the Canadiens. Paul Byron scored 22 while Alexander Radulov scored 18 goals. Radulov and Byron combined for three goals against New York in the playoffs. Pacioretty was held without a goal despite leading Montreal with 28 shots on goal. There is no doubt that the Canadiens will need to upgrade their top-six forward group in order to take that next step towards becoming Stanley Cup contenders. Radulov is a free agent and could command a hefty raise so it will be interesting to see how Bergevin responds. Montreal might test the free agent waters to find some scoring help. However, finding a trade partner might still be the best route to upgrading up front. The Canadiens could use at least two top-six forwards that can help boost their scoring numbers. That has to be Bergevin’s top priority this offseason.
2. Keep Defense Core Intact
Shea Weber will continue to anchor Montreal’s defense core after he was acquired in the Subban trade last summer. Jeff Petry, Alex Emelin and Benn are all under contract through the 2017-18 season. Bergevin will want to bring back veteran Andrei Markov but it will have to be for less than the $5.75 million he made last season. Nathan Beaulieu and Nikita Nesterov are both RFA’s so it will be interesting to see the number Montreal is able to lock them up at. Benn was solid after joining the team so he gives Bergevin some flexibility. The Canadiens defense core was solid this past season and they could get a boost with the pending arrival of top prospect Mikhail Sergachev if he is ready. The ninth-overall pick from the 2016 NHL Draft is ready for the NHL and he should solidify a deep defense core in Montreal.
3. Decide What’s Next For Galchenyuk
The Canadiens spent most of the year with Alex Galchenyuk at center. There is no doubt about his offensive talent. However, his lack of strength and faceoff struggles was a major issue. Now Bergevin and his staff needs to decide what’s next for the young star. Galchenyuk is a restricted free agent this offseason but the Canadiens can’t afford to pay him much more than the $2.8 million he made this past year. Galchenyuk scored just 17 goals and 44 points this past season, which represented a step back after he scored 30 goals and recorded 56 points the year before. Galchenyuk is still just 23-years-old. However, he might not be the perfect fit as a top line center in Claude Julien’s system. Bergevin needs to decide what’s next for Galchenyuk and whether or not the Canadiens are in a position to commit to him long term.
Key Free Agents
The hockey fans in Montreal are waiting anxiously to see if Bergevin is able to lock up Radulov before he becomes a UFA on July 1st. Radulov was the Canadiens most exciting player to watch and is clearly their most skilled forward. That puts Bergevin in a tough spot since he clearly wants to bring back Radulov at a position of need but at what price? Galchenyuk is the most important restricted free agent decision Bergevin will need to deal with this offseason. The 2012 first-round pick is an RFA but Montreal might not be able to afford giving him a raise if they want to contend now. Bergevin should be able to convince Markov to return at a reasonable price. The Canadiens might want to bring back Ott based on the toughness he provided for them down the stretch and in the playoffs. However, it’s unlikely they bring back King or Brian Flynn as unrestricted free agents this offseason.
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