Now that David Savard has announced that he is retiring. There will be a spot open on the Canadiens blueline. If I were them I would look for a second-pairing defenseman. They need a boost on the blueline for sure. I’m sure this isn’t a new notion but it’s something that can be corrected.
David Reinbacher needs to play a full season in Laval. That should be the plan next year. He’s young and hasn’t played enough professional hockey to put him in the starting lineup. There’s time for that.
I would go after Vladislav Gavrikov. He’s a second-pairing defenseman with an active stick and he would be a good complement to upgrade the Canadiens’ defense. He has some offense in his game and 150 blocked shots too. He got 30 points this year and that’s something that would be welcomed.
Gavrikov is averaging over 23 minutes a night for the Los Angeles Kings. That’s a lot of playing time. He’s currently 29, so I would offer him a two-year contract. He is currently making $5.875, with a rise in the cap, I would offer him two years at 6.25 million. If you get him, you get him. If not, you gave it a shot without overpaying him.
If the UFA market isn’t great, then try and trade for an RFA defenseman who a team can’t afford to sign. I haven’t identified any of those players yet, but I plan to down the road. Come July, the Canadiens should be off and running trying to upgrade the team.