Are you ready to add some more Russian fire power to this blueline? Andrei Markov’s inability to skate with speed and Alexei Emelin’s erratic play could mean that the young Mikhail Sergachyov of the Windsor Spitfires might just scratch that need for a talented Russian on defence.
The blueline is an area that the Habs vary considerably in terms of their depth at different levels. They have a pretty full group of NHL’ers but their minor league and junior/college options are spots where there is room for considerable improvement.
The draft and free agency are quickly approaching. Marc Bergevin and his staff will be putting together their offseason shopping lists and as we like to do at this time of year, we look at what they have at each position. We start with the goalies.
The Habs had several junior-aged players under contract this past season. All but one of them failed to suit up with the Canadiens during the year and each one of them will see their contract slide back a year as a result. Here is a look at which prospects qualified and how their cap hit will be changed.
The Habs inked one of their more promising offensive prospects on Wednesday as they announced the signing of Slovak winger Martin Reway to a three year, entry level contract. The deal carries a cap hit of $706,667 plus performance bonuses that could push it to $853,333.
With the dust on the season now settled, it’s time to take a look at some of the Habs’ prospects who saw their stocks rise throughout the year and others who went in the opposite direction.
Michael McCarron was one of many youngsters who got a look with the Habs late in the year. He held his own and there’s no denying that he brings some needed elements to the table. Was that enough to make our writers want him to start in the NHL in 2016-17?
The Habs got one of their better prospects officially under contract on Sunday as the team announced that they have signed Finnish forward Artturi Lehkonen to a three year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
While the IceCaps failed to make the playoffs this season, there were some standout offensive performances that provide some cause for optimism. Our grades conclude with a final look at St. John’s forwards.
The IceCaps missed the playoffs in their first of two seasons as Montreal’s AHL affiliate. Despite the poor final result, there were some pleasant surprises this season. Here are our fourth quarter and final grades, starting with the goalies and defencemen.