3 secondary scoring options the Canadiens should target
His team might not be playing this week, but Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin won't be resting.
The Habs are stuck in their worst stretch of the season, and rumors are swirling about what will come next. A rabid fan base awaits.
Some are calling for a new coach, while others plead for a big splash, drawing, say, Matt Duchene or Kevin Shattenkirk to don le bleu, blanc, et rouge.
What seems more likely, though, is Bergevin assessing his club's needs. First and foremost, Carey Price needs to re-gain his touch in goal, and then Montreal needs to remember how to score.
Over their last 18 games, the Canadiens are averaging 2.3 goals per contest, with Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov carrying the workload.
Alas, the need for secondary scoring is glaring. Here are three players Bergevin can target:
Patrick Sharp - Stars
His price tag is hefty, but Sharp could be a suitable rental.
He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and has more than enough postseason experience, winning three Stanley Cups during his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Sharp's been hampered by concussions this season, amassing just 13 points in 31 games, but the 35-year-old has scored 20 or more in a season eight times in his career.
Cap management would be required, but it could be a worthy risk.
Mathieu Perreault - Jets
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As the losses continue to mount, the Jets are inching closer and closer to becoming sellers by March 1, and Perreault is rumored to be expendable.
Under contract for another four seasons at $4.125 million, Perreault might not present the most attractive scenario for Bergevin and the Canadiens, but he is an interesting case.
He's scored 17 points in 41 games, and can't crack the Jets' talented top-six, but, despite this, consistently moves the needle in terms of shot generation and suppression.
Brian Boyle - Lightning
Like Winnipeg, Tampa Bay is trending toward selling, and as a pending UFA with a cap hit of $2 million, Boyle is a piece that could draw a lot of attention at the deadline.
Boyle possesses the size and strength Bergevin covets, and is a seasoned postseason veteran, reaching the Stanley Cup Final twice.
The 32-year-old has 13 goals and seven assists in 50 games for the Lightning this season and would surely be an upgrade - at even strength and on the penalty kill - among the Canadiens' bottom-six forwards.