Canadiens Could Make Tough Decisions For Rocket Playoff Hopes

The Montreal Canadiens have had the luxury of calling up some quality reinforcements in the face of injuries, making for tough decisions ahead.

The Montreal Canadiens have gotten excellent value from their call-ups this season.

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Jesse Ylönen, Anthony Richard and Alex Belzile have been impressive with the Canadiens and have contributed in a major way to their never-say-die identity over the last few months.

However, as certain players begin the final process of rehabilitation, the Canadiens’ rabid string of call-ups from Laval could ultimately cost them a playoff spot; as the Rocket will be forced to carry on without their best player.

Waivers Crunch

Article 13.2 (b) of the NHL CBA stipulates that if a player has previously gone through the waiver wire unclaimed, they remain waiver exempt until they reach the 10-game mark or spend 30 cumulative days on the main roster with their NHL Club:

“The Player has not played in ten (10) or more NHL Games cumulative since Regular Waivers on him were last cleared, and more than thirty (30) days cumulative on an NHL roster have not passed since Regular Waivers on him were last cleared.”

Now, this rule only applies to waiver-eligible players; meaning Harvey-Pinard, Ylönen and Justin Barron are exempt from this ruling, but Alex Belzile, Rem Pitlick and Anthony Richard are not.

The three veteran forwards have played over ten cumulative with the Canadiens, with Richard just surpassing the 10-game mark earlier this week.

That doesn’t necessarily impact the Canadiens in a very negative way, as Pitlick and Belzile were not made available for the AHL playoffs, to begin with.

The Montreal Canadiens papered Harvey-Pinard and Ylönen right before the NHL Trade Deadline, due to their waiver-exempt status, while keeping Belzile and Pitlick on the roster, to render them eligible for the AHL Playoffs.

However, Richard, the Laval Rocket’s leading scorer, was on the AHL roster as of the NHL Trade Deadline.

He’s eligible to return to the AHL for the playoffs, but there’s now a catch; he must wait until the end of the season in order to be re-assigned to the AHL without having to go through waivers again.

The Rocket will already be without captain Alex Belzile and veteran Rem Pitlick, but to lose Richard as well would be a massive blow; unless general manager Kent Hughes makes a tough move.

Laval Rocket’s Outlook

It’s a major blow to the Laval Rocket’s playoff hopes, as they will have to play the next three weeks without their unquestioned offensive leader.

The Canadiens’ AHL affiliate is in a heated battle for a playoff spot in the North Division and is currently holding on to a playoff spot with a one-point lead on the Cleveland Monsters.

The Canadiens are in a bind, as re-assigning Richard to Laval would require waivers; which could result in the loss of Richard due to his solid performances in the NHL and AHL this season.

However, Kent Hughes, who actively wants his youngsters to experience the rigours of the AHL playoffs this spring, might have other options.

As injured players continue to return to the lineup, he could re-assign Harvey-Pinard and Ylönen to the AHL in the immediate future; as they are exempt from waivers.

With the Laval Rocket hurting for forward help at the moment; getting two of their more performant players back for this end-of-season push could be the compromise that needs to be made in order to give the organization the best of both worlds.

It certainly wouldn’t be a decision based on merit, but it makes very little sense for the Canadiens to have 2/3 of the Laval Rocket’s top-six with them in the NHL if the likes of Kirby Dach and Joel Armia return in the next week or two.