The Montreal Canadiens played one of their best games in recent memory against the Winnipeg Jets, winning 4-1 and managing to look like the better team for most of the game. At the very least, they looked far better than most were expecting them to, particularly against a team that went into that game as the number one team in the entire Western conference.
Even more surprising was the two-goal game from Evgenii Dadonov that helped them do it.
Dadonov has struggled mightily to score this season. He’s had some good chances, but just seemed to be fighting it on most nights, incapable of capitalizing on anything. He got a little luck with the rebound kicked to him by Connor Hellebuyck on the second goal, but the first one was just a beautiful shot.
EVGENII DADONOV?
EVGENII DADONOV! pic.twitter.com/9DKGJ0zsus
— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) January 18, 2023
Full marks go to Justin Barron for the fantastic pass that set it up, but Dadonov places this shot very well. He had an opportunity earlier in the game on the power play where he put a very weak shot on goal that was stopped, and after that he looked like he really wanted to make up for it. He did that and more, and the Habs’ brass will have to hope this is a sign of better days ahead.
Pierre LeBrun recently reported that he had spoken to a handful of teams that are expected to be deadline buyers, and none were interested in Dadonov’s services. While not a guarantee that he won’t play his way into a shot somewhere, it definitely suggests that the market for his services isn’t the hottest.
He doesn’t need to pile up goals between now and the deadline in order to make that market heat up a little. If he can keep playing games like that, and chip in offensively from time to time, there could be a team out there willing to consider him as an option to shore up their bottom-six.
It may not seem likely, but it would be something to see him play his way into a trade from here out.
Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We will return after a very important game this Thursday against the Florida Panthers, where the Habs could improve their chances of having two lottery picks this year.
