It is always interesting to go back and analyze certain decisions.
In the summer of 2021, the Carolina Hurricanes made a hostile offer to the young forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Montreal Canadiens, offering him a one-year contract worth $6.1 million while he was a restricted free agent and failed to reach an agreement with the team on the terms of his new contract .
Faced with the disproportionate offer in the circumstances, the DG Marc Bergevin made the decision to voluntarily let go of the services of his former 1st round pick and not match the offer.
Thus, the Canadian obtained a 1st round pick in addition to a 3rd round pick in 2022 as compensation, as agreed in the collective agreement.
A few days later, Bergevin turned around and traded with the Arizona Coyotes to get his hands on the forward Christian Dvorak in return for a 1st round pick in 2022 (the one received from the Hurricanes) in addition to a 2nd round pick in 2024 in order to compensate for the loss of Kotkaniemi.
Looking back, Dvorak never really performed up to expectations in Montreal, having never really been more than a third-line player with a production of 33 points during his best season while we hoped that he would come and lend a hand in the Top-6 of the team in attack.
So here, in hindsight, is what happened to the draft picks involved in this whole story.
PRICE PAID FOR CHRISTIAN DVORAK
- 2022 1st round pick (Hurricanes)
This choice (27e total)received from the Hurricanes and sent to Arizona in the Dvorak trade, ultimately ended up in San Jose and became the young forward Philip Bystedt. Other players available at this rank: Jiri Kulich, Maveric Lamoureux, Brad Lambert.
- 2024 2nd round pick (Canadiens)
This choice (37e total)who was ultimately traded from the Coyotes to the Kings then to the Jets, became the young left-handed defenseman Alphonse Freij. Other players available at this rank: Ilya Nabokov, Gabriel Eliasson et Cole Hutson.
Note that the 3rd round choice obtained from the Hurricanes in compensation for the hostile offer was used by the CH to draft the young left-handed defender Adam Engstrom.
We understand that Marc Bergevin found himself at that moment in a precarious position and that he had to fill the hole left in the center by the departure of Kotkaniemi. On the other hand, when we realize that we could have in the team’s prospect bank the very promising Jiri Kulich et Cole Hutsonit still hurts my heart.
Imagine a scenario in which the Canadian would have, in addition to Kulich, the younger brother of Lane Hutsoncurrently on fire at the Junior World Championships, in his bank of hopes currently.
- Aged 28, Christian Dvorak is a 6’1″/190lbs left-handed center selected in the 2nd round (58th overall) during the 2014 draft. So far this season, he has compiled a record of 3 goals and 9 assists for a total of 12 points in 37 games He is currently in the final year of his contract earning him an average of $4.45 million per season and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
