Habs Mailbag: Is there a magic formula for Canadiens to make playoffs?

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If you have a question you’d like to ask for our weekly Habs Mailbag, you can email it to montrealcanadiens@postmedia.com

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In your estimation, what’s the magic formula for the Habs to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs?

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Ed Helinski

It’s simple. GM Kent Hughes has to find more forwards who can produce offence.

The Canadiens had two forwards this season with at least 65 points — Nick Suzuki (33-44-77) and Cole Caufield (28-37-65). There were 69 forwards in the NHL who had at least 65 points.

The Canadiens ranked 26th in the NHL in scoring with an average of 2.83 goals per game. They got 48 goals from their defencemen, which was the fourth-highest total.

There are plenty of statistics and analytics in today’s NHL, but the team that scores the most goals still wins — and the Canadiens need more goals from their forwards.

Who are your untouchable players on the Canadiens — if any — trade-wise?

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Darren on X

I’d say the No. 1 line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky are all untouchable.

On defence, I wouldn’t be interested in trading Kaiden Guhle or Mike Matheson, who has two more seasons left on his contract with a very reasonable salary-cap hit of US$4.875 million.

Apart from that, I’d listen to offers for any other players.

Who are two unrestricted free agents who would make sense in pursuing from a Canadiens perspective given the team’s current structure/timeline and who could fit inside the salary cap?

Barry Carroll

The Canadiens will have US$4.268 million in dead salary-cap money next season as they retain salary for Jeff Petry (now with the Detroit Red Wings) and Jake Allen (now with the New Jersey Devils). That means they won’t have the full team salary cap — expected to be US$87.7 million — to work with.

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Since the Canadiens need forwards who can score it would make sense to pursue 28-year-old right-winger Sam Reinhart, who had a career-high 57 goals this season for the Florida Panthers with a US$6.5 million salary-cap hit. Jake Guentzel, a 29-year-old centre who scored 30 goals this season split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes with a US$4.5 million cap hit, can also become an unrestricted free agent. Those two might end up being too expensive for the Canadiens if they have any interest in playing in Montreal.

It will be interesting to see if Hughes has any interest in pursuing 33-year-old right-winger Jonathan Marchessault on a short-term deal after he scored 42 goals this season for the Vegas Golden Knights with a US$5-million cap hit. Maybe the Cap-Rouge native would take a home province discount to finish his career with the Canadiens since he has already earned US$29 million in his career, according to CapFriendly.com.

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I know when we lose/trade some players, we immediately think about how we can get them back. Not all trades, but a few. I am thinking about Mony (Sean Monahan) and Teapot (Tyler Toffoli). Any chance?

Suzanne Norman

Monahan and Toffoli can both become unrestricted free agents. Monahan is only 29, loved playing in Montreal and would still be a very good fit on the Canadiens if he’s interested in returning after proving this season he can stay healthy. Toffoli also loved playing in Montreal. He turned 32 on Wednesday, but can still score with 33 goals this season split between the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets.

Is there any chance one of them might return? I’d say maybe.

Do you think the Habs would ever entertain signing goalie Jacob Fowler to a contract this summer after only one year at Boston College?

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Valois P. Ambrosino

I wouldn’t expect the Canadiens to sign Fowler this summer. While he had an outstanding freshman season at Boston College, posting a 32-6-1 record with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage, he only turned 19 last November. I think a second season in university would be the best thing for his development — both on and off the ice.

I would be surprised if the Canadiens don’t sign him to a contract after next season.

How many games, realistically, do you think Lane Hutson with his frame (5-foot-10 and 162 pounds) could play in the NHL next year? He worries me against big, forechecking teams.

Danny on X

What worried me about Hutson when interviewing him off the ice at development camp last summer while he was wearing shorts was how skinny his legs were. But he has unique offensive talent as a defenceman and could definitely help the Canadiens next season. He certainly didn’t look out of place in the two NHL games he played at the end of this season and he has always been a small player, so he has learned how to protect himself. The bigger question is will he be strong enough to defend in the NHL?

That hasn’t been a problem for Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes, who is 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds. He posted 17-75-92 totals this season and was plus-38 while playing in all 82 games. If Hutson can add another 10 pounds during the off-season I think he can thrive in the NHL.

scowan@postmedia.com

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