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Edit: Shaw signs for 6 yrs, More Thoughts on The Draft, by Andrew Saadalla

June 27, 2016, 2:47 PM ET [678 Comments]
Habs Talk
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Edit: Less than an hour ago, the Montreal Canadiens signed Andrew Shaw to a 6-year deal. His reported annual salary will be $3.9 million, as per numerous media outlets. Pierre LeBrun, among many, broke the news:




This comes as no surprise, and Habs fans should be quite content with that figure considering what Shaw brings to the table compared to Lars Eller and his $3.5 million AAV salary cap hit. It's certainly a number I will not complain about, but the fact remains that the most glaring needs have yet to be addressed. Read on for more...







With the NHL Entry Draft having come and gone last weekend, Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin can now look ahead and focus on July 1st’s free agency. The organization did well in selecting Mikhail Sergachev with the 9th overall pick yet the vast majority of fans remain understandably disappointed at almost everything else that transpired.

For instance, the acquisition of Andrew Shaw in exchange for both 2016 second-round picks left many scratching their heads and praying that his asking price will be below the rumoured $4-4.5 million annual salary (x 5-7 years). No one is questioning Shaw’s Gallagher-like personality and work ethic. His (young) veteran leadership in winning 2 Stanley Cups in 5 short years will drive the opposition absolutely crazy, especially in front of the net.

I’ve already touched upon the Lars Eller trade and how he’s excited to be joining the Washington Capitals; feel free to click here and read more. As you’ll recall, I’ve questioned the validity of clearing cap space only to fill it once again. I am nevertheless open to the idea of being wrong about Shaw strictly from a business standpoint as his value as a proven NHLer is undeniable.

However, many continue to wonder why Bergevin has preached that building an elite and competitive team begins at the draft and continues through the development of players when he clearly had no issues trading away both picks of the second round. As Brian Wilde of CTV pointed out, there’s a 1/8 chance that players selected therein make the jump into the NHL.
In the third round, only 44% of draft picks have a chance, and so Will Bitten (70th overall) might never see NHL action and 4th-round choice Victor Mete (100th overall) even less so, despite their talents as hockey players and potential status as “draft day steals”. Undoubtedly, those decisions have confused a fan base that’s biting its nails and crossing its fingers in hopes of landing a top-6 free-agent in a few days- a top-6 forward who would help the team immediately and that has been sorely lacking since Bergevin took over in 2012.

Bringing in Daniel Briere, Tomas Vanek and P-A Parenteau proved to be futile, and I’ve written all year about the qualities of Daniel Carr and Sven Andrighetto excelling as right-wingers during the injury frenzy that plagued the Canadiens for the better part of 2015-2016. I’m not wholly convinced that they are the solutions, and certainly not under Michel Therrien’s conservative tutelage. They still have a lot to prove but will require the necessary ice-time and fair chances that characteristically come seldom from the head coach. Even so, there’s no guarantee that they’ll crack the lineup during training camp if Artturi Lehkonen, for instance, outshines them. Still, both the latter and Andrighetto lack the kind of size and, arguably, nose for the net that Carr has demonstrated while Gallagher was injured at the end of 2015.


Once again, Habs fans are holding their collective breath that Bergevin will put aside his modus operandi and capitalize on at least one of a multitude of right-wing free agents available in 4 days. If the GM maintains the status quo, he believes that the team is merely one or two pieces away from competing for a Stanley Cup in the near future. Of course, he’s publicly stated that Carey Price being 100% healthy (and ready for the upcoming World Cup) automatically makes this team infinitely better. Let’s pray that he doesn’t injure himself in September…



Over the next few days, I will write about my personal favorites to join the team come July 1st and finally, Jennifer and I will be doing another podcast shortly after free agency, as we’re working towards securing a special guest.
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