It was a successful season for the Montreal Canadiens that included a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But it is clear, that the team is “not a finished product,” something that Jeff Gorton mentioned more than once at management’s end-of-season media availability. Adding skill, size and players with a high compete level to the Canadiens are key off-season priorities for Gorton and Kent Hughes. Flip side: Help is closer than you think.
Before they can prepare a shopping list, the pair must first fully understand what they have in the organization. Remember, we heard Gorton and Hughes say that they will be keeping a close watch on their prospects in Laval during the Calder Cup playoff run to determine which players have the potential to fulfill a need for the Canadiens, and when. Gorton acknowledged that players in Laval are “knocking on the door” and that management will not put obstacles in their way by blindly chasing free agents.
To reinforce the point, Hughes added they are aware that the team will disincentivize players in Laval by filling spots on the big club with players from outside the organization. He insisted that they will be careful not to block opportunities for young players.
Crosby Rumors, Call-ups Ready
This week, the buzz in Montreal was all about the potential of adding one particular player from outside the organization to fill the Habs’ need at 2C: Sidney Crosby.
Breaking down a potential trade for Crosby, and exploring how management can address a portion of their needs internally was the focus of the this week’s episode of the Canadiens Connection podcast, now available on Hockey HotStove.
NEW PODCAST – Crosby in Montreal? What Makes Sense – and What Doesn’t – for the Habs’ Offseason | Canadiens Connection ep 348
We also updated Canadiens’ personnel playing in the IIHF World Championship. We tallied our scoresheets while checking in on our 2024-25 pre-season predictions for the Habs. And we concluded the show with comments, texts, and emails from our loyal Canadiens Connection listeners.
You can listen to this week’s episode in the player below or find every episode of the Canadiens Connection podcast on your favorite app or on our website.
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