The Montreal Canadiens haven't exactly developed a reputation as a rough and tumble, in-your-face, don't mess with us-type team in recent years.
The NHL game has lost its need for goons as it evolves to a sport focused much more on speed and skill rather than pugilism and violence, but it still requires a team with size and power that can stand up for itself when necessary.
Habs general manager Marc Bergevin has done his best thus far in his short, two-year tenure to change that, but he hasn't been able to fix the franchise's diminutive overall stature overnight.
According to TSN Insider Darren Dreger, appearing on a Tuesday morning edition of Montreal's TSN 690 as transcribed by NicholsOnHockey.com, that effort is an ongoing process that Bergevin will continue to engage in ahead of the March trade deadline.
"I suspect that what - and this has sort of always been his goal - but again, if there's a way to get bigger up front, I think it's the kind of piece that would make sense for the Habs before March 2. They're still a team that even though they're bigger now than the day he was hired - Marc Bergevin - still a team that can get pushed around at times and I think that would be the kind of piece that would make sense."
With the recent top-six shift in Montreal - Alex Galcheynuk moving to center and David Desharnais moving to wing - there remains a sizable hole in the lineup. The team apparently would "love" to get Nail Yakupov - a big winger - from the Edmonton Oilers, but there's no word yet on what that potential deal would cost.
Luckily for Bergevin and fans of the Canadiens, he has already taken care of some important in-house work - getting the Rene Bourque and Travis Moen deals off the books - which means his ability to make a move or two he deems necessary, should be nearly uninhibited.
