The Philadelphia Flyers began their offseason fairly rapidly by making a three-way commerce with the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets, involving defenceman Ivan Provorov and goaltender Cal Petersen. They’ve additionally let or not it’s recognized that they’re prepared to maneuver goaltender Carter Hart, who’s 24 and was as soon as believed to be the franchise’s subsequent star in internet. Commerce rumours connecting Hart to the Montreal Canadiens have been round since final 12 months’s commerce deadline, however they’ve gathered steam because the Flyers’ announcement. The Canadiens, nonetheless, must be cautious and guarantee they get him for the fitting worth if they’re .
Hart Nonetheless Has Nice Potential
The Flyers drafted Hart forty eighth general in 2016. He was one of the best goaltender in that draft and helped lead Canada to a gold medal on the World Junior Championship. He was additionally a standout with the Everett Silvertips within the Western Hockey League (WHL), successful 116 of 190 video games with a 2.01 goals-against common (GAA) and .927 save share (SV%). He joined the Flyers as a 20-year-old and excelled in his first two seasons, successful 40 of 74 video games with a SV% of .917 and .914, respectively.
Nonetheless, over the previous three seasons, Hart has struggled, which stunned many, contemplating he was constant in his first two seasons and was stable within the 2020 NHL Playoffs when he gained 9 of 14 video games with a .926 SV%. However he has not had a successful season since 2019-20, and his GAA has solely as soon as been beneath 3.00, with a 2.94 this season; his SV% has suffered as nicely, beneath .907 as soon as once more this previous season.
There may very well be a couple of causes for his drop in manufacturing, together with that Philadelphia has not been a superb crew up to now three seasons. Nonetheless, one more reason may very well be that Hart was overhyped. Extra doubtless, it has to do with the crew’s struggles, and perhaps he hadn’t utterly recovered from his belly pressure suffered in 2019-20 when he returned. A change of surroundings may very well be simply what he must reinvent his profession.
Canadiens’ Montembeault Stepped Up This Season
The Canadiens have a protracted historical past of icing celebrity goaltenders like Jacques Plante, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy and most not too long ago, Carey Worth. Hart had star potential when he was drafted, and though that star has light, he nonetheless has first rate potential. The Habs even have discovered success with one other goaltender, Samuel Montembeault, who turned his sport round this season. Though the Canadiens struggled and suffered many accidents in 2022-23, he constantly helped the crew win — or at the very least gave them an opportunity.
Associated: Canadiens Goalie Montembeault Might Simply Be Late-Bloomer
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The Florida Panthers drafted Montembeault within the third spherical in 2015, and Montreal picked him up off waivers within the 2021-22 season so as to add goaltending depth. He struggled in his first season with the Canadiens, which was additionally one of many worst seasons in franchise historical past. In 38 video games, he had an SV% of .891 and gained solely eight video games. With Worth’s extreme accidents, it seems like his profession is over, and goaltending for the Canadiens could be a weak spot for the subsequent few years. Jake Allen was acquired as a stopgap till they discovered the scenario in internet, however Montembeault stepped up this previous season and proved he may very well be the long run goalie.
In 40 video games this season, he had an SV% of .901 and gained 16 video games behind a really younger and inexperienced defence. Montreal nonetheless completed within the backside 5, however his efforts didn’t go unnoticed; he was chosen to play for Workforce Canada on the World Championship and helped lead Canada to a gold medal, going 6-1 with a .936 SV%.
Canadiens Ought to Solely Purchase Hart for Proper Worth
The Canadiens should tackle their goaltending for the long run; Allen has two extra seasons left below contract, and Montembeault has one. In the event that they determine to amass Hart, one of many two have to be moved; if it’s Allen, they need to signal Montembeault or threat dropping him in free company. Montembeault is 2 years older than Hart and has extra potential, and because the former continues to enhance whereas the latter has regressed, this may very well be a troublesome determination for Canadiens’ common supervisor (GM) Kent Hughes.
Many on social media assume the Canadiens’ late-first-round Panthers choose and a prospect could be sufficient to amass Hart. However his latest struggles and the Flyers’ willingness to maneuver him when they need to be rebuilding begs the query of whether or not he’s value a lot. With Montembeault enjoying simply in addition to Hart on a crew simply as dangerous, do the Canadiens want Hart? The upcoming draft additionally has top-level goaltending prospects, and the Canadiens have three picks within the first 38. They might choose a goaltender with a kind of first three picks or choose an overage goaltender later within the draft in hopes they may strengthen the crew’s goaltending depth.
In the event that they don’t commerce for Hart, the crew ought to signal Montembeault on a long-term deal to cowl the crew till they develop a goaltender within the system or purchase one other younger one. Hart has one 12 months left at $3.97 million and might be a restricted free agent (RFA) after subsequent season, giving Montreal some management over his future. In distinction, Monty is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and might signal anyplace, which might put the Canadiens in one other goaltending gap.
Including Hart might give the crew a stable younger one-two punch in internet and assist jumpstart their rebuild. It may be a catastrophe if Hart retains regressing. We all know Hughes will do what’s greatest for the crew. This can be a pivotal offseason for Montreal, and each transfer must be well-calculated for future success.