Sven Andrighetto is stuck in hockey purgatory.
He may be too good to play for the Montreal Canadiens farm club in Hamilton. But there doesn’t appear to be a spot for someone with his talents on the Canadiens’ roster.
On Saturday the Swiss forward drew the short straw in scrimmage. He was matched up against what will likely be the Habs’ top line next season: David Desharnais, Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau and Max Pacioretty — one of the league’s premier goal scorers.
Things did not go well for Andrighetto.
Thirty-five seconds into the game, Parenteau scored off a rebound in front of Dustin Tokarski’s net.
The line would go on to score another two goals while Andrighetto was on the ice in a losing effort for Team White — which mostly featured young forwards trying to win a spot of the Canadiens’ roster.
It seemed from the outset like Andrighetto was set up to fail. Perhaps because there’s a lesson to be drawn from being overmatched with larger, more experienced players. It’s also possible the team just wants to give its top line an easy out to build confidence and synchronicity — almost like a putting a boxing champion in the ring with a doe-eyed kid, so the champ can work him over and feel like a killer before a title fight.
“It’s tougher to play in camp. There’s no chemistry yet. The tactics are new or there’s no tactics yet,” Andrighetto said after the scrimmage. “It’s tough for everyone… but I know my abilities and I know I don’t have to hide from (the top line).”
Of course, there is a third possibility: that we’re putting too much stock in the goings on of a few scrimmage periods.
“I don’t think he’s worried about his plus/minus in the scrimmages,” said Tomas Plekanec, the veteran centre who played between Andrighetto and Czech rookie Jiri Sekak. “He’s a great offensive skilled player. He’s got a chance to fight for a spot on the big club… It’s early to judge by the other line scoring goals against you or you’re scoring goals against them. Everything starts to matter when the real game starts.”
In his first season of pro hockey last year, Andrighetto missed 18 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs and still finished second in scoring on the farm team—netting 44 points in 64 games.
Playing against a mixed bag of fringe NHLers and fellow prospects, the 21-year-old often looked like the best player on the ice. He’s a strong skater with good stick handling and a quick shot. And, like any natural scorer, Andrighetto always seemed to be in a position catch a loose puck or a pass in the slot.
But making the jump into the NHL may not be so easy.
For one thing, if Andrighetto were to join the Canadiens this season, it would likely have to be on the third or fourth line playing a much more physical role than he’s accustomed to.
Andrighetto is 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a solid build, but he appeared to struggle when fighting for loose pucks with Parenteau and other NHL veterans.
During one play along the boards, Parenteau easily bullied Andrighetto off the puck, dumped it into the offensive zone and scored just a few seconds later.
In the few rushes where he had time and space in the offensive zone Andrighetto looked good. Before his team gave up the game’s first goal, he snapped a shot at Zachary Fucale after pushing his way to the front of the net.
He also forced one of the Red Team players to hook him, resulting in a penalty shot. Andrighetto beat Carey Price on the ensuing shot, putting the puck between the goalie’s legs.
With the Habs roster looking crowded at the outset of training camp, odds are Andrighetto will start the season in Hamilton. But Tomas Plekanec — who’s played almost 700 games with the Canadiens — spent a full three seasons in the minors before becoming the Canadiens’ most consistent centre.
“Of course I could make the transition (to the NHL),” Andrighetto said. “I’m here to make the team, after that we’ll see what happens… There’s always something I can learn in Hamilton, but I’m here to make the team.”
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