Dan Robertson: The ‘CH’ need another ‘C’
Mathieu Perreault was the centre of attention last Saturday at the Bell Centre.
He should not be the centre of the team’s third line.
With a natural hat-trick that triggered an ovation that only the Bell Centre fans can provide, it was a magical night for Perreault.
“You don’t even dream about a moment [like this],” said Perreault during the Habs’ post-game press conference. “You just dream of playing in the NHL and maybe playing for the Canadiens and not to actually score a hat-trick in your own building.”
After opening the season with five consecutive losses, Montreal desperately needed the two points against the Red Wings, and they got them with a 6-1 victory.
However, with respect to Perreault, he is miscast as Montreal’s third line centreman.
The 33 year-old Drummondville, Que. native wasn’t signed to skate between the likes of Tyler Toffoli and Cole Caufield, certainly not for the long term. That combination might work in a pinch, but Perreault and the team would be better off if he were battling for a spot on the fourth line, preferably as a winger.
He hasn’t played centre with regularity for a few seasons and was being used in Winnipeg as an energy winger with some grit and a touch of offensive flair. He isn’t the answer at the three spot for Montreal.
The truth is, that player isn’t on the roster.
In a better scenario, Ryan Poehling and Jake Evans would be battling for the number three centre role. Coming off a strong AHL season and with some sorely needed size down the middle, Poehling was given every chance at training camp to make the team, but couldn’t get the job done.
He’s still just 22 years old and could some day play in the top nine, but it seems far from a sure bet. When Jake Evans centres Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia, the makings of a solid defensive trio is clear. When Evans is on the third line and is needed to chip in with some offence, it’s evident he’s not a great fit in that role.
To this point, Toronto castoff Adam Brooks has played one game at third line centre while veteran Cedric Paquette is best suited for spot duty on a fourth line.
Montreal’s General Manager Marc Bergevin said recently he is not going to make a trade "just for the sake of making a trade." Nor should he.
But with plenty of road ahead to right the wrongs of the first two weeks of the season, it would make sense to find someone better suited for third line responsibilities. Granted, early season NHL trades are as rare as a Canadiens victory, but finding diamonds in the rough is one of the GM’s strengths.
If the Habs can acquire someone in the league who could thrive with a fresh start at the right price, they need to get it done. Then the Perreaults and Evans of the world could be slotted properly and things might just fall into place.
The Canadiens have no shortage of issues on their hands right now, but solidifying things down the middle at the right cost would certainly be a step in the right direction.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.