Pavel Zacha officially available, according to Frank Seravalli

“I think someone stepped

.”

–

Frank Seravalli

Pavel Zacha isn’t a star player, but he’s still an interesting one. With his physical game and versatility, he has often shown that he can hold his own on a second line. His presence could bring some stability to a second line made up of promising youngster Ivan Demidov, who doesn’t have much NHL experience, and Patrik Laine, who also has a lot to prove this season. For the time being, the position has been given to Kirby Dach. For his part, the question remains open. Can he really take on the role of second center without the experiment turning into a disaster? Martin St-Louis would like to give him the chance, but his injuries and uneven development suggest caution. For a team that wants to progress and make the playoffs again, relying solely on Dach is an obvious risk. Even with Frank Seravalli’s confirmation of his availability, it’s clear that the Boston Bruins won’t trade their center for a pittance. As my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook recently reminded us in one of his articles, the Bruins organization has shown a marked interest in young defenseman Jayden Struble, but that alone wouldn’t be enough. If Arber Xhekaj has sufficiently convinced the organization that he belongs in the NHL on a regular basis, why not let Jayden Struble go for a player like Zacha, who can fill a weakness in the lineup? If such a deal were to materialize, it would be a major move for the Canadiens. It would allow Martin St-Louis to better distribute his roster. Kirby Dach, for his part, would then be able to progress without being crushed by the high expectations that have accompanied him since his arrival in Montreal. One thing is clear: the search for a second center will remain a priority if Dach doesn’t quickly meet expectations. And now that Zacha’s availability has been confirmed, the file takes on a new dimension. It remains to be seen whether Kent Hughes will try to take advantage of this opening to strike a blow that could improve his team before another team in the market for a center, like the Vancouver Canucks, steals the targeted player.

’Overtime’

– A hat trick for Frank Nazar.

– Connor McDavid picks up where he left off.