Montreal Canadiens Will Not Deviate From Their Plan, But Will Upgrade Their Center Position
Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun was on TSN Radio in Toronto and was asked about the Montreal Canadiens and their plan moving forward, and whether they will deviate from their current plan of drafting and developing because they had a taste of the playoffs.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
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Bryan Hayes: “We couldn’t get to six for the Montreal Canadiens. Couldn’t get past Washington last night. They’ve had a remarkable season, but I’m curious to see what the reaction to this series will be. Because they would not be if they do go down this road, would not be the first team to look at a scenario like the one we just witnessed and say, we need way more size. We need toughness and we can’t allow the opponent like Washington to bully us.
But that might deviate from their plan in terms of building and bringing in kids, and how they draft and how they develop. I guess what I’m going to ask you, or what I am asking you, Pierre, is, do you think that five-game series against Washington changes how they build, starting this summer in Montreal?”
Pierre LeBrun: “I don’t think it will. I think the idea that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton had about their next step here with this team is still what they’re going to look at, Bryan, and yeah, they were definitely physically intimidated in that series. But I don’t think that’s the reason they lost. They lost because they were the inferior team, and that’s fine. Eight against one, their number one need, and also was glaring in that series, is they need a second line center.
And they were mostly a one-line team, five-on-five in that series, a really good top line, of course, led by (Nick) Suzuki. But they need to go find another top-six center, in his mid-20s, and that’s going to be the priority for Kent Hughes. I think, in that front office, easier said than done, because, by the way, it’s also a big need for Vancouver Canucks, same type of player, big need for the Calgary Flames.
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So going to find that player is going to be difficult. All of which is why it’s still perplexing to me that the (Buffalo) Sabers found it necessary to trade Dylan Cozens at the trade headline, not wait till this summer. By the way, because I think that that could have been an unbelievable option for Dylan Cozens, that the Sabers were still intent on moving them, but good for Ottawa for jumping ahead of the train on that one.
But no, I think, I think the Habs need will stay the same, Bryan. I think, I think one of the concerns that I would have if I were the Habs is how much younger they’re going to get. Because Joel Armia is a UFA, Christian Dvorak is a UFA, and David Savard just retired.
There’s a chance that they were already the youngest team to make the playoffs. It could be even younger come opening night next fall.”
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