Habs News: Montreal Canadiens, Eric Staal, Cole Caufield, Marc Bergevin, Dominique Ducharme

ROCKET SPORTS MEDIA | LAVAL, QC. — The Canadiens were hours away before puck drop at the Bell Centre last Monday, when the names of Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Armia appeared on the National Hockey League’s (NHL) list of players unavailable due to COVID protocols.

The NHL announced approximately 30 minutes before puck drop that the match against the Oilers was cancelled, and the following day, the league announced that the team’s games through Sunday were postponed.

Marc Bergevin confirmed that one of the players tested positive to a COVID-19 variant, and the second player was placed on the league’s list due to close contact. The general manager didn’t want to comment whether a staff member has tested positive. As a result, we can draw our own conclusions.

If there’s no new positive tests on Monday, the team’s facilities in Brossard will be able to re-open in the afternoon for practice. The NHL announced a modified schedule that impacted all the teams in the Scotia North Division, except Canucks.

The organization sent exercise equipment to players homes, and Dominique Ducharme hosted virtual meetings to keep the players sharp during the time off.

Revised Schedule

Bergevin said that the pause has benefits and drawbacks. The positives include that Tyler Toffoli, the team’s leading goal scorer, will miss less games due to the postponements. Same applies to Ben Chiarot, who is expected to return sooner than the original announced timeline according to Bergevin.

The downside is that the Canadiens will be rusty following a week without any action, and will likely have only one practice before their first match. Bergevin said that they had no choice but to deal with this reality.

When the NHL introduced the bye-week in the 2016-17 season, the teams that were facing opponents who weren’t also coming off the bye struggled immensely. The record for teams coming off the bye week was 8-14-4, which represents a winning percentage of 30.7 percent.

Another downside will be the further condensed schedule that the Canadiens will have for the balance of the season. If there are no more modifications to the schedule, Montreal will play 25 games in 43 days to finish the season.

Bergevin’s Bluff

Bergevin has tendency of lowering expectations especially when it comes to trades. ‘It’s too hard,’ ‘no one trades centres,’ ‘that works on PlayStation,’ are some of common terms that we’ve heard from the general manager in the past.

“We have no cap space. It’s money in, money out. Expectation to do something at the deadline, it’s probably very unlikely,” Bergevin said during a videoconference on Thursday from his kitchen. ‘Money in, money out’ is the new term to add to the list.

The next day, he got his hands on Eric Staal from the Sabres in exchange for a third and a fifth round draft pick in this year’s draft. Buffalo also retained half of Staal’s salary in the deal.

The Canadiens have acquired centre Eric Staal from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for 3rd and 5th round picks in the 2021 NHL Draft.#GoHabsGohttps://t.co/6899ER5enC

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 26, 2021

“Some trades take a long time, while some trades are quicker. This one came really fast. What I said was true at the time, not that I wasn’t looking, but I didn’t think it was going to happen,” Bergevin explained on Saturday.

Technically, he did say on Thursday not to expect something at deadline. Friday was over two weeks away from the April 12th deadline, therefore he passes my lie detector test.

Stanley Cup Winner

I think it’s a good gamble for the Canadiens to add Staal for what he can bring to the club. Bergevin said that at least two other teams were interested in acquiring the veteran. If that’s the case, I’m surprised the Sabres weren’t able to get more in exchange.

Eric Staal adds experience and depth down the middle. The Canadiens were one injury away from the centre spot becoming an area of weakness. It almost came true in Calgary earlier this month, when Phillip Danault played through the game with an injury.

“Looking at the way our team was performing, the centre position was a little bit vulnerable in terms of experience. Being able to get a player like Eric Staal, he isn’t the same player he was when he was 25, but he has a lot of experience,” Bergevin said.

“He brings a lot to the table. He’s excited to come to Montreal. He’s a Stanley Cup winner as well. It’s no accident that we’ve brought in players who’ve won Cups in the past.”

Eric Staal becomes the sixth Stanley Cup winner that the Bergevin has acquired since the end of the 2019-20 season. The others are Jake Allen, Joel Edmundson, Tyler Toffoli, Corey Perry, and Michael Frolik. This isn’t a coincidence.

“It feels a little surreal, to be honest. I’ve played in this building many times and had some really fun games and competitive games. This is the best atmosphere in the League by far, and now to be joining the group and joining the whole city, being a Montreal Canadien is pretty phenomenal,” Stall said on Sunday.

Staal’s Role

Dominique Ducharme won’t need to make any lineup decisions involving Staal until the weekend. Staal arrived in Montreal on Sunday, and has to complete a mandatory seven-day quarantine before joining the team. On Friday, the Canadian government approved to reduce the quarantine period from 14 to seven days for the NHL.

Staal will be a regular in the Canadiens lineup, and I expect that he will be playing a role similar to Corey Perry. On top of the power play, Perry normally starts the match on the fourth line, and then receives additional ice time depending on the game situation.

“I told [Dominique Ducharme and Marc Bergevin] that I just want to win, I want to be out there and win and be competitive, and try to help our group win games, wherever that is in the lineup,” said the veteran.

“I feel like I’ve got some games left in me and that I can be a contributor. Wherever they have me start, I will work as hard as I can to make sure that I’m out there more than not. It’s about trying to win games. That’s what I’m here for and looking forward to.”

Caufield Signs

On Saturday, the Canadiens agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract (2020-21 to 2022-23) with Cole Caufield. Caufield will report to Laval once he completes the mandatory quarantine period.

Caufield’s NCAA season ended on Friday, when the Wisconsin Badgers were eliminated by Bemidji State in the first round of the NCAA men’s hockey tournament. He led all skaters in the Big Ten division in 2020-21 with 52 points in 31 games, and led the NCAA in goals.

https://twitter.com/BadgerMHockey/status/1375988935118233603?s=20

“He’s a player with exceptional talent,” Bergevin said on Caufield prior to the announcement. “That being said, it’s a big jump between the NCAA and the NHL.”

“He’s had great progression over the two years. Rob Ramage has been following him, and guiding him. He’s had a good coach in college too, well experienced NHL player. It’s time for him, he wanted to be pro,” Rocket coach Joel Bouchard said on Sunday.

The two exchanged text messages, and will speak on Monday. “He’s passionate, he wants to score goals, he wants to be out there, so it’s just positive for him to come.”

Bouchard has worked with Jake Evans, Ryan Poehling, and Cayden Primeau, after they turned pro from the NCAA. He said that one of the main adjustments for players from college is the workload.

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By Chris G., Senior Writer
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