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What to Expect from the Captain |
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A Healthy Gionta Helps Habs
Having registered 65 goals in 174 regular season games as a member of the Montreal Canadiens over the past three seasons, Brian Gionta has been a consistent goal scorer. When healthy.
Missing a total of 52 games last season due to injury, a major reason the Habs floundered in the second half was due in part to missing their captain, one of their more reliable goal scorers.
A team without their captain, let alone a guy who can produce 30 goals in a healthy season, is a team in trouble. Of course, there were plenty of other issues plaguing the Canadiens last year, but the absence of Gionta was one of the more important ones as, once he was out for the season, things really started to unravel.
Nevertheless, with a new CBA we have a new season, and with Gionta fully recovered from a career threatening bicep tear, it's time to see what he's got left and just how much of a difference he can help make.
Set to be paired with Tomas Plekanec and Rene Bourque (or perhaps Alex Galchenyuk), the captain's speed and tenacity should help free up space for his linemates. Not counting what Galchenyuk may bring to that line, or the team for that matter, and focusing on Gionta, it should be recognized that his return will tremendously boost the Habs secondary scoring.
As we all remember, last season's top line of Patches-DD-Cole carried the majority of Montreal's offense, if not all of it. And despite relying on Plekanec and his line for contributions, thanks to Gionta's injury and the Cammalleri for (injured) Bourque trade, the Habs Czech centerman simply became over-burdened with trying to be the entire second line all on his own.
Shifting focus to Plekanec's other injured winger, Rene Bourque, he too seems to be healthy and ready to make amends for his minimal contributions in his Habs debut. Looking to also add some scoring to the mix, Bourque remains the biggest question mark of the second line, but rather than considering what he may bring to that line, I prefer to focus on the idea of what a healthy Plekanec and Gionta may do for him?
Given that Gionta is Montreal's captain, there really won't be much questioning of his heart or dedication to the team. Same goes for Plekanec as there should be no Habs fan out there unfamiliar with the life-long Canadiens Center and what he brings to the ice. But Bourque is different, and vulnerable as a result. Should he not produce, or even out-perform the rookie, what is to become of him?
Throwing a monkey wrench into what we should expect of Montreal's second line is what old-now-new head coach Michel Therrien has in store for them?
While we can expect that Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta is likely to be the team's second line, we can't necessarily be sure the coach sees it the same way.
We also don't know how Galchenyuk will skew his perspective on things (not to mention, ours!).
Yet dialing back to the original focus of this piece, a major factor in keeping the Montreal Canadiens from repeating as Eastern Conference cellar-dwellers will depend on just how much of an impact a healthy Brian Gionta can make.
Should he return to form as the 28/29 goal scorer he was in his first two years as a Hab, not only will the Habs have the requisite secondary scoring they need to challenge for a playoff spot, but - and this is contingent on his ability to put pucks in the net like he used to - they will become a better team with their captain back.
A healthy Gionta should be able to contribute in the neighbourhood of 15 goals (if we're lucky, more) in a 48 game season, and those 15 goals will go a long way in changing the outcome of games for the Canadiens. As mentioned, his speed - even now, despite his age - still remains one of his main facets. Soft hands and an eye for those small openings between a goaltenders pad and glove bring another level of danger to Montreal's offense.
Best of all, should he remain healthy, he will be able to provide the Habs with two scoring lines. This, in itself, is extremely valuable as it will keep the opposition from solely focusing on the Canadiens top line.
Then there is his experience as a veteran and as the leader of this team. His presence will elevate the compete level of the club and, should he mesh with Therrien, will force the Habs to be a more intense team. A bonus will come in the form of how he will affect rookies like Brendan Gallagher and fellow American (and possible linemate), Alex Galchenyuk. We're all well aware of the Gallagher-Gionta comparisons, so it should be very interesting to see what kind of positive influence he will have on the Vancouver Giants all-time leading scorer. And, of course, there is Galchenyuk. Fresh off capturing Gold at the WJC with Team USA, it's very likely his fellow American captain (and former member of Team USA) will help him in his transition to the pro levels.
Side-tracking a bit, I am also curious to see what kind of embrace Galchenyuk gets from other US stars like Erik Cole, Max Pacioretty and Scott Gomez (though we all know his star status is rather faded)? As a matter of fact, you have to wonder if Team USA won't be keeping an eye on potential chemistry between Pacioretty and Galchenyuk as they could very well find themselves playing together in Socchi in 2014 (pending NHL participation...). Ok, side-track over.
Finally, following up on the curiosity of what guys like Prust and Armstrong will bring to the Habs bottom six, it will be just as interesting to see how things play out on the second line.
Though hopes are by no means through the roof for the Canadiens to do much damage this season, in a shortened year, anything is possible. And with the Habs appearing to be a much more well-rounded club, the most interesting question of all will be, will all these changes and additions mesh together to actually provide Montreal with the two balanced scoring lines and pair of gritty bottom lines they now seem to have on paper?
Michel Therrien will play a big role in answering these questions. So too will health.
But, as it stands now, among the many changes to this 2013 squad, the return of their captain may prove to be the biggest.
www.twitter.com/StevenHindle
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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