Down and Out: What do the Montreal Canadiens do this offseason?

Frank Seravalli and Mike McKenna continued the new series “Down and Out” on the Daily Faceoff Show, where they look at all the teams outside of the playoff picture. Today, it’s the Montreal Canadiens, who fell from a Stanley Cup final appearance last year all the way to 31st in the league.

Frank and Mike took a look at what the Montreal Canadiens’ most pressing need is down the stretch.

Mike McKenna: I don’t think this team can afford to go a total rebuild right now, especially because they have some pretty good pieces up front that are young. They have to go out and get some defensemen. Without Shea Weber, with Ben Chiarot being traded away, they’re just so thin on ‘D.’ It’s been positive that Jeff Petry’s found his game since Marty St. Louis has taken over as head coach. His point totals are up, he’s playing better, but they need that badly.

They also need to know what’s going on in goal. Is Carey Price going to be able to play next year? Of course, he’s come back and is playing now. I would guess that’s the case. Is he going to be there? Does Jake Allen stay? He did a really good job when he was available this year.

So, I think it’s really on the defensive side of things. They’ve got to figure out their ‘D.’ They’ve got to figure out goaltending. I like their forward group. But, they’ve got a lot of pieces to work with here. Jeff Gorton has 10 draft picks in the first four rounds next year. Like, that’s crazy. And that should play out in the next two or three years. I think there’s things to be positive about in Montreal.

Frankn Seravalli: “You take a look at the Habs draft picks, as you said, 10 in the first four rounds, and the draft is being held in Montreal this year in July, the 7th and 8th. So it’ll be interesting to watch what it’s like in that building. Lots of pressure on the Habs to get back to where they typically are, which is the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But you hit it on the head about Carey Price. It’s not just about Price, but he also factors into the larger conversation about what do the Habs do with their cap picture moving forward? You’ve got $81.3 million committed to next season’s cap, Carey Price accounting for $10.5 million of that. And you look moving forward, the cap’s $82.5 million next year. How does this team find a way to create some salary cap flexibility? And I guess the easiest way to do that would be to do something with Carey Price.

So quickly Mike, my question to you is, if you’re the Montreal Canadiens, what would you do with Carey Price this summer? Would you be willing to retain money and trade him, or would you be bringing him back next season to play in net?

Mike McKenna: It’s such a hard thing to say, but I think the question with Price is health, frankly. Like, with him being able to play with his knee or other things that he’s faced. At some point, the Canadiens will have to look to move on if they’re creating cap flexibility.

But, I still think that the Carey Price factor is the key to this entire team. And if they get him back in their lineup, it changes the entire outlook. I would keep Carey Price.

You can watch the full episode here…