by Christopher Nardella, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
POINTE CLAIRE, QC. — On Tuesday morning David Desharnais skated along with his teammates at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. Desharnais and P.K. Subban were wearing light blue no-contact jerseys as they both work to recover from their injuries.
Few players have been as polarizing as Desharnais in Montreal: on the receiving end of superfluous praise as well as sharp vitriol through his five seasons in Quebec’s hockey mecca. The former ECHL scoring leader never far from criticism, both unwarranted and justified, has been the facsimile of the Canadiens struggles this season with his pre-injury Californian-esque dry spell so execrable that he was moved up the lineup. Whether it’s his embodiment of an insecurity pervasive among the Canadiens fan base, the blatant mismanagement of a player constantly berated with negativity or his own failure expedited by his situation, David Desharnais’ state in the Habs organization is certainly a compelling one.
For the majority of his career as a member of his boyhood team, Desharnais has been the subject of spurn from certain members of the Canadiens fan base partially due in part due to his inhibition of the team’s prized offensive possession. Prior to his injury, Desharnais’s presence, him being in favour with Michel Therrien, inhibited the development of Alex Galchenyuk. The large majority of the Canadiens fan base has the idealistic but justifiable perception that Galchenyuk is the answer down the middle. However, a subsequent disdain towards Desharnais appears due to him taking up a prime spot on the top line.
@CanonKevy @tifferharle @AllHabs The biggest problem with the Habs right now is Desharnais taking Galchenyuk's place at C That's on Therrien
— Yeah Buddy! (@Matt88x) January 26, 2016
As much as the Canadiens have spoken about taking steps towards increasing their size, they’ve also acquired Paul Byron and Philip Danault this season to go along with the likes of Daniel Carr and Sven Andrighetto who joined the team this season. Being perpetually a team brimming with undersized players over the years has been a thorn in the side of fans. Such is the case with the Laurier-Station, Quebec native who is listed at a very generous 5-feet-7-inches and 170 pounds. Despite his previous success, It is understandable that a small player like Desharnais, occupying the number one centre position, is a target for criticism from the fanbase.
@xCoreyDx @AllHabs anyone who knows hockey knows dd is no longer nhl caliber. Only the fool therrien can't see it
— LT (@eltee22) February 18, 2016
Over the past three seasons Desharnais has been a mainstay in the team’s top-five in points and assists. Now, whether that is a direct result of spending the majority of the season with Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher is up for debate. In 2013-14, the centreman was second on the team in assists, third on the team in points and had a better point per game than P.K. Subban, who was second. The next season he was fifth on the team in points with 48 and only trailed P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov in assists with 34.
To retreat back to my original point of antagonism, the previous argument unravels relatively quickly when you take a closer look at Desharnais’ stats. Since the beginning of the 2012-13 season, his percentage of secondary assists is second in the NHL at 47 per cent (49 out of 105.) That’s the team’s second highest percentage behind P.K. Subban, who is currently fifth in the NHL in assists. However that stat has a different connotation when it comes to defenceman as it is attributed, at least in part, to zone exits that result in goals. The proposition that secondary assists are somehow inconsequential is incorrect. However, there is something to be said for a player who banks almost half of his assists in a secondary role.
When quoting DD's point totals be mindful of the high %age of 2nd assists. Primary point % 2014-15 from Puckalytics pic.twitter.com/4VNsvSrd8I
— All Habs (Canadiens) (@AllHabs) February 11, 2016
When sentences are uttered so frequently such as ‘The Canadiens can’t win a Cup with David Desharnais as their number one centreman’ it is often misconstrued as the player not having much value in another setting (which was proven to be untrue this season.) The problem is that players such as Lars Eller and Michael McCarron have much more value at the third line centre position. When Desharnais isn’t going offensively, which has been frequent this season, he doesn’t provide much else, whereas Eller brings defensive viability and some physicality. McCarron brings aggression, intimidation and a needed presence.
With the Eller’s versatility to play the wing, and Mike McCarron and Philip Danault being groomed to play down the middle, it seems that Desharnais’ days as a member of the Montreal Canadiens are numbered. Desharnais has one-year remaining on his contract with a $3.5 million cap hit that sits eighth in highest average annual value on the Canadiens.
@lescooter @AllHabs Have young players such as McCarron, Andrighetto, Carr, & Matteau made players such as Flynn, Mitchell, DD, disposable?
— Matt Smith (@Snakebite350) March 14, 2016
Whether it comes via buyout or trade, it would be tough to see the diminutive centreman on the roster come next season. The emergence of McCarron as a member of the Habs’ top-nine, Daniel Carr, Jacob De La Rose and Sven Andrighetto vying for a spot next season and the superfluous acquisitions of the likes of Danault, Stefan Matteau, Paul Byron, Lucas Lessio and Mike Brown have made not only made David Desharnais expendable, but unnecessary.