By Blain Potvin, Staff Writer, All Habs Magazine
HALIFAX, NS. — What was the main difference between this year’s debacle of a season and last year’s dominant regular season campaign? Goals allowed. The difference between two years comes down to a difference of 47 goals: 236 allowed in 2015-’16 compared to 189 the year before.
The result: 16 more losses.
Simply having Carey Price return next season healthy could cut the goals allowed by 30 or more, theoretically making Montréal a playoff team again. However, to truly improve this team and support Price, Marc Bergevin’s number one priority this offseason will have to be adding scoring to the second and third lines. Last week, I looked at an option for the third line. Below, we will explore potential solutions for the second line.
Some fans may say, ‘stay the course’ or ‘be patient’ but the one telling statistic that shows scoring is the teams missing puzzle piece to contention is goals for. Comparing this dismal season to the previous 110-point campaign, Montreal scored the exact same number of goals: 221. Having another 20-goal scorer in the lineup may have been enough to provide a boost to the power-play, which may had been enough to add an additional 14 points to the Canadiens total.
That would have been enough for the last wildcard position in the East.
Knowing that the organization lacks immediate help from within to fill a top six role, Marc Bergevin must be looking to make a trade or to acquire a player via free agency to improve his team. In his season ending press conference, Bergevin mentioned that he was unsuccessful improving the team through the trade route despite making offers that he found over the top. So can we assume that he is more likely to go to the free agency route?
This summer looks to have a bumper crop of top six forwards looking for new addresses. Here are a few of the potential Bergevin targets.
Andrew Ladd, LW, Chicago Blackhawks
30 years old | 6-3, 200 lbs. | $4,400,000
With the Chicago Blackhawks having salary cap issues next season, retaining Andrew Ladd may prove difficult. That could mean that Ladd, a top six left-winger, who is already a grizzled veteran with two Stanley Cup rings may hit the open market. He has all the hallmarks of a Bergevin style player: size, leadership, character, work ethic and skill.
Ladd’s skills would slot into a second line left wing position perfectly. His experience would also be invaluable in the dressing room supporting the young leadership core. Ladd would likely would be looking for a raise on his $4.4M salary and a five or six year deal, similar to Ryan Kesler numbers (six years, $6.8M average annual value.) A weak statistical performance in the first round of the playoffs may lessen his demands into Bergevin’s range.
Kyle Okposo, RW, New York Islanders
28 years old | 6-0, 217 lbs. | $2,800,000
Another player that may reach July 1st in search of a new home is Kyle Okposo. The 2006 seventh overall pick of the New York Islanders will be looking for a pay raise on a long term deal this summer if he cannot get satisfaction from Garth Snow in Brooklyn. Okposo has great skating ability, a heavy shot and loves to play in the dirty areas of the ice to score. His defensive game is not his best asset, but is serviceable. His strength is in his offensive game.
Okposo has had injuries in the past and his style of play does lend itself to the possibility for more. Yet this shouldn’t be a major concern. Okposo is currently earning $2.8M and would be looking for a substantial raise on a long term deal. It would not be unreasonable for him to demand six to seven million dollars per season.
Alex Radulov, RW, CSKA Moscow (KHL)
29 years old | 6-1, 205 lbs. | $9,200,000
From the out of left field, we find right winger Alex Radulov. The scoring is out there. He has excellent puck control and playmaking ability, but his best weapon is a powerful and accurate wrist shot that he is capable of firing while at top speed. He has game breaking speed and ability but has been inconsistent.
Radulov bolted to the KHL in 2008 in search of a better paying contract than the Nashville Predators were prepared to offer. Once his KHL season ended in 2012, he returned briefly to play for the Predators and was notoriously made a healthy scratch along with Andrei Kostitsyn after they were caught clubbing the night before an afternoon game.
Has Radulov left his hard partying ways behind? If so, he could be an excellent fit on Montreal’s second line based solely on his skill level. In my opinion, his contract demands are likely to be a short term deal at about five million per season.
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This summer will define the Canadiens for many years. Will Bergevin add another piece to the puzzle to augment a talented and youthful core? Or will the Canadiens GM stay the course, opting to wait for the development of players he drafted to fill the void?