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Former Habs Still in Contention |
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While Marc Bergevin is busying himself trying to improve his team for the next season, a few of the players he sent packing are busy trying to capture the ultimate prize. With only 4 teams left in the battle, Dallas, Vegas, Tampa Bay and New York (Islanders), there are still 4 former Canadiens involved.
A Canadien for a single season (2016-2017), Alexander Radulov departed once he became a free agent after the Habs gave him "one year prove yourself deal" to come back in the NHL. And prove himself he did, getting 54 points in 76 games. That was enough to get some attention on the free agent market and he got a 5-year at $6 250 000 per deal with Dallas. According to Bergevin, the Habs offered him the same deal but he refused. According to Radulov, Bergevin offered him that deal after he had agreed with the Stars. We'll never know who's talling the Truth on that one, but since he's arrived in Dallas, he's had 2 72 points season and got 34 points in 60 games this year. So far in these playoffs, he's registered 11 points in 17 games and got a couple of goals in game 7 against the Canucks. For much of his time in Dallas, he has played with Benn and Seguin on the first line but they were split up for much of this season and he's currently playing on the first line with Joe Pavelski and Mattias Janmark. At a time when the Habs are in need of a big scoring winger, Radulov could certainly be useful...
In Tampa Bay, a former Habs prospect is enjoying the playoffs for a 3rd year in a row. Mikhaïl Sergachev, who was once thought to be the future on the Canadiens' blue line, is currently playing on the third pairing with Kevin Shattenkirk but is also a fixture on the Bolts' first power play. In 13 games, he has spent an average of 23:54 minutes on the ice and got 4 points (a goal and 3 assists). Of course, you will all remember that Bergevin sent Sergachev to Tampa in return for Jonathan Drouin, hoping at the time to have found his first line centre. That experiment didn't go so well, but hopefully, the chemistry Drouin found with Suzuki will carry through to the upcoming season and make this trade look better. As for Sergachev, he'll be an RFA at the end of the playoffs and according to Spotrac.com, the Lightning only has 5.3 M in cap space for the 2020-2021 season, they will have to make some moves if they want to be able to retain him.
In Vegas, there are 2 former Canadiens hoping to win the big prize: former captain Max Pacioretty and depth player Nick Cousins. Right now, Cousins is playing right wing on the 4th line and took part in 15 of Vegas' 16 games, gathering 5 assists in the process. When he sent Cousins to Vegas, Bergevin received a 4th round pick in the 2021 draft, not bad considering he'll be an RFA at the end of the season. As for Pacioretty, he's on the first line and he is definitely much more suited to being one of the guys in Vegas than he was to being the man in Montreal. So far, he's played 12 of the Knights 16 playoffs games as he was dealing with an injury at the restart but still has 7 points to his name. The Pacioretty trade is probably Bergevin's best one so far, Tatar (who was seen as the throw in at the time) led the team in scoring this season, Nick Suzuki is turning into an excellent centre (even though Cody Glass was apparently the Habs' target) and he turned the 2019 2nd round pick in a 3rd and a 5th round picks at the same draft in a trade with LA.
So, whatever happens, 1 former Canadiens at least is guaranteed to take part in the Cup final since either Radulov or Pacioretty and Cousins will make it. Personally, I'd rather see Radulov and the Stars advance, I just feel like the Golden Knights' fans have not suffered enough to deserve a second cup final in 3 years. As for the east, Tampa Bay is the bookies’ favourite to make it through to the final, but we’ll see what Barry Trotz has to say about that... John Cooper has now confirmed that Stamkos will not be back during the Conference final.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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