Steven Stamkos with the Canadiens? Martin St-Louis had a lot to say

Indeed, we already know that the organization will be able to acquire a very talented young prospect in the draft, as of today, the general manager of the Tricolore would have the opportunity to select a player in the top-5, for the third consecutive year.

However, unless there's a major turn of events, it would be quite surprising for this player in question to make his debut with the big club next season. Knowing that the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge wants to take a step forward in its rebuilding process, we can therefore expect Kent Hughes to be very active during the offseason to bring a top-6 forward into Martin St-Louis' lineup.

The general manager will certainly evaluate several options, who could make this long-awaited addition through a trade, but also via the free agent market. Indeed, several quality forwards, such as Steven Stamkos, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, and Elias Lindholm, could be available for free on July first, their contracts expiring this year.

Speaking of free agents, Steven Stamkos' name has often been linked to the Montreal Canadiens in the past and we have the right to wonder if the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge's GM might be interested in bringing him to Montreal. After all, having played nearly six seasons with the 34-year-old center, Martin St-Louis knows him very well and is well aware of what number 91 can bring to a team aiming to qualify for the playoffs.

The head coach was also very complimentary of his former teammate after the CH's loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning last Thursday, indicating that he was clearly a better player now than when he was scoring 50 to 60 goals a season.

Although his best years are probably behind him, there's no doubt that his experience and «leadership» could greatly contribute to making the Montreal Canadiens a better team. Moreover, although the future looks exciting for the Tricolore, the young players on the team must be mentored by veterans if they hope to succeed in the playoffs.

Knowing that Steven Stamkos recently made a public statement to denounce the lack of contract extension discussions between Julien Brisbebois and his agent, a great opportunity could present itself in the coming months. Moreover, even at 34 years old, the forward remains a constant threat in the offensive zone, with 36 goals and 37 assists (73 points) in 74 games this season.

Steven Stamkos' statistics over the last three seasons:

ˇ 2021-2022: 42 goals and 64 assists (106 points) in 81 games
ˇ 2022-2023: 34 goals and 50 assists (84 points) in 81 games
ˇ 2023-2024: 36 goals and 37 assists (73 points) in 74 games

Looking at his statistics, it quickly becomes clear that Steven Stamkos' offensive contribution could provide major support to the Tricolore's attack. Imagine if Martin St-Louis has players like Nick Suzuki, Steven Stamkos, Juraj Slafkovsky, Kirby Dach, Cole Caufield, and Alex Newhook to form his top two lines, the CH could potentially hope to qualify for the spring playoff dance, as early as the 2024-2025 campaign.

Credit: CH: MARTIN ST-LOUIS A EFFECTUÉ SON OPÉRATION SÉDUCTION SUR STEVEN STAMKOS