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
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.