Currently, all the attention of the Canadiens’ fans is focused on the playoffs, and for good reason, as the team surprised everyone by qualifying for the spring tournament.
Even the Habs’ managers, Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton, and company, are excited and surely have their eyes on Monday for the first game of the series against the Washington Capitals.
However, we must not forget the big issues that will have to be settled this summer in the offseason, including the acquisition of a second center.
In fact, even if the Habs have qualified for the playoffs, the team is still missing a center player for their second line.
Kirby Dach was unable to do the job before getting injured, and Alex Newhook is more of a third-line player.
In short, several options will be available to Kent Hughes and the Habs this summer to fill this hole at center, either through a trade or by signing a free agent.
One of the names that comes up a lot as a plausible option is Sam Bennett, but the dream of all Habs fans is obviously Sidney Crosby.
We would all like to see the Penguins’ captain play for the Canadiens, even Kent Hughes.
In fact, the Habs’ general manager asked Yvon Lambert, a former Habs player, if he should go after Crosby.
Wow.
This is what Yvon Lambert said during the last episode of the podcast “Ça sent la Coupe” hosted by Mario Langlois on 98.5 in the Amateurs de sport.
Pierre Gervais was also a guest. I really advise you to go listen to the episode.
In short, to get back to Crosby, actually, the Habs’ former players have been invited to 5-to-7 gatherings for three years, since the arrival of the new management, and it was during one of these 5-to-7 gatherings that Kent Hughes asked Yvon Lambert about it.
Yvon Lambert was chatting with Guy Lapointe during one of these 5-to-7 gatherings last year, and Kent Hughes took the opportunity to ask Yvon if he should go after Sidney Crosby.
“I said yes, of course! Go get Sidney Crosby!” – Yvon Lambert
Unfortunately, this conversation took place before Crosby signed a two-year contract extension worth $8.7 million per year with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
However, this tells us that Kent Hughes was indeed working on the file and was looking at the option of getting Crosby either through a trade or by signing him as a free agent.
Now that Crosby is back under contract with the Penguins, things would be more difficult, of course, but not impossible, according to Yvon Lambert.
The former Habs player believes that the Penguins’ captain could really be tempted to come and win another Stanley Cup, this time with the team he loves, the Canadiens.
Even if a trade to the Habs remains unlikely, it is clear that the arrival of Ivan Demidov in Montreal and the Habs’ qualification for the playoffs can only help the chances of seeing Crosby be tempted by a trade to Montreal.
The Habs clearly have good arguments on the table right now, but it remains to be seen if Crosby wants to leave Pittsburgh or if he wants to finish his career with the Penguins.
In short, this is a dream that we can believe in, and one that Kent Hughes has already shown interest in, given that he discussed it with Yvon Lambert.
Just imagine Sidney Crosby on the Habs’ second line with Ivan Demidov. Wow.
And I don’t see anyone saying he’s too old and has slowed down.
Crosby finished in the top 10 of the NHL’s best scorers with 91 points, including 33 goals, in 80 games this season.
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