By J.D. Lagrange, Senior Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
A few days have passed since the Canadiens’ elimination and Marc Bergevin and his staff will be taking a few well deserved days off. Since taking over as General Manager, Bergevin inherited a team that finished dead last in the Eastern Conference and within two short seasons (including one of 48 games due to the lockout), his team was two wins away from making it to the Stanley Cup finals.
PENTICTON, BC. — It is important for Marc Bergevin to wait a bit before making his decisions, insuring that the emotions from the recent elimination don’t cloud his judgement. He will be facing some tough calls, none bigger than the contract negotiations with star defenseman P.K. Subban. As big as Subban’s case might be, there are other important decisions needing to be addressed and today, we’ll look at the pending Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) on the team.
1. Brian Gionta
His leadership, while questioned by some fans that have no idea of the insides of the team, is uncontested in the dressing room, where it counts. The captain is a positive and calming influence on his team and with his excellent work ethics and off-ice maturity, he’s an excellent role model for young players like Brendan Gallagher amongst others. The 35-year-old Rochester, NY, native has clearly stated that he would like to come back and his agent mentioned a few weeks ago that he won’t be seeking anywhere close to the $5 million per season he was getting. Don’t be surprised if Gionta is back next season as he is a character player like Marc Bergevin likes.
2. Andrei Markov
Much is being said about Subban but the General , the man who makes the Habs’ powerplay what it is, is still Markov. Coming off a couple of serious injuries in the past few years, the veteran Russian defenseman played in 81 regular season’s games and appeared in all 17 playoffs’ games for the Canadiens this season. While the 35-year-old has lost a step or two, his vision and his passing abilities are still excellent. He finished the regular season with 43 points and was plus-12, while adding another 10 points in the playoffs. There is little doubt that both parties want to get a deal done but the term of the contract will be tricky. How long do you give him when, in case of injury and/or retirement, his salary stays on the cap for the entire contract?
3. Thomas Vanek
He took a few games to adjust but then got on a tear when placed on the first line with David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty. As a matter of fact, they were one of the most productive lines in the entire NHL after the trade deadline! But something happened in the playoffs and Vanek’s effort (or lack of thereof) forced coach Michel Therrien to demote him, at times all the way to the fourth line. In his post-season meeting with the media, the 30-year-old winger explained his lack of production on chemistry with his new linemates, while still pointing the finger at himself. His regular season’s production likely made Bergevin think about re-signing him but I’m not so sure that he still wants to do so after seeing him being a non-factor in those playoffs. Is he worth the price he’ll be asking for? I doubt it.
4. Francis Bouillon
One would be hard-pressed to find a player with more dedication to his team, one who appreciates more wearing the jersey in Montreal. While he has provided some good help for the past couple of seasons with the Canadiens, Bouillon will be 39 comes October and one would think that there are better options out there. Young Jarred Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu are very close to being NHL ready and could battle for a spot, leaving little to no room for the veteran defenseman. While he has stated wanting to keep playing, he may find that finding work next season will be difficult.
5. Mike Weaver
Many Habs’ fans were questioning Bergevin for this acquisition but few do now. Weaver is a right-handed Josh Gorges, a guy who plays bigger than his size, one with character who will sacrifice his body to block a shot, to make a play. It didn’t hurt that he shoots right and that he was the only defenseman on the Canadiens with Subban. Weaver just turned 36 in May and while Greg Pateryn will make a push to make the big club next season, Bergevin might bring the tenacious veteran back for one more year, as he did with Bouillon in the past.
6. Douglas Murray
Bergevin brought the veteran defenseman in for his physicality and his ability to kill penalties and in those aspects, Murray did his job. He is unfortunately not able to play a regular shift in the NHL however, his foot speed being totally inadequate for the pace of the NHL. It was a low-risk signature but Tinordi or Beaulieu will take over next season. Murray could very well find another team as he’s only 34-years-old.
7. George Parros
Like many others, I was kind of shocked to hear Parros state that he never contemplated retirement after his concussion issues this season. For a fighter, being able to give and take punches is a huge part of the qualifications and I’m not so sure that a team will be willing to risk signing him on, knowing his history. Great guy, he always stood up for his teammates and I strongly believe that had it not been for that fluke accident against Colton Orr, when he hit his chin on the ice, he would have done an even better job for the Canadiens. We can only wish him well as he’s well respected, but it is highly doubtful that Bergevin offers him another contract.
There you have it folks, the UFAs of the Montreal Canadiens this coming summer. I’m anticipating that three of them will be back, and four will be let go. Agree? Disagree?
In the next few days, we’ll look at the team’s needs and what might be available to Marc Bergevin in order to bring his team to the next level. In the meantime, enjoy the Stanley Cup finals!
En français : Agents Libres : Que fera le Canadiens?