Emerging from this season's dark clouds has been a couple of rays of sunshine including the obviously phenomenal play of the Canadiens first line and more specifically David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty. And although Erik Cole has also been a stud throughout this season, the hope was that he would be - just that - considering the contract that he was signed for. But what I wanted to focus on was another bright light, a light that may not have shown earlier on in this season and may have faded a tad more recently but that light is just as important to the future success of the Montreal Canadiens and is there new hope, Alexei Emelin.
Alexei Emelin has shown that he can play in the NHL and play well. Has he made mistakes? Most definitely. Has he looked lacked consistency? He most certainly has. But what he has shown is the ability to play important minutes against top-tier players and adjust to a North American game in a relatively short period of time. It's important to note that it takes longer for a defenseman to develop than it does a forward in this league and at the ripe old age of 25, Alexei is just entering his prime.
The Montreal Canadiens made their splash of the off-season on the first day of free agency, locking up power-forward Erik Cole to a 4-year deal worth $18M (AAV of $4.5M). The move clearly plugs a long-time hole that has plagued the Canadiens for many years. The Habs finally have a legitimate crease-crashing forward who will not hesitate to abuse opposing defenders with every chance he gets.
At first glance, the term seems a bit on the long side and the money a tad high but this has become a necessary evil these days. More and more, the realization has begun to set in that to get who you want in the face of 29 other competing General Managers, you will have to sweeten the pot a bit more than would be ideal. Comparing Cole's contract to what other players signed for as the day progressed made it seem more palatable.
There were many Habs fans hoping that the Canadiens would target and sign Erik Cole. Although Cole would not have been my first target, I am fully cognizant that what he brings to the team is something special and something that was missing.
Erik Cole's signing doesn't deviate from the strategy that Bob Gainey along with Pierre Gauthier and Jacques Martin decided to implement when they made-over the Canadiens roster just a couple of years ago. That strategy: to build a team comprised of proven winners, with both speed and skill. Erik Cole fits that mold to a T. He's not only a Stanley-Cup winner but also brings considerable foot speed to go along with his skill and bruising size.
