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Two points in seven games: Alex Barré-Boulet is not pushing the management’s hand.

 Félix Forget
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Two points in seven games: Alex Barré-Boulet is not pushing the management’s hand.
Credit: Getty Images

Michael Pezzetta is in a strange situation in Montreal. As we approach January and the Canadiens have played 37 games, the good Pezz has only played three… and everything indicates that this is not about to change.

The 12 regulars are doing well right now. No one is really “movable”… and the Canadiens are lucky this is happening at this time. Let me explain.

If a forward were to get seriously injured with the Canadiens right now, one might think the team would probably look to Laval. The problem is that right now, the options are not particularly interesting.

Alex Barré-Boulet, who started the year in Montreal, would be the logical name. That said, he has only two points in his last seven games… and he has only one goal since the beginning of December.

He is not exactly forcing the management’s hand for a call-up right now.

Things are going pretty better for Joshua Roy… but it hasn’t been easy for him in the NHL this season. Is he really ready to move up?

We could also think of Brandon Gignac, but he is on the sidelines…

Owen Beck is doing well, but he is probably not ready to graduate yet…

Luke Tuch and Florian Xhekaj are good physical players, but Pezzetta can take on that role…

Filip Mesar has no points in four games since returning from injury, with only one goal in nine games this season (and he must be happy to see Emil Heineman make better sense of the Tyler Toffoli trade)…

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard has only six points in 15 games in Laval this season…

You see where I’m going with this? There isn’t really a call-up that makes sense offensively for the Canadiens right now. All of these guys have something that prevents them from forcing the club’s hand.

Fortunately, right now, the 12 regulars on the team’s offense are all playing great hockey. Because right now, the alternative options are Pezzetta… or a handful of players in Laval who, for various reasons, would not be ideal call-ups.

Things can change over time, but right now, the Canadiens really need their 12 forwards to hold the fort… and the good news is that they are doing brilliantly at the best possible time.


In Brief

– A thorough correction.

– A true top performer (in terms of points, at least).

– What do you think?

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