Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin started to take care of internal business Saturday by signing restricted free agent Sven Andrighetto to a one way, one year contract.
Canadiens agree to terms on a one-year contract with forward @Andrighetto25. DETAILS -> https://t.co/frBZsFIvGm pic.twitter.com/6BCMWQLBHj
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 11, 2016
Can confirm for sure that the Andrighetto deal is one way and the dollar value is $650 000 @generalfanager @CapFriendly
— BrianWilde (@BWildeCTV) June 12, 2016
This is a deal that makes sense for Andrighetto and the Canadiens. Andrighetto will earn his full $650,000 even if he gets sent down to St. John’s. He has a season to prove that he can become a true everyday NHL player. The Canadiens liked what they saw from Andrighetto this past season and want to see if he can play consistently over 82 games. If it does not work out, the Canadiens can cut ties after one season or leave him exposed for the expected expansion draft next year.
Andrighetto started the season with the St. John’s Ice Caps and got off to a good start recording 15 points in 17 games before he was called up to the Canadiens in November. His strong early play while on a line with Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller made Alex Semin expendable as the Canadiens terminated Semin’s contract in December. Injuries to multiple Canadiens players further gave an opportunity to Andrighetto to stay up with the Canadiens and try to impress management. However, it seemed as though as soon as Andrighetto played well, head coach Michel Therrien would shuffle him to another line and he would have to start from scratch all over again. Andrighetto was sent down to St. John’s when Brendan Gallagher returned to the lineup in time for the Winter Classic but was recalled after just one game when Dale Weise got hurt on New Year’s Day. He would be sent down one final time in mid January but proved that he has little left to learn in the minors as he was the Ice Caps best player with 8 points in 7 game. His call-up back to the Canadiens in early February would be his last as Andrighetto had regained his confidence in St. John’s, determined not to go back to The Rock.
Eventually Andrighetto was re-united with Eller and Galchenyuk once the latter was given another opportunity at playing center. Galchenyuk's excelled at center and made his line mates that much better. Shortly after Galchenyuk was promoted to the team’s top line playing alongside Max Pacioretty and Gallagher, Andrighetto would replace the injured Gallagher and immediately contributed with a quick 4 points in 3 games. Defensively though and with his small stature, Andrighetto could still get out muscled and he was rocked hard by Dion Phaneuf in a game against Ottawa, leading to an upper body injury that caused him to miss a few games. When he returned to action he found himself on the team’s 3rd line with David Desharnais and Phillip Danault. Once again he put up 4 points in 3 games but was held off the scoresheet for the last 4 games of the season.
Andrighetto went on to play for Switzerland at the World Championships in May and he led the team with 7 points in 7 games despite mostly playing on the third line. It was certainly a positive way to close the hockey season despite Switzerland not making it to the quarterfinals.
With his one year contract inked, Andrighetto has one season to prove that he can be a consistent everyday player for the Montreal Canadiens. The problem thus far in his career is that he can play offence but that is really all that he can contribute. He is not physical, does not penalty kill, have enough defensive awareness for a checking line or bring other attributes on the ice. He has to chip in offensively on a regular basis in order to maintain a spot in the lineup. This season will be the make or break year for Andrighetto in the NHL. He knows it, and the Canadiens know it as well…
Cheers & follow along! Follow @Jenbcutler