What Moves Can the Habs Make to Aid Their Development Plan?
Thursday marks the third day of the Montreal Canadiens development camp and the fourth day of the free-agent market being opened.
There has been significant mention of the Habs' long-term ambitions. Canadiens’ General Manager Kent Hughes has reiterated that the team’s number one priority is the development of the plethora of budding prospects amassed over the past few years.
While it’s a good state of mind to be optimistic about the future, there are still plenty of moves the Canadiens could make during the free-agent period to bolster their roster.
Young Core is Signed… Well, Some of it
The biggest move the Canadiens made on Monday, a.k.a. The start of free agency, was signing their former number-one draft pick and sturdy star forward Juraj Slafkovský to an eight-year extension worth $7.6 million annually.
With that signature, Slafkovský and his first-line teammates, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, are set to remain in Montreal until roughly 2030.
But apart from the top offensive trio, there remain a few singings to be made for other young players who are key to the Habs’ contending window. Namely, on the blue line with Arber Xhekaj having received a qualifying offer, and Kaiden Guhle, who, like Slafkovský, is eligible to sign an extension this summer. The need for a definitive defensive roster for the Habs is crucial given the log jam of blueliners on the depth chart.
The Need for a Consistent Scorer
Caufield had a disappointing goal total last year, at least, by his standards. Twenty-eight goals in 82 games is unfortunately not enough when you’re touted as the scorer on the top line with solid playmakers in Suzuki and Slafkovský. While it’s dangerous to rely on Caufield as if he is a perennial 40-goal scorer, it proves that the Habs would benefit from having a proven scorer on their top two lines.
The bad news for the Canadiens is that the free agent market has dried up since it opened Monday, and the highest touted players—such as Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos—have signed with their new team; (Congratulations again to Nashville).
Where do the Canadiens go from here? Hughes has shown that he’s crafty with finding suitable trades, and the Canadiens do have roughly $10 million of cap space to play with. If the market isn’t there, maybe a swap could land a young enough player who fits into the Habs' contending window. What is more likely, however the team finding a player who can catalyze offence while prospects such as Owen Beck, Ivan Demidov, and Michael Hage develop over the next few seasons.