Interesting Player Available To Montreal Canadiens On NHL Waivers

The Montreal Canadiens made two decisions related to waivers on Thursday when they claimed Colin White from the Pittsburgh Penguins while attempting to send Brandon Gignac back to their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, via the waiver wire.

But it may not be the end of their waiver-wire-related adventures.

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced they have placed forward Alex Barré-Boulet on waivers.

Barré-Boulet, 26, has scored six goals and three assists in 36 games for the Lightning this season, but he’s best known for his excellent production rate in the AHL.

The talented centre has managed to maintain a point-per-game pace while playing for the Syracuse Crunch, to the tune of 283 points in 271 games.

Montreal Canadiens Angle

There were whispers the Canadiens had originally been one of the teams courting Barré-Boulet when he was on the cusp of signing an NHL deal.  Barré-Boulet preferred to head down South, but despite his high-end scoring pace in the AHL, he was not afforded many opportunities to prove his worth in the NHL. Barré-Boulet has played in parts of four NHL seasons, scoring 12 goals and six assists in 68 games.

His underlying numbers aren’t exactly what you would describe as awe-inspiring, but they’re certainly not awful when you consider the limited chances he received in the NHL.

He doesn’t necessarily fit the profile of players Kent Hughes likes to acquire when it comes to frames, as  Barré-Boulet only stands 5’10, but he certainly does present the Canadiens with an interesting opportunity given their roster situation.

With the NHL’s Trade Deadline looming, there’s a high likelihood the Canadiens will make a few trades, which would free up precious ice time. If they believe Barré-Boulet still has untapped potential, giving him a chance to flourish in the top six could be a worthwhile endeavour.