The Montreal Canadiens’ resurgent season seems to be the real deal. Heading into Monday’s action, the Habs are third in the Central Division, one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for second, and four points off the lead.
Considering the Canadiens’ instability in the crease this season, their place in the standings is even more remarkable. Montreal is 22nd in the league with a 3.24 GAA this season, and 26th with an .886 SV%.
Those numbers won’t cut it in the postseason.
But there could be a partial solution for the Habs at the moment. The Edmonton Oilers recently placed goalie Calvin Pickard on waivers. The move is intended to send Pickard down to the AHL in order to keep Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram with the main club.
That situation allows other clubs to claim Pickard, if they so choose. That’s something the Canadiens could well do to give their goaltending situation a bit of a boost.
The biggest objection here will be that Pickard had had numbers on par with those of Samuel Montembeault. As such, Pickard wouldn’t really be an upgrade by any means.
But when looking at the overall situation, the Habs lose nothing by giving Pickard a shot. The 33-year-old has appeared in 16 games this season, winning five, to go with a 3.68 GAA and an .871 SV%.
Sure, the numbers may be scary. But then again, the writing was on the wall for the Oilers’ goaltending tandem this season. Former starter Stuart Skinner got the heave-ho earlier this season. Meanwhile, Pickard was a placeholder until Tristan Jarry was fully healthy.
The Oilers had no room for Pickard, but the Canadiens could find a spot for him.
Pickard Could Boost Canadiens in Playoff Run
The biggest argument for claiming Pickard is his playoff performance. During the 2023-24 postseason, he appeared in three games, posting a 2.21 GAA and a .915 SV%. That was the season the Oilers took the Florida Panthers to seven games.
That’s the sort of performance the Canadiens could be banking on.
Last season, Pickard appeared in 10 games, winning seven. However, his overall numbers dipped to a GAA of 2.85 and an .886 SV%.
It’s worth noting that Pickard went on a six-game run that saw the Oilers get out of the first round and get past the LA Kings and Vegas Golden Knights.
Pickard’s playoff experience could be just what a young goalie like Jakub Dobes could use, backing him up during the postseason.
Habs Can Afford to Carry Three Goalies
The biggest question for the Canadiens would be the matter of carrying three goalies. While send Samuel Montembeault down to the AHL could be a possibility. There’s always the risk he might not clear waivers, but that doesn’t seem very likely at this point.
Still, the Canadiens could bring Pickard in as he’s got a $1 million salary this season. Since the season is well past the halfway mark, his cap hit would be closer to $400K. The only real cost would be the roster spot he could take up.
At the moment, the Canadiens have 45 of 50 NHL contracts filled. Meanwhile, they have just over $102K in cap space. That situation could change by moving Patrik Laine or Alex Newhook to LTIR for the time being.
The Habs, ultimately, don’t lose much by giving Pickard a shot. If he proves that he’s got nothing left in the tank, Montreal could waive Pickard again. He’ll be a UFA at the end of the season. So, it would hardly be a costly mistake.
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