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Are the Canadiens in the Mix for Steven Stamkos?

June 28, 2016, 11:30 PM ET [25 Comments]
Jennifer B Cutler
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
With July 1st shortly upon us, there are a few NHL soon to be unrestricted free agents that should be of great interest to the Montreal Canadiens and its General Manager Marc Bergevin. Will those top free agents be interested in Montreal as their destination? What transpired this past season is certainly not a selling point to entice players to sign here and the tax situation does not help their case. However, Montreal does have a number of positives that should be of interest to potential signees.

Providing the Canadiens are able to stay healthy, the organization is actually in decent shape. Carey Price is arguably the #1 goalie in the NHL. P.K. Subban is one of the top ten defenceman in the NHL despite not being named to Team Canada for this Fall’s World Cup team. Max Pacioretty has been one of the best goalscorers in the league over the last few years. Alex Galchenyuk is emerging as a true #1 centreman. Brendan Gallagher is consistently getting better each year and with newcomer Andrew Shaw will get under the opposition’s skin. Kirk Muller decided to rejoin the organization as an Associate Coach. Mikhail Sergachev is being praised by all as a terrific 1st round pick who will be ready to play sooner than later. The organization does have a lot of positives going for it. However, holes are there that will prevent the team from taking that elusive next step. A true top six forward is needed, not a stopgap like a Sven Andrighetto. The biggest fish that could be on the market come Friday is none other than Steven Stamkos.

Let’s aim high, shall we? Realistically, Stamkos is not coming to Montreal unless he is in the visitor’s locker room. Consistently we have heard if he does not resign in Tampa Bay that Stamkos will go to Toronto or nearby Buffalo with the Islanders and now the Red Wings making a big push. However, that is not to say that Bergevin won’t do all that he can to woo Stamkos to Montreal. It is very rare nowadays that a player of Stamkos’ stature ever gets to free agency. Bergevin would not be doing his job if he didn’t explore the possibility of bringing the star forward to Montreal:







Even with the Shaw contract, the Canadiens still have some wiggle room under the salary cap. However, in order to afford Stamkos they would still need to shed a contract or two. The prime candidates for that would be David Desharnais, Tomas Plekanec and Alexei Emelin but that is a whole other blog. The fact is that when there is a will there is a way and Bergevin could absolutely find a way to make a Stamkos contract work.

Where would Stamkos fit in Montreal? Really, wherever he wants. If he wants to be the #1 center and play with Pacioretty put him there. If the Canadiens and he want to load up the first line, have Stamkos on the right wing with Galchenyuk centering him and Pacioretty. There are numerous possibilities. What Montreal can offer Stamkos over and beyond Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit is that they have more components to win a Stanley Cup sooner than their competition. Toronto is adding excellent pieces and now have a stronger goalie with Andersen. However, they are still young and are likely a few years away from making a real push. Likewise in Buffalo where they are still missing a goalie. Of course Montreal also has P.K. Subban, a close and longtime friend of Stamkos. Of the competition, Tampa Bay really has the best case for being closest to the cup but it seems as though it will be too difficult for the team to be able to make the contract work.

Perhaps the most interesting scenario is what Chris Johnston of Sportsnet has suggested:




It would be a first for the NHL if the Lightning were to partake in a ‘sign and trade’. However, this might give Montreal a leg up on the competition. As Johnston states, only Tampa Bay can give Stamkos that extra season for a maximum 8 year contract. A sign and trade is the only way for that to happen with another team. What would it take for Steve Yzerman to agree to it? Likely draft picks. The Lightning will not want to take back a contract with term as they have their other players contract to worry about. The Canadiens have two first round picks and 5 second round picks over the next two years that they can work with. Again, in all likelihood Stamkos is not coming to Montreal. However, how exciting would it be for Montreal to win the Stamkos sweepstakes? At least for the next few days fans can dream…

Cheers & follow along!

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