Montreal Canadiens Need To Steer Clear Of Kris Letang
Marco D’Amico of Montreal Hockey NOW: Simply, Kris Letang is not getting any younger. Though the Montreal Canadiens do need an established veteran defensive presence. Letang is a player who will fetch too much salary (maybe $7 million plus AAV) in free agency. That’s a problem.
Yes, Letang is a right-handed shooting defenseman that Kent Hughes covets. It is not a secret what Montreal needs. After all, they have plenty. However, this inhibits financial flexibility which is essential.
“Our priority will be to put our youngsters in the right environment to develop,” said Hughes during his exit interviews regarding his plan to fill out his roster, especially on defence, next year. “Bringing in three rookies to play on our defensive brigade for a full 82-games is not a risk we’re going to take.”
Though leadership is needed, Hughes feels he can bring in stopgaps instead of longer term albatrosses. The key for the general manager is to spend but not overspend. This sounds crazy but flexibility as a short and longer-term goal while developing prospects. That is the goal.
Could Kevin Fiala Walk Through The Montreal Canadiens’ Door?
Jimmy Murphy of Montreal Hockey NOW: Can Montreal find a way to entice Kevin Fiala to come to Montreal? One thing is for certain. Patrice Bergeron is not signing north of the border. Bergeron believes it is Boston or retirement.
Fiala presents an intriguing possibility. He is a younger player on a career season. Montreal cannot go after the five-star free-agent players like Evgeni Malkin or Nazem Kadri. That is not going to happen. Montreal possesses enough trade commodities to entice Bill Guerin and the Minnesota Wild at least.
Does that mean a move will happen? Certainly not. After all, even with Minnesota’s current cap conundrum. Guerin has a few ways to get out of his current bind. Another player may be Matt Dumba, if Fiala should be out of reach. Maybe Dumba is the one more attainable.