The deadline to submit a qualifying offer for restricted free agents is 5:00 PM EDT today. Doing so preserves the team’s rights with the player and gives them the first right of refusal in the very unlikely event of an offer sheet from another club.
The Montreal Canadiens have a bevy of RFAs they would need to qualify by the deadline if they intend to keep them in the organization: Connor Crisp, Jacob de la Rose, Max Friberg, Alex Galchenyuk, Joel Hanley, Ryan Johnston, Charlie Lindgren, Keegan Lowe, Mark MacMillan, Stefan Matteau, Nikita Nesterov, and Dalton Thrower.
There was a time when RFAs in the system were usually safe in getting an extension or two, and floundering in the AHL until they were eligible for unrestricted free agency. But last year there seemed to be a shift in philosophy. Darren Dietz, Victor Bartley, Lucas Lessio, Morgan Ellis, and Mac Bennett were not qualified by the Canadiens and left the organization.
It was strange for the organizational depth to be purged the way it was, but there was no shortage of options to fill and upgrade. Numerous teams also chose the same route, and there was a sudden secondary market of borderline NHL players that Marc Bergevin was able to sign to cheap contracts to replace the depth. The AHL team saw such additions as Zach Redmond, Bobby Farnham, and Philip Samuelsson.
The Canadiens used AHL contracts to fill out the St. John’s IceCaps’ roster to save on NHL contract slots (of which there can be a maximum is 50). Players like David Broll, Yannick Veilleux, and Julien Brouillette all played key roles in the IceCaps’ drive to the AHL playoffs.
Looking at this year’s crop of restricted free agents, it should not be surprising to see the same approach, especially considering that the Laval Rocket have numerous AHL contracted players under contract already: Thomas Ebbing, Stefan Leblanc, Niki Petti, and the returning Broll.
Receiving qualifying offers
Alex Galchenyuk and Charlie Lindgren will get qualifying offers. De la Rose and Matteau should also get one.
Qualifying Friberg, who has already signed to play with Frölunda in the Swedish Hockey League next season, would simply be a formality to ensure that the team retains the player’s rights should he consider returning to the NHL prior to hitting unrestricted free agency. The Canadiens took that route previously with players like Magnus Nygren and Joonas Nattinen.
We already know that Nikita Nesterov will not be offered a qualifying offer and will explore free agency on July 1st.
Not guaranteed a qualifying offer
Dalton Thrower, Connor Crisp, Ryan Johnston, Mark MacMillan, Keegan Lowe and Joel Hanley could all be hitting free agency come July 1. These players have seemingly all hit their developmental ceilings and are not projected to be NHLers. Using a contract slot on them seems counter-productive.
- Dalton Thower was a second-round pick by the Canadiens in 2012, but he never managed to establish himself even at the AHL level. Numerous injuries derailed any sort of positive momentum in his development during his three-year entry-level contract. Overall he played only nine games with the IceCaps, and only 81 games with the ECHL’s Brampton Beast in three seasons.
- Selected in the third round of the 2013 draft, Connor Crisp was considered quite the reach by the Canadiens. He was not even ranked by most scouting services and therefore this pick was seen as a major gamble by the organization. He was also plagued by injuries. and that certainly didn’t help him to develop. He only played 56 games in the AHL during his three-year entry-level contract, with a major concussion bringing an end to his 2015-16 season after only seven games. This past season he played 43 games with the Brampton Beast where he scored 14 goals and added 19 assists.
- Mark MacMillan was a fourth-round pick by the Canadiens in the 2010 draft. After completing his full four-year NCAA stint, he surprised some by signing a two-year entry-level deal with the team. He spent those two years full-time with the St. John’s IceCaps, firmly set as the team’s fourth-line pivot and penalty-kill specialist. In 120 games played he scored 12 goals and added 18 assists. Frequently saddled with borderline AHL players, it’s little surprise that his numbers took a hit, but it also speaks to his perceived ceiling./
- Ryan Johnston was an undrafted tryout at rookie camp in 2015 where he earned a two-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens. The mobile defenceman had breakout potential based on his performance. However, shortly after the contract came the news that Johnston had to have back surgery, which caused him to miss the first half of his rookie season. This season saw his stock drop within the team, getting scratched frequently. Despite his speed and footwork, Johnston was unable to present a complete package by having a difficult time getting the puck on net. Overall he played 87 games for the IceCaps, scoring five goals and adding 25 assists. In 10 games with the Canadiens he had no points. Johnston just signed a two-year contract with Lulea HF in the Swedish Hockey League, so more than likely his association with the Canadiens is over.
- Joel Hanley has been in the Canadiens organization for two seasons, signing one-year deals both times. This season he played some top-pairing assignments with the IceCaps, but when called upon by the Canadiens he seemed out of place as a bottom-pairing defenceman in the NHL. He played 17 games with the Canadiens over two seasons, contributing six assists. He played 129 games with the IceCaps, scoring seven goals and adding 28 assists. Out of this whole group he would be the best addition to the Rocket, but with little NHL upside it’s uncertain that the Canadiens would give him another contract.
- Keegan Lowe came to the Canadiens organization from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Phillip Samuelsson. It was a swap of AHL caliber defenders, but Lowe immediately jumped into the lineup and made a bigger impact than anything his predecessor had managed. In 22 games with St. John’s, he notched three goals and three assists, while being heavily relied upon by head coach Sylvain Lefebvre down the stretch in the regular season. While he was a coach favourite, he became a scratch in favour of Noah Juulsen during the Calder Cup playoffs, due to some lingering injuries, which could spell the end of his tenure in the organization. /
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