Good morning everyone! So with UFA starting tomorrow, I wanted to talk about some players the Habs could target should they be unable to make a trade to bolster their lineup!

Nikolaj Ehlers: I’ve already talked about him, but he’s my favorite Jet. He plays hard, can score, skate, hit and crow! He would be a solid addition and he brings it in the playoffs. The only concern with Ehlers is his injury history, but I would list that as minimal. His Cap hit I think would be in the 6.5-7 range which is not too bad. The question is would this be enough to put them over the top in the playoffs?

Mitch Marner: One of the best passers in the NHL right now and just put up a 102 point season. This would really establish the Habs as a true Cup threat, and if he can find some chemistry with Demidov, should the first line remain untouched, watch out. This one is a long shot as I doubt he would want to sign in Montreal after the circus in Toronto (I really think he’s been treated unfairly, this guy is a gem, Leafs should keep him) and the Cap hit would be a lot for the Habs, who have managed salary quite well during the Hughes tenure.

Brock Boeser: He has a great shot and knows how to position himself effectively in the offensive zone to use it. He’s a fairly big body, so his play along the boards would help the Habs forecheck retrieve some pucks. He's not the fastest skater but his IQ makes up for it. The concern I have is his consistency as he can be streaky at times. Also, his defensive play is not the highlight of his game, so he would need to work on that a little to properly fit the system. If the Habs target him, I would be wary of the term here. Something like a 3-5 year deal I think would be appropriate, but I would lean closer to 3 years.

Mikael Granlund: Granlund is an all around good player and he can be slotted at centre or the wing. He sees the ice well, and is primarily a play maker. He would be a decent option to fill in on the second line and the price and term would not be astronomical, so it would be a low risk signing. Also, he’s a defensively sound option and would fit well within the Habs system. The concern is his age (33) which does not really fit the Habs rebuild plan. Also this move may not have a big enough impact to get the Habs to the next level, so they might be better off being patient. Furthermore, he’s not the biggest player but he plays aggressively which makes up for it.

Thanks for reading, I can’t wait to see what happens July 1!

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