MONTREAL, P.Q – Now that the dust has settled on the Montreal Canadians overachieving playoff run the team can focus on moving forward and build on their post season success. General manager Pierre Gauthier has already made a major move in this young off-season.
The Canadians playoff MVP Jaroslav Halak was traded to the St. Louis Blues for top offensive prospects Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. This tells you a couple of things. First off it means that former first round draft pick Carey Price will be the starting goaltender in Montreal next year and that this team can’t expect to go to the eastern conference finals or further, relying on five star net minding night in and night out.
If the Habs are going to make a playoff run in the future it will have to be a more balanced attack.
Montreal finished 25th in the league in the goals for department scoring a meager 2.56 per game. Lars Eller should be able to help in that department. Along with Halak becoming a restricted free agent this spring explains why the Canadians moved the 25-year old Slovak.
With goaltending taken care of and most of the team’s defense returning next year along with P.K Subban showing that he is ready to handle a full time job at the NHL level that leaves the Canadians first round draft pick open to address their biggest need. This team thrived on great goaltending and clutch scoring but their top players up front are definitely on the small side and the lack of size will catch up with a team somewhere down the road. Size and scoring are what this club needs.
With the 27th pick in the NHL entry draft the Montreal Canadians take Tyler Pitlick from Minnesota State.
Pitlick stands at 6’2 and 194 lbs. And was born late in the year so he still has some growing to do. His all around game is one of his stand out qualities but will have to prove he can put up numbers with each step up in competition.
Keep your sticks on the ice,
Contact Cam.Gore@prohockeynews.com
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