BROSSARD, Que. — The 2015-16 edition of the Montreal Canadiens never came close to adding a Stanley Cup banner to the 24 that hang from the rafters at the Bell Centre.
According to general manager Marc Bergevin, the reason for that was mostly to do with losing goaltender Carey Price for what turned out to be 59 games from the day (Nov. 25) he suffered an MCL sprain that was only supposed to keep him sidelined for six-to-eight weeks.
If it was foreseeable that the Canadiens would struggle without the reigning MVP, it was unfathomable that they’d have the league’s worst record from Dec. 2 through the end of a season they kicked off with a franchise-best nine consecutive wins.
It was the kind of collapse that one would think necessitates drastic change. But as owner Geoff Molson, general manager Marc Bergevin and head coach Michel Therrien met with the media — roughly 500 feet adjacent to the replica Cup banners that hang above the ice at their South Shore training facility — all three of them used the word “stability” to outline the course of action the team will follow.
“The decision I made four years ago was to hire Marc Bergevin, and I think he’s the best person to manage the team and make it better,” said Molson in French. “Another priority of mine was to institute long-term stability and Marc’s guidance allows for that.”
It was in that same vein that Bergevin guaranteed Therrien and his staff would remain in place for the start of the 2016-17 season.
“Michel Therrien is a guy who’s fair, strict and firm, and that’s the reason he’s still here to this day,” said Bergevin. “Surely there will come a day — there will even come a day for me — when he and I won’t be here.
“But today isn’t that day for Michel Therrien because I’m behind him and I believe in him and our players believe in Michel Therrien.”
Bergevin took no exception to the coach’s insistence that forward Alex Galchenyuk — who was the second-highest goal scorer in the NHL from the minute he was made Montreal’s top centre on March 5 up until season’s end — wasn’t ready for more responsibility in January after the team had averaged less than two goals per game for over a month.
The GM also saw no issue with the coach’s strategy, which never changed — even as the Canadiens suffered below-average goaltending from December to February.
His ringing endorsement of coach Sylvain Lefebvre, whose St. John’s IceCaps (formerly the Hamilton Bulldogs) haven’t made the playoffs in four seasons, was met with surprise. But Bergevin had his reasons.
“In a perfect world St. John’s makes the playoffs and they win the Calder Cup,” he said. “The way I look at it is when players come to Montreal, are they helping us? And this year, towards the end, we had many injuries and there’s players who have come up and done a pretty good job for us.”
Forwards Daniel Carr and Sven Andrighetto and defencemen Mark Barberio, Joel Hanley and Darren Dietz — who all filled in for some of the 17 regulars who missed games due to injury — were singled out by Therrien as players who fit Bergevin’s description. Their futures with the organization appear secure.
Meanwhile Bergevin’s stated intention to retain all the core players of the Canadiens was anything but convincing.
“Wayne Gretzky was traded,” reminded Bergevin. “Am I trying to move [defenceman] P.K. Subban? No. Am I trying to move Carey Price? No. Am I trying to move Max Pacioretty? No. Am I trying to make this team better? Yes. To move any of these guys and to move P.K. it would have to be something special, and as a hockey manager I have to look at all my options. Is that a reality? Probably not.
“But if I don’t look at all my options, I’m not doing my job as a general manager.”
Molson added the following in a letter penned to fans Monday afternoon: “No stone can be left unturned in looking for ways to improve. You have my full commitment that we will do everything possible to improve our team.”
Bergevin insisted he’ll be a player in free agency, albeit a cautious one considering the uncertainty of the Canadian dollar and its effect on the salary cap. In order to be one, he’ll surely have to shed some salary given roughly $65 million already committed to 19 players under contract.
What that means for Tomas Plekanec, Lars Eller and David Desharnais — who all play the centre position and are currently tying up $13 million in space — is anybody’s guess. And defenceman Alexei Emelin, who makes $4.1 million on the cap and generated interest on the trade market back in Februrary, might be a player Bergevin looks to move as well.
But the Canadiens are far from assured their most pressing needs will be fulfilled through trade and free agency.
“Every team in the league needs scoring,” said Bergevin. “There’s not one general manager in the NHL who’s going to tell you, ‘You know what? I have too much scoring.’ Scoring is a premium in this league, and obviously guys that are able to score at a high level are very, very seldom available if ever.”
The Canadiens can fall as low as 12th but will most likely draft ninth overall barring the possibility they beat the odds at the April 30 lottery by landing a top-three pick. And even in the unlikely event they get lucky, there are no guarantees they’ll add a player who can help them immediately.
“Over these 82 games I learned a lot,” said Bergevin. “I learned that there are no guarantees no matter how successful you are at the start or at any point during the season.”
That same uncertainty will hang overhead as a new quest begins to put an end to a 23-year Cup drought.
