CTV Montreal sports analyst Brian Wilde with some thoughts on the Montreal Canadiens players as they head home from Tampa.





Goal

Carey Price: A hero for his day. Not just the world's best goalie but one of the finest men I have covered as a reporter. He has the weight of a nation on him as a Canadian and wins junior gold and Olympic gold. He has the weight of the city on him and he is the league's best player, does all that is possible, is let down by his mates who cannot score enough for him; yet he concludes this year's journey by taking the loss on his shoulder's saying he didn't make enough saves. We talk too much of these men sometimes referring only to their ability to save a puck while forgetting how they form the minds of young fans. Carey Price is the one player that I have covered who I truly want to hoist the cup because I want to believe that the path to that glory is by taking the road of character.

- Dustin Tokarski is a back up who didn't cause trouble and didn't make demands. That part of the equation he got right. The puck stopping part he seemed to be a goalie who needed to see the net more to excel. Some guys can come in cold well and some struggle. Tokarski seems to struggle. Condon having a shot next year is not out of the realm of possibility.

- Zachary Fucale has a home in the NHL. He is perhaps the best junior prospect right now in the game but there is no place for him in Montreal. He is a 7 year asset who will be wasted behind Price who has at least that many years left in him. Fucale is perfect bait for a huge trade. The Oilers for example need a blue chip goalie. They also have 3 centres in McDavid, RNH and Draisaitl with no room for all 3. The chance of a trade with the Oilers is good with the back line of the Oilers paper thin. Just don't trade Beaulieu. The Habs need scoring. They don't need Fucale and could afford to lose defencemen to the D of the Oilers.



Defencemen

- PK Subban had a better regular season than last but a better playoff than this. So what was wrong with PK in these playoffs? Why was the level not quite as high? His partner. The load to cover what difficulties Markov was having grew heavy in the post season. Subban is outstanding. He shows a deep desire to win the cup. He didn't enjoy his new money to the detriment of his game. He stayed Subban all the way through. He would make an outstanding captain tho I don't believe he will be chosen.

- Andrei Markov had a very difficult playoff and it seems his body is catching up with him. Markov will have to move down the depth chart going forward on this contract. He can't be doing Subban minutes. He will be too tired too often. He needs to drop to 17 instead of 23 minutes. That means the Habs need this guy...

- Jeff Petry is living proof that you must play with good to be great. Floundering in Edmonton with Mickey Mouse made Petry look no better than Donald Duck but playing with high quality in Montreal saw Petry look as good as Subban. He was probably looking at 4.3 million before the trade, I would say his stock is up on the free agent market to 5.5. Remember too only Bergevin can offer Petry 8 years: A giant commitment. Petry is young. I see him honouring it effectively.

- Nathan Beaulieu is ready to be on the first pair. He came in to the series halfway through and was as smooth as butter. He skates with great skill. He has wonderful vision. He also has offensive ability that is simply waiting for a chance to shine. A Beaulieu Subban partnership is the future.

- Alexei Emelin is one of the Habs only players who regularly hits and that is important. I still don't feel this player has the vision to get it done in a winning way. One must think tho that the new Oilers GM likes him having driven Milan Lucic crazy for years. We shall see.

- Greg Pateryn is ready to play top 6 for 82. He was thrown in to a tough situation and he played steady and fairly mistake free. Pateryn will never be more than a 3rd pair but that is more than enough here. He can be a valuable Hab and I fully expect him to be next season as he barring injury plays 82. Yes. Read between the lines: I am calling a trade by Bergevin like last year when Gorges was moved.

- Tom Gilbert is an unusual player. Some nights he shows such excellence and others not as much. Gilbert will not get better but soon will get worse. The Habs hope it is not yet.

- Jarred Tinordi is perhaps and it is a dangerous call to make as a GM but just maybe Tinordi is now just trade bait for a hopeful GM that he may still show his lofty promise one day. It was a year of regression for Tinordi. He leaves himself vulnerable when he fights and he feels the need to prove himself with fights. This is not a healthy combination. I would not write off Tinordi but I wonder if someone else might still be very excited with his size and pedigree while the Habs have seen enough. He will be a very interesting player to watch next season.

Forwards

- The next captain of the Montreal Canadiens will be Max Pacioretty. He is a leader on the ice and in the room. Whenever Pacioretty becomes aware of a criticism levelled against him, he launches into making sure he eradicates it. Pacioretty is a consummate professional. This player does not hold me in high regard for criticism I have given him but I don't care one bit to childishly hold that against him - I have nothing to say negative about Pacioretty. He has learned how to elevate during the playoffs. I suspect he had nagging back pain these playoffs perhaps from the fall in Florida. He fought through all challenges. He led the Habs in goals. He kills penalties now whereas he did not before. He has all the skills to excel when it counts most. He also has fallen in love with Montreal as a city. He is improving his French. He is your new captain. I shall join the long line to happily congratulate him on the well deserved honour.

- Brendan Gallagher does not have an A on his jersey and it is time to change that. He should be the second assistant next season. Gallagher is unstoppable in his desire to be a winner. The size should be a massive drawback but instead he is an inspiration to the short kid that he can make the NHL too. 24-CH this year had a Gallagher segment and there was 11 year old Brendan already the smallest player and he tried to score on a clear cut chance from in close. He took the shot. It was saved. 11 year old Brendan just kept on charging the net and knocked the goalie in to the goal with the puck. 11 year old Brendan celebrated. Some traits are in the blood. This kid is a winner as an adult too.

- Alex Galchenyuk I have some hard things to say to you. You need to grow up a little and enjoy this amazing journey a little more. Try to be a little less sour and embrace the road to character both off and on the ice because champions have character. Champions are Carey Price. Galchenyuk seems impatient and bothered. Don't think it does not translate. It does. Everything counts on the road to greatness. At least that is my belief. Galchenyuk also needs to get to centre in his 4th season. It is time. Win the middle. Win the game. Win with Galchenyuk going forward. He has the pedigree. Time to give him the chance. If and when the cup is over Habs heads, he will have been a centre for the run.

- This brings us to David Desharnais who must leave the centre position. Desharnais was on the first power play wave all season long and the playoffs. He got 13 points. For the entire year. Not acceptable for him. Not acceptable that he was always first chosen. Put him on the wing. He needs to take a reduced role or this cup thing won't happen.

- Lars Eller is a quintessential 3rd-line centre in the mould of Jordan Staal. A big body who skates well and wins puck battles like a mad man. Don't change his role. He got a pretty solid goal total for a guy who started shifts mostly in the defensive zone, wasn't blessed with the best line mates and could not get more than spotty power play time. He can be utilized better. Eller has more in him. He needs his coach to have more faith in him I feel but the role remains the same and he can be even better.

- Tomas Plekanec had a strong season doing all the things he always does every year. However he did finish with a game he would like to forget. But let that not make you get too negative. This year was the Tomas you always see. I don't see an aging player here. He has good game left. He is a phlegmatic person by nature. Some people overtly show emotion and that raw caring look and some don't. Don't think Plekanec does not care a lot just because he is slow to excite.

- The final centre in my top four to excel is Jakob De La Rose. At his age, this is a window this season of greatness to come. What a pro this player is going to be. As smart a player I have seen at his age. His hockey IQ is off the charts. I think he has more offence in his game than you do. I see a 15 goal man like Eller. Give it time. Year one was pretty special.

- PA Parenteau can give more. He had a big setback because of a concussion and he fell out of favour with the head coach. However on hard days on that front, he behaved like a pro. He waited for his moment and he usually seized it. He had a much better points per 60 minutes played on the Habs than you likely think. Next year I expect more.

- Dale Weise is one of those prairie heart and soul boys. Breathing hockey as a child, Weise does not take a thing for granted. He loves his mates. He loves his life. He lays down his ego for the crest. He is the type of player that champion teams have. He just needs to be out where he can excel. He is not a first line winger. He should not be there. But he is a solid hard working player with some legitimate skills and a knack for scoring big goals.

- Devante Smith Pelly is better in the playoffs than the regular season. He has to remind himself to compete harder. He may believe he is doing enough but if he isn't throwing a body around or making life miserable, then it is not enough. Pelly can't skate up and down his wing and call it a good night. He needs more Gallagher in him to lift the career up a notch. He has to use his frame to make life more miserable for his opponent.

- Brandon Prust had a good season. He took his responsibility seriously as someone who had to stick up for his mates. He is a good teammate. Prust is not going to score much but he is the new enforcer. You can't afford to have the old Parros style enforcer anymore. You need the guy to play hockey well and not cost the team. Prust works on this team.

- Torrey Mitchell came home. I think he should stay home and be tendered an offer. He is a good NHLer. Teams aren't all composed of the same type of player. The salary cap era has Mitchells on every team. Don't cost the team. Do some good things. Keep your plus minus in good shape. Mitchell can do these things.

- Flynn though seems to be heading to another home. He did well enough but he will fall through in a numbers game. This spot is Thomas' or Hudon's next season. Should be a fun camp to see who steps up.

- A couple forwards worth mentioning still. Mike McCarron is called by many in the OHL as the best defensive forward in the league. This gives Michel Therrien and Marc Bergevin an interesting option. McCarron could play on a 4th line as a big body the club so desperately needs. He would not hurt the club defensively. He could step into the area in front of Ben Bishop on a Habs power play and he keeps improving without hurting the club. McCarron is up against Connor McDavid in the Oshawa Erie final and he is fairing very well so far.

- Nikita Scherbak had an excellent season out west. He has mad skills. He's a forward the Habs are so lacking and Bergevin no doubt wishes his development was one more year along. He will get there.

Overall

The Habs are missing 4 parts. One, Petry to resign or Petry himself. Two, two scoring forwards in the top 6 as the club was exposed as painfully thin. Three, new coaches to draw up a better power play. And four, a system that provides more excitement in the regular season that resembles the playoff system used more, so the ability to play that aggressive manner would not seem so foreign in May.