The very tough Mathieu Olivier about to land in Montreal?
The Montreal Canadiens are looking to add character and toughness to their roster, as they currently have one of the softest fourth lines in the NHL.
Renaud Lavoie recently revealed some interesting information regarding a potential acquisition to fill this need: the arrival of the robust Mathieu Olivier, currently of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Mathieu Olivier in Montreal next season?
That's what the TVA Sports journalist suggested as a possibility for the Habs.
The Quebec forward, who recently faced off against Arber Xhekaj in one of the most spectacular fights of the season, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
I have a feeling he wiil walk into the Canadiens' locker room and automatically become a crowd favourite, and it'll take the pressure off Xhekaj of being the Sheriff. » - Renaud Lavoie, via TVA Sports
He will therefore be free to sign with the team of his choice, and Kent Hughes could consider adding him to his squad.
At 27, Olivier has an interesting profile: a 6-foot-1, 226-pound colossus, capable of defending his teammates, but also contributing offensively.
Unlike a player like Ryan Reaves, who is often limited to a physical role, Olivier is more like Nicolas Deslauriers, but with superior offensive capacity. He knows how to generate play on a fourth line, even with limited ice time, thanks to good hockey sense and hard work.
This season, the right winger scored five goals and collected seven points in 17 games. In his career, he has 18 goals and 41 points in 185 NHL games, which is notable for a support player.
I completely agree with Renaud Lavoie on this one. A character acquisition like Olivier is exactly what is needed, not only for the locker room, but also to add a crying need for robustness on the 4th line.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Mathieu Olivier would be a good acquisition for the Canadiens this summer? | ||
| Yes | 132 | 73.7 % |
| No | 47 | 26.3 % |
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