The Montreal Canadiens are getting closer to having the kind of roster that can legitimately compete for a Stanley Cup.
They already have a 100-point captain in Nick Suzuki. Cole Caufield is an established goal scorer, Juraj Slafkovsky is coming off a 30-goal season, and Ivan Demidov gives the Canadiens another young offensive weapon. Montreal also has Lane Hutson anchoring a defense that looks increasingly dangerous.
But there is still one obvious hole.
The Canadiens could use another top-six center.
That assessment doesn’t mean they should go out and make a desperate move for someone like Dylan Larkin. Giving up significant assets and taking on a massive contract simply to fill a position would be exactly the kind of move Montreal should avoid at this stage of its development.
Instead, the Canadiens could think outside the box.
Two intriguing possibilities are Kirill Marchenko and Shane Wright.
They would represent completely different approaches.
Marchenko would give Montreal an established offensive threat who could immediately improve the top six. Wright, meanwhile, would give the Canadiens something they arguably need even more: a young center who could grow alongside the rest of their emerging core.
Neither option is perfect. Still, both are worth considering.
Marchenko Would Be the Safer Bet for Montreal
If the Canadiens simply want the player most likely to make an immediate impact, Marchenko is the evident choice.
The Blue Jackets winger has already proven that he can score in the NHL. He’s not a prospect hoping to figure things out. He’s an established player who could step into Montreal’s top six and immediately provide another legitimate offensive option.
Marchenko could slide into Montreal’s lineup with very little adjustment. Put him alongside Suzuki or another quality center, give him offensive minutes and let him do what he does best.
Score goals.
The problem is obvious, though.
Marchenko is a winger.
The Canadiens don’t necessarily need another winger. They need someone who can play behind Suzuki.
Montreal already has several capable centers, including Oliver Kapanen, who scored 22 goals and 37 points last season while moving between center and wing. But if the Canadiens want a proven top-six center, Marchenko doesn’t solve that problem directly.
There’s also the acquisition cost.
Columbus knows what it has in Marchenko, and other teams are reportedly interested in him. The Canadiens could therefore have to pay a significant price to get him.
That’s where Montreal might decide to pivot.
Marchenko is the better player right now.
But he may not be the better fit.
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Wright Could Be the Better Fit for the Canadiens
Shane Wright presents the opposite argument.
He’s not as proven as Marchenko, but he’s a natural center and still has plenty of room to develop.
That’s exactly what makes him intriguing for the Canadiens.
Montreal doesn’t necessarily need another superstar immediately. It needs to continue building a sustainable contender around Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Demidov and Hutson.
Wright could fit into that timeline.
The problem is that he’d also be a gamble.
The former fourth-overall pick hasn’t yet established himself as the impact NHL center many expected him to become. That’s not necessarily a reason to give up on him at 22, but it does mean Montreal would be taking on considerable uncertainty.
And that’s not necessarily what a legitimate contender wants to do.
The Canadiens have reached the point where they shouldn’t be gambling major assets on potential.
Unless Seattle is willing to sell Wright at a relatively modest price.
If the Kraken want a significant haul, Montreal should probably walk away. The Canadiens would be better off keeping their assets and giving someone like Kapanen another opportunity to establish himself as Suzuki’s long-term running mate.
That’s why the Canadiens have two very different options.
Marchenko is the proven scorer who would immediately improve the roster, but he doesn’t solve the center problem.
Wright solves the positional issue, but comes with considerably more risk.
For Montreal, the right answer may simply be whichever player can be acquired without paying a premium.
Otherwise, the Canadiens might be better off waiting for their own solution to emerge.
Canadiens May Have Two Different Ways to Fix Biggest Problem