Matt Duchene finished his playoffs as the second-line center for the Dallas Stars. At 33, he is coming off a great 65-point season, but he only had 6 points in 19 playoff games. In Dallas, he said yes to a one-year, $3 million contract, and if he wants another similar deal, the Canadiens management should at least inquire about him. It should be remembered that the Canadiens already flirted with Duchene in 2019—he ultimately opted for Nashville—and that this veteran was once a Canadiens fan, to the point of giving Roch Carrier’s hockey jersey to his young son. It’s unclear whether the scent of nostalgia could attract him, but if the asking price is reasonable, hiring Duchene could allow the Canadiens to add a quality forward to their top two lines. It would not be a luxury for a club that will need to score more often to hope to advance.
It’s a name that fits much more in the category of dream than reality, but hey, if Wayne Gretzky has already played for five different clubs in his career, anything is possible. In Brett Pesce, 29, the Canadian would get his hands on a reliable but above all right-handed defender, and everyone knows that the Montreal organization is not overflowing with right-handed defenders. In addition, here is a veteran who would be able to properly supervise the young defenders of the club who aspire to something. The reality now: Pesce was making $4.25 million last season in Carolina, and that amount will be revised upwards, probably around $6 million per season, not to mention that almost all the rumors send it to New Jersey. Kent Hughes would have to be very convincing.
The 36-year-old Quebecer is coming back from a 47-point season with the Detroit Red Wings, where he earned a salary of $4.7 million last season. As a third-line player, also capable of playing on the power play, David Perron would be a prime candidate for the Canadian… provided that his salary is reduced for the duration of a short-term contract. The striker has already hinted that he wants to stay in Detroit but that he also dreams of Montreal, which basically means that anything can happen. But if the Canadian wants to embark on this race, he will have a major rival: the Leafs and their new coach Craig Berube, with whom Perron won the Stanley Cup in St. Louis in 2019.
It was already whispered that the Canadian had his eye on this forward at the time of the 2012 draft. But while everyone was wrong, including the Canadian with his disastrous first round pick, Teuvo Teravainen fell to 18th place. , ending up with the Blackhawks in Chicago. Today, after eight seasons in Carolina, the Finn may have to move again. Of course, the current management of the Canadian was not in place in 2012, but it should undoubtedly be interested in this 29-year-old player, who is coming back from a season of 53 points, including 25 goals. He earned a salary of $5.4 million last season.
Another player who has already interested the Canadiens, during the previous administration. He played last season for a salary of $3 million, and in exchange, he offered 16 goals to the San Jose Sharks, and then 8 goals to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He will be 29 when the next season begins, and the Canadiens would do well to give him a call, since 20-goal scorers are not that numerous at the Bell Centre. Duclair finished last season on the left of the Lightning’s second line.