Allow me a moment to provide you with some Canadiens content in the dog days of summer.

This summer we have seen GM Bergevin work to address the size and toughness issues that have been quite apparent for some time. It's obvious the Canadiens have some quality skill in the line up but when the whistles break in the Post Season Dance there aren't many on the team that can keep the opposition honest.

The change started last season with the big contract sent to Prust (worth every penny), but he had to fight the battle alone. Once he wrecked his shoulder and Emelin went down the team went down faster than Pamela Anderson on a tropical vacation.

This offseason Bergevin traded for Parros, low skill but large enforcer/man/character/mustache. I liked this signing because: a) I'm a Canadiens fan, and b) Moen doesn't seem to strike much fear in the opposition anymore. Then he drafts the highest rated, humongous forward available in McCarron and gets him to take the OHL route (awesome) to fast track his development. I, personally, was hoping to get Erne but I understand what the reasoning was here. Montreal needs size up front and he believes the Canadiens can develop him into a top 6 forward. With 2 more picks in close proximity after that, he took a swing for a home run then grabbed a couple steals with the next two picks.

Now, we see a team with a bonafide enforcer, a gutsy secondary enforcer that chips in offensively, and a hopeful top 6 project that could reach 6'6". Seems like the right track for a team that is trying to get tougher to take liberties against.

But there was the elephant in the room that people were hoping would go unnoticed sitting behind a 6'6" rookie in Tinordi, and that elephant is Emelin and the powerful physical presence he provided. Aside from Subban, who is trying to become a man-mountain, there is no one that can lay the body on guys and force teams to slow up at the blue line or dump it in out of fear. Not to mention the PK responsibility. For me, this was the biggest and most important hole on the team. Yes, I wanted one of Vinny or Danny to come to Montreal on a white Stead descending from the heavens to save our team and silence the separatists, but we really REALLY needed to get a punishing hitter for the bottom 2 pairings that can hit, block shots, clear the net, and kill penalties. There's no giant marquee for those players, they are the role players that no one wins without.

As we entered the dog days of summer there were 2 names that fit the position described above: Murray and Hainsey. Both large, both D first, both physical. The fact that Murray took a relatively low contract that doesn't handcuff the team and gives them cap flexibility next year is a good sign that Murray liked what the Bergevin was selling. Murray is a very, very comparable player to Emelin except that Murray will fight, if needed. Emelin can't because of the previous injury he had to his orbital bone. I don't believe all the talk of Murray being slow and thus a poor signing. Emelin was not a speed demon, I would argue he was a better puck handler, so I don't see Murray lack of speed being a issue for the role he will play on the team. Murray is in strictly to emulate the game Emelin gave the Canadiens last year and that is: Punish the opposition that comes close to you and kill penalties.

The D pairings would appear to sort out like this: Subban-Gorges, Markov-Murray, Boullion-Diaz. Tinordi and Beaulieu will begin the season in Hamilton (maybe Tinordi stays as a spare) where they will play top minutes and that will be good for them. Diaz may be moved during the season if the Canadiens are contending, but if the season is spinning around in the toilet then we will see the end of the Markov ear in Montreal. Either way, once Emelin is healthy the lineup boasts a deep defense.

Do I believe the size issue is solved? If I was to apply a percentage to it I would say I'm about 70% satisfied in the teams size and toughness at this point today. The size issue upfront remains, but at least some of our smaller guys have giant hearts (Gallagher) and some guys are getting bigger (Eller putting on about 20lbs of muscle in the off season).

Question for you guys is the same as the title of this article. And feel free to elaborate on it with ideas/line speculation/prospects down the road.

Thanks for reading.

SmielmaN

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