It’s been obvious that ever since Mark Barberio was recalled to the Montreal Canadiens, that perhaps the greatest need for the St. John’s IceCaps has been an offensive-minded, puck-moving defenceman — preferably one who shoots right — who could anchor the point on the power play.
One might be on his way to St. John’s.
Then again, there is a chance he could be on his way out of the Canadiens’ organization.
On Monday, the Canadiens placed defenceman Zach Redmond on waivers, with the intention of assigning him to the IceCaps.
That’s if no other NHL team claims Redmond before 1:30 p.m. (NT) today.
With Montreal having recently required Nikita Nesterov in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning and veteran Andrei Markov just about ready to return from injury, the Canadiens blueline had become crowded, and Redmond is the player being bumped out.
The 28-year-old was signed as an unrestricted free agent by Montreal last summer, getting a two-year, one-way contract that pays him an average of just over $600,000 a year.
Redmond has appeared in 16 games with Montreal this season, recording five assists, a plus-six rating and two penalty minutes. He missed most of the first two months of the season after suffering a broken bone in practice and appeared in a couple of games with the IceCaps on a conditioning stint in late November before returning to the NHL and seeing his first action with Canadiens.
Because of the American Hockey League’s all-star break, the IceCaps don’t play again until Friday when they begin a six-game road trip in Wikes-Barre, Pa., against the Penguins.
St. John’s has lost five of its last six games and will finish with a 3-5-3 record in January. In its 11 games this month, The IceCaps have scored a total of 21 goals, for a less than two goals-per-game average.
Part of that scoring slump can be attributed to a faltering power play, which had been among the AHL’s best during the first half of the season, but has produced almost nothing recently. The IceCaps have scored just one power-play goal in 35 chances in January and haven’t come up with a man-advantage tally in their last six games and 21 opportunities.
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Markov isn’t the only Canadiens player returning to health. Forward David Desharnais, who has missed 24 games with a knee injury, skated in practice Monday and is expected to play tonight against the Buffalo Sabres.
Since the Canadiens were only carrying 22 players — one below the minimum — on its active roster (including centre Alex Galchenyuk, out with a day-today injury) the returns of Markov and Desharnais only necessitate one immediate roster move (Redmond’s). However more may eventually be necessary, whenever defenceman Greg Pateryn (foot) and Brendan Gallagher (hand) are ready to return,
Forward Jacob de la Rose, recalled from St. John’s two weeks ago, is the only player on Montreal’s roster (other than the injured Galchenyuk) who does not have to clear waivers in order to be sent to the minors.
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