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Here are 7 potential candidates to add strength to the Canadiens’ forward line

 David Miller
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Here are 7 potential candidates to add strength to the Canadiens’ forward line
Credit: Getty Images
The Habs have been on a tear since the start of the preparatory games.

Patrik Laine, David Reinbacher and Kirby Dach (among others) have been hit dangerously. Max Domi even tried to injure Lane Hutson…

That said, we learned this morning from colleague Maxime Truman that the Habs are shopping for a rugged forward to round out their bottom-6.

So I’ve put together a list of seven players who, depending on the Habs’ needs, could be useful in Martin St-Louis’ line-up.

What does it look like? We start with…

1. Mathieu Olivier (Blue Jackets)

The Blue Jackets forward is no slouch.

He doesn’t hesitate before throwing down the gloves to defend his teammates, and he’s made his reputation as one of the NHL’s top pugilists.

The Québécois has already fought with Arber Xhekaj :

Mathieu Olivier’s contract expires at the end of the 24-25 season and he’s worth $1.1 million on the Blue Jackets’ payroll.

Perhaps this would be a good opportunity for Kent Hughes to get him out of Columbus, especially with Don Waddell looking to add salary to his roster even though the Jackets won’t have to meet the salary floor to start the season…

2. Samuel Blais

Samuel Blais has been known as a tiring player since he made his NHL debut in the 2017-2018 season.

The problem?

The Québécois slowed down considerably, so much so that he wasn’t even able to carve out a spot with the Vancouver Canucks.

At 6’2′ and 206 pounds, he has the profile of a guy who might interest Kent Hughes.

After all, the forward is free as a bird right now…

3. Samuel Laberge

The name Samuel Laberge may be a little unfamiliar to you.

We’re talking about a 27-year-old left-handed winger who has played just two NHL games so far in his career.

But we’re also talking about a guy who collected 92 penalty minutes in the AHL last season.

Could he become a solution for the Habs, even though we know he doesn’t have much NHL experience?

4. Jordan Greenway

The forward who has been playing for the Sabres since March 2023 is one of my favorites on the list.

He’s 6’6, he weighs 231 pounds… And he can hold his own on the ice.

Still, Greenway scored 10 goals (and 28 points) in his last season with the Sabres in a more limited role, and he has some interesting tools for a club looking to add toughness to its lineup.

Oh, and Greenway also played for Boston University during his NCAA career.

We all know how much Kent Hughes and his teammates love Boston players…

5. Garnet Hathaway

If I told you Garnet Hathaway had 17 points (seven goals) last year with the Flyers, you wouldn’t fall out of your chair.

But it might be a different story if I told you that Garnet Hathaway finished last season with a total of… 132 penalty minutes.

He’s relatively big (6’2 and 212 lbs.) and one of the best supporting forwards in the NHL because he knows his role.

On the other hand, would the Flyers let him go with Matvei Michkov, who will be playing his first big-league season?

I doubt it…

6. Nicolas Deslauriers

Nicolas Deslauriers is a forward…

No.

Of course, we all know Deslauriers’ name in Montreal and he needs no introduction.

He quickly became a crowd favorite when he played for the Habs, because the Québécois always gives his all on the ice and commands respect.

I’d love to see him back in a Habs uniform.

7. Keegan Kolesar

Keegan Kolesar is another forward I really like.

And the reason is simple: he’s a checker (a lot of them, in fact), and he’s capable of making his mark offensively.

The right-winger finished last season ranked 4th in the NHL for most checks (276), and he also knows how to score goals:

These are interesting candidates for the Habs, but we agree there are others too.

After all, Kent Hughes is a guy who thinks outside the box, and we’re never safe from a surprise with the Habs’ GM.

But if you had to choose one of the above candidates, who would you pick?


Overtime

– Hello, Connor!

– Happy reading.

– Nice .

– I love this.

– Oh.

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