The season-ending knee injury sustained by goaltender Carey Price on Nov. 25, 2015 was cited by general Marc Bergevin as the main reason the Montreal Canadiens missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season.
But clearly he believed it wasn't the only reason as Bergevin drastically made over the Canadiens' identity during the offseason.
Defenseman P.K. Subban was traded to the Nashville Predators for defenseman Shea Weber on June 29. That followed two trades June 24, one acquiring forward Andrew Shaw from the Chicago Blackhawks and one sending center Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals.
On July 1, the Canadiens signed right wing Alexander Radulov to a one-year contract, adding a top-scoring talent to play on one of the top two lines.
The common thread between Weber, Shaw, and to a lesser extent Radulov, is a certain degree of abrasiveness, something Bergevin thought the Canadiens were lacking.
Subban is among the top transition players in the NHL, and even Eller helped move the play toward the offensive zone more often than not. But Canadiens coach Michel Therrien has long said he wanted a team that was tough to play against. This summer moved the Canadiens in that direction.
The addition of Weber helps in other areas. He is one of the top power-play scoring threats in the League. And his slap shot, along with the injections of Radulov's skill and Shaw's net-front presence, should help the Canadiens avoid a third straight season finishing 25th in the NHL in power-play efficiency.
Rookie left wing Artturi Lehkonen, 21, appears to be penciled into a spot on the second line, which would allow Shaw to play a bottom-six role and spread the scoring through the lineup.
Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, the No 9 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, looks like he will break camp with the Canadiens. At 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, the 18-year-old has an NHL-ready body. He's a strong skater and is offensively skilled enough that he could impact the power play if he sticks past his initial nine-game trial.
