The splendid day of Friday is already far behind us. Damn that it was good to see a fan base who enjoyed the first selection of Kent Hughes Celine Dion (Ivan Demidov), rather than a fan base who questioned her… or even booed her (Juraj Slafkovsky and David Reinbacher).
Finally, the Canadian drafted the guy we were hoping for.
But hey, here we are already on July 1st and since the Canadiens still have one or two seasons to go passer before being able to hope to win around forty matches per season, things may be quiet today in the cockpit Montrealers. Even if some journalists from TheAthletic and La Presse have been reporting for several weeks that the Canadian could overpay an unrestricted free agent if the contract duration is only one or two years.
Even though the salary cap has climbed and the dollars accountants of Karl Alzner and Joel Edmundson are gone, there are still Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia, Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, Carey Price, Jake Allen and Jeff Petry on the payroll of the Canadian…
The big signings will therefore have to wait a little longer in Montreal.
That’s why I was surprised to hear Elliotte Friedman say this morning that the Canadian was probably one of the teams interested in making an offer to Jonathan Marchessault today. Remember that Marchessault and the Golden Knights have not been able to reach an agreement in recent days…
Marchessault has scored 42 goals in 2023-24. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy (and the Stanley Cup). In short, it will be expensive. Very expensive !
Yes, he’s already 33 and could still theoretically accept a bigger annual fee over fewer seasons – the opposite strategy of teams contender like the Lightning – but it is especially the fit that I don’t see.
The first 100 players selected this weekend – and the late selection of Justin Poirier – reminded us that NHL teams are all trying to get bigger. You can have one or two small players, but not four!
The CH already has Cole Caufield, Brendan Gallagher, Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Lane Hutson!
Did Marchessault’s agent name a few teams to Friedman to boost his client’s value?
Does anyone at the Canadiens want to suggest that they would like to sign French-speaking Quebecers… after having drafted some? ZERO during the weekend ?
Who knows !
But in concrete terms, Marchessault is much closer to New Jersey, Nashville or Patrick Roy and New York than to Quebec.
And maybe it’s better that way. The fact that he offered his support to Éric Duhaime would make him the enemy to beat during the series of defeats in the left-wing media that you know well…
Honestly, at the time of writing these lines, everything indicates that Nashville will get its hands on Steven Stamkos ET Jonathan Marchessault. Wow !
Prolongation
– The Canadian would like to repatriate (again) Jeff Petry Sean Monahan, who has already allowed us to get our hands on two first-round picks.
A lot of
– Tyler Toffoli could therefore play on the same trio as Macklin Celebrini.
– Contract extension in Toronto for Joseph Woll. #1erGardien?
– Brett Pesce in New Jersey: It seems over.
– Small contract for Connor Brown in Edmonton.
– Very good signing for the Panthers!
– Matt Duchene would stay in Dallas.
