Free agent decisions will clarify Habs direction and identity

June 21, 2023

Rumours excepted, early business from the Montreal Canadiens has revolved around two restricted free agents and one unrestricted free agent. Fans were relieved to see prolific goal scorer and the most important RFA, Cole Caufield, signed on June 5th. Just days before, on June 2nd, the Habs inked Michael Pezzetta. Then on Tuesday (June 20th), the Habs re-signed UFA Sean Monahan.

Each of these deals communicated something about the Habs developing identity. Caufield landed a contract just shy of the Nick Suzuki commitment, a clear tell that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton see both as significant elements of their young core. The message in signing Pezzetta was a little less crisp, raising questions about the identity of the fourth line. The Monahan deal confirms that Hughes still sees his young core as needing veteran support.

A considerable list of free agents, both restricted and unrestricted, remains. As decisions are made about each, we’ll get a little glimpse into the developing identity of a team in rebuild mode.

Unrestricted Free Agents at the NHL Level

After the Monahan deal, there are four UFAs that are worth considering, and the path should be very clear for three of them.

Paul Byron did not play a single NHL game last season, and if he is signed in Montreal it will be for an off-ice role. Jonathan Drouin hasn’t come close to playing a complete season since his first two years in Montreal. A new contract seems highly unlikely for a team desperate to lose less man games to injury. The approaching end of two ill-fated contracts signals an important shift away from Marc Bergevin’s team.

Chris Tierney was claimed off waivers in late February when the Habs were destroyed by injuries. While Tierney is serviceable, his time in Montreal was unremarkable, and it is unlikely he will be re-signed to a crowded forward group. Even if other pricier contracts can be moved, there are young players who have earned those spots. That’s three easy UFA decisions for Kent Hughes, but the other raises questions about identity formation.

Alex Belzile was one bright spot at the dark end to last season. A player who is about to turn 32 and has played just 44 NHL games is not the most obvious candidate for a new contract. But he’s a local player who was the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton trophy last year. Along with Pezzetta, they gave the fourth line an identity as a hard-working energy line, and his leadership holds value for a young team.

Before the Monahan contract was announced, I would have said that if the Canadiens chose to re-sign one or both of Belzile and Monahan, it would signal that Hughes knows that the young Habs still need veteran support while they develop. With Monahan re-signed, a new contract for Belzile might say more about the plan for the identity of the fourth line than it does about veteran leadership.

Restricted Free Agents at the NHL Level

After signing Caufield and Pezzetta, the Habs still have three RFAs to deal with – Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Jesse Ylonen and Denis Gurianov.

Gurianov wasn’t drafted and developed by the Montreal Canadiens. He was a trade deadline acquisition in exchange for Evgenii Dadonov, who was acquired to offload the Shea Weber anchor contract. In other words, the Habs don’t need to make things work with Gurianov. They have already reaped the benefits of that series of moves so they will find a deal that works for them, or let him walk and he’ll be forgotten in the blink of an eye.

Gurianov is coming off a one-year deal that paid him $2.9M. According to capfriendly.com, the qualifying offer for Gurianov has to be at least that much. Based on his performance in Montreal, and the richness of his QO, I would expect Kent Hughes to take the same approach with Gurianov as he did with Rem Pitlick last summer. He is unlikely to get a QO, but may be offered a lesser show-me contract as a UFA.

RHP was drafted by the Habs in the seventh round in 2019, while Ylonen was drafted in the second round in 2018. Both are well seasoned in developmental leagues and have little left to prove in Laval. There is no doubt that the Habs would rather have both in the line-up than some of the overpriced veterans who are not living up to their contracts. But if wishes were fishes we’d all cast our nets into the sea.

The local kid who has done nothing but exceed expectations will definitely be extended. My expectation is that Harvey-Pinard will have a new contract before June 30th.

Things are not as clear for Ylonen. Certainly, if some veteran contracts can be moved Ylonen may fall into a role in Montreal. But if not, the Habs will still likely qualify him with a view to letting him cook in the AHL. He may also be a candidate to package in a draft-floor trade.

Free Agents at the AHL Level

Off-season roster churn is a reality for AHL teams. Building a team comprised of kids growing into professional roles and veterans whose NHL hopes are growing dimmer by the minute is a delicate bit of business. As an organization, the Montreal Canadiens are also committed to giving Laval some local talent to cheer for.

Any and all of the UFAs in Laval – Anthony Richard, Frederic Allard, Madison Bowey and Corey Schueneman – may be moving on. Schueneman, in particular, may wish to try his luck with a team possessing less defender depth.

RFAs at the AHL level are always subject to a discussion about whether the player is still in the team’s plans going forward. Nicolas Beaudin, Lucas Condotta, Joel Teasdale, Anthony Richard and Mitchell Stephens all fall in that category, with three of them being local talent. One player I’m watching is Beaudin – still a young and developing defender who plays a modern game is several players down in the left-shot defender depth chart. He would be wise to develop his game on his off side.

With the draft a week away and free agency on its heels, it will be a busy time for the Montreal Canadiens. Each business decision will provide some insight into how Hughes sees his team, and how close we are to the end of the rebuild. Don’t blink – you might miss something good!