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Second center : The Habs want a long-term player
Michaël Petit
Second center : The Habs want a long-term player
Credit: Getty Images
The Montreal Canadiens need two things for next season: a veteran right-handed blue-liner, but also a true second center.

Surrounding Ivan Demidov on the second line should be a priority for Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton.

Kirby Dach could be a backup plan if the Habs fail to fill this need, but it wouldn’t be ideal.

On the most recent episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, Eric Engels was on hand to discuss this topic.

According to him, the Habs want a player who would fit in with them to become a permanent winner :

Here’s the excerpt in question:

And it would make sense for the Habs not to add the services of a “decent” player. As long as they’re giving away prospects and/or draft picks, they might as well go after a center in his prime so he can have long-term success with the club.

Speaking of draft picks, Kevin Dubé of TVA Sports wrote an interesting article recently, reporting the words of a scout for an Eastern team.

The latter mentioned thatthere isa sharp drop in the value of prospects in the second half of the first round.

What does this mean for the Habs, who are drafting 16th and 17th?

They need to find a team willing to take risks with two consecutive picks and who need volume, rather than quantity.

And this team must have an interesting option as a second center for the Habs.

The options are starting to drop drastically.

Could the Anaheim Ducks use a breath of fresh air? Trevor Zegras has often been linked with the Habs, but he shouldn’t cost much, considering he’s not living up to expectations.

But why would the Habs want a 24-year-old who’s regressing year after year? Buy cheap in the hope that a change of scenery will help him find his feet.

But if the Habs want a REAL second center for the long term, Mason McTavish is still a more than interesting option (but much more expensive, obviously).

Both first-round picks would be in order, and the Habs have some pretty interesting prospects, as well as the Penguins’ second-round pick (41st).

It won’t be easy to find a quality second center in the long term.


Overtime

– A big man ready for Habs fan madness?Where do we sign?

– Brad Marchand is wearing a Dairy Queen jersey with an Oilers logo marked “Losers”.

– CF Montreal will be without Donadel for next Wednesday’s match.

– Read on.

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