Call of the Wilde: What's Radulov's worth?

Wilde Horses

- Max Pacioretty is playing the best hockey of his career and he is leading this team by example. He is on pace for 40 goals now. It's the first time he has hit the plateau pace with goal 28 in game 57. 

- Alex Radulov is a beast. Not only is his physical force better than the best players, but at times he even puts the best players on their asses while they try to knock him off the puck. It’s rare to see that happen regularly at this level of play. It's phenomenal. Sometimes the opponent takes a run at a static Radulov and he still wins the battle despite the apparent laws of physics. When Pacioretty tied it, it was such a great shift. What a player! It's going to take some money and it's going to take some term to sign him. He has all the cards with this season. I am leaning towards 5 years for 7 each year. I don't think less gets it done. He doesn't have to take it. He knows he can get it elsewhere. In Bergevin's favour, Radulov loves it in Montreal. What a negotiation it is going to be. 

- Artturi Lehkonen is in a goal-scoring drought but continues to win the favour of smart hockey men with intelligent hockey sense. Lehkonen is always on the right side of the puck. He very rarely makes a defensive mistake. 

- The player I have been most wrong about in my entire 31 year career covering hockey is Andrei Markov. I had him finished after knee surgeries about five years ago. You could see the loss of speed and I thought he was done. But what Markov has lost in pace, he has made up for in hockey IQ. His decision-making might be unrivalled. At 38-years-old, he appears to be getting better. It's unreal and he has definitely earned another contract. In fact, this might be the season he puts in an excellent playoff where he can keep up the energy. The Habs said they would try to make sure he was in the 20 minute range, instead of the 27 minute range. Add a groin injury, to take a little more off the ravages of a season and this could be a memorable year for Markov, with more rest. 

Wilde Goats 

- Al Montoya had a difficult night. On the first goal, he actually fell down untouched. You don't see that much at the NHL level. On the second, he was scored on five hole. On the third, just didn't see the point shot at all and though it was tipped, he let himself get small in the hope of it hitting him and he didn't cut down the angle. If you don't see it, let the laws of physics help you. Cut down the angle to take away net and be big to take away net. Everything is math. It's all percentages. 3 goals allowed on 15 shots after two periods. He could have had all three of them. 

- The difficulty for Galchenyuk to take the right assignment as a centreman continued on the second goal. Galchenyuk went out to challenge the defenseman. The only problem is it was Lehkonen's responsibility so they were both standing at the blue line together. That allows the easy look in front of the net for a wide open man. Galchenyuk has to know as a centre that that is not his man. How can he not know that? Or forget that or something? It's basic. Galchenyuk has mad skills. Offensively, he is so good, but what are you going to do as a coach when he misses his assignments? The mistake on his development was made last season to my mind. As soon as that year went south, Galchenyuk should have been put to centre. Make your mistakes and do your learning in the second half of the last season. You can't afford the errors now, if you're the head coach. Every game means something in this playoff push. 

- The Habs have not won back-to-back games since early January. They have lost 5 of their last 6 games. Boston won't be easy tomorrow night because the club plays structured hockey. They get as much out of the players as they can but some players just aren't what they used to be. They have $10 million wrapped up in Plekanec and Desharnais and what that money is bringing in offence is not a pretty picture. It's fine to argue that Plekanec brings defence. Yes. Excellence at just that part of the game is worth $2.5 million tops. Bergevin's top task should be cleaning that up and replacing it with guys who can score. 

- The head coach does get fingered for not having Galchenyuk on as the extra attacker. As much as Galchenyuk is a mess in his own zone making junior errors, still, when you need a goal he's your player. A coach has to use his players’ best assets and Galchenyuk can score and they needed a goal. It’s not rocket science. 

Wilde Cards 

- McCarron put up a gutsy fight and the players appreciated that. They all stood up and did stick taps on the boards as he made his way back from the players’ bench. 

- I disagree with the recent "Bergevin is all in talk" circulating among pundits. I have never heard him ever say that he would consider a trade that sacrifices the future for today. Bergevin is very hungry to improve his cup chances, but he isn't sacrificing 7 years of Sergachev to get there. With that said, Bergevin is in the mix on Duchene. Ottawa is too. Again, it's expensive. This costs Chabot and makes it a very difficult decision for the Senators. It’s a decision I wouldn’t make if I were GM. The most important asset in the cap era is a 7 year player that you can keep his salary in check for 5 of it. Sergachev is that guy. Chabot is that guy. When the Duchene business is all done, my prediction is the Avs don't get all that they want: 2 years is not 7 years. That is all you're guaranteed if you're taking Duchene. He is then a free agent. The math doesn't add up to lose a 7 year asset for two seasons. That's my call.