Subscribe He wasn&rsquot amazing offensively but did manage to pick up 17 points
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He wasn’t amazing offensively but did manage to pick up 17 points.Roman Hamrlik – Hamrlik had big shoes to fill coming in to Montreal especially with his big contract. But Mark Streit took that pressure away from him and Hamrlik was part of the Canadiens big three on defence.Francis Bouillon – Bouillon may only be 5’8” but he will run you down like a tractor trailer, along with his physical presence he is also a speed demon but is better kept at a defensive role.Here’s a look at defensemen whose contracts expire.Mark Streit – He had a huge break out season scoring 13 goals and 62 points. He spent most of the year on the blue line but can also play the wing if he desires making him the Canadiens most versatile player (move over Mathieu Dandenault). Despite putting up all those points he isn’t a very physical player and sported a -6 rating.
Bob Gainey says Streit is his top priority this summer but if Streit’s asking price is too much he’ll be packing his bags and the Canadiens will be looking at a new power play quarter back.Patrice Brisebois – Brisebois made a return to Montreal after a 2 year stint in Colorado, and was a nice reserve defenseman. He played full time in the playoffs and led all defence for the Habs in points.Josh Gorges – Gorges played a regular role on the Canadiens blue line after struggling to make the starting roster at the beginning of the year. His hard work paid off and he was a very effective defensive defensemen. He even played time on the top pairing with Markov while Komisarek was out.Ryan O’Byrne – The big physical defensemen cracked the roster midway through the season and cracked the headlines for all the wrong reasons as well. There’s a lot of promise in O’Byrne’s game and he looks to battle for a permanent spot on the roster next season. Goaltenders Montreal has a handful of young goaltenders…and that may be exactly their problem.Carey Price – He eventually battled off Cristobal Huet for the number one net minder job, but faltered toward the end of the playoffs, which is understandable for a 20 year old. He gained plenty of experience and looks to keep pushing into next season.Jaroslav Halak – Halak saw limited NHL action last season and is expected to move on next season for a team that will allow him more playing time His contract expires and he isn’t expected to return.
He may even return to Europe.The Canadiens needs really depend on who they bring back next season. Assuming Streit and Kostitsyn resign the Canadiens won’t be looking for much to add during the free agent period. Most likely they’ll target a high scoring forward and/or a big right handed center. But if Streit doesn’t return they’ll also be in the market for a power play quarter back.Free Agent Possibilities and Rumored Players Marian Hossa’s name has surfaced in trade rumors and speculation since the trade deadline.