Montreal Canadiens: 10 Changes That Can Get the Habs in the 2013 Playoffs

This is unfamiliar territory for the Habs.

The Montreal Canadiens sit in last place in the Eastern Conference. Last place. The team hasn’t finished last since 1939-40, when there were eight teams in the league.

Back then, Jules Dugal was the general manager, Pit Lepine was the coach and Hector “Toe” Blake was the leading scorer. Claude Bourque was between the pipes that year, playing in 36 of the Habs’ 48 games. They finished 10-33-5.

That was a rough time for fans at the Montreal Forum. But things turned around in the next couple of years, and the team won the cup in 1943-44.

This year’s Habs are hoping to forget about this current dismal season and use it as a learning experience. They are hoping to turn things around, like their 1940 counterparts. But in order to get into playoff contention next year, changes need to be made.

Here are ten things the "Bleu, Blanc et Rouge" need to do:

(Follow Taylor Shire on Twitter: @TaylorShire)

1. Hire a New General Manager

Pierre Gauthier didn’t get it done. He took over from Bob Gainey in February 2010 and since then, it has been all but pretty. He needs to go. And he will.

It was Gainey who acquired most of the ugly contracts (see Scott Gomez), but Gauthier hasn’t done much better since he started calling the shots.

Whoever takes the reigns from here should be ready to face some pressure from the passionate fans who want this team out of a hole.

2. Hire a New Head Coach

Make it Patrick Roy.

Why not? It would be a huge celebration in Montreal if Roy is named the next head coach. Roy has coaching experience in the Quebec Major Junior League, he is French and he is a Habs’ icon.

The only knack on Roy is that he has no NHL head coaching experience, so some people are unsure he is ready for the pressure of Montreal. But everybody gets their start somewhere. It’s Roy-t time now.

3. Sign a Top 6 Forward This Summer

There are a few on the unrestricted free agent list this year.

Olli Jokinen is one of them. The big centreman might not be what the Habs are looking for, but he would definitely add size to the team. Instead of Jokinen, the Habs should make a serious offer for a bigger guy like Paul Gaustad.

They also need some forwards who can put up points. Make a good offer to Zach Parise. Shy away from signing big forward Dustin Penner or Ales Hemsky, who are known to under-perform. However, guys like Shane Doan, Mike Knuble or Brad Boyes might be a good fit.

4. Draft Mikhail Grigorenko This Summer

A solid, 6’3, 200 lbs, forward is what the Habs need. And with their low finish this year, they should be in a spot to select him.

Grigorenko should be picked in the top three, so if the Habs finish where they currently sit, they have a good shot at this solid forward. Also to note, Grigorenko, a Russian, has already made the move to North America. He’s playing junior hockey with the Quebec Remparts, so the likelihood of him playing in Russia is low.

5. Use Other Draft Picks Wisely

The Habs picked up an extra second-round draft pick for the 2012 draft and two extra picks for the 2013 draft in previous trades. Use them wisely.

Scouts say there are some solid prospects for the next few drafts, so it will be key for the Habs’ scouts and management to cash in. The team needs to build up their scoring prowess, and what better way than to draft some young, scoring forwards.

6. Figure out the Markov Situation

Is he going to be healthy? Is he going to play a full season? He needs to play a key role with the Habs next year, or else they should get rid of him.

He’s making $5.75 million this season and is worth that type of money, if he’s fully healthy. If Markov comes back to his old form, then the Habs are in a good spot. He will definitely be an asset on the struggling powerplay and make other defensemen more expendable. But if he isn’t the same player, it is Markov who will be expendable.

The Habs already have an adequate top four in P.K. Subban, Josh Gorges, Alexei Emelin and Raphael Diaz. They also have a deep talent pool of young defensemen that are currently being groomed in the minors, which is just the way management likes it.

7. Get Rid of Tomas Kaberle

He hasn’t helped the powerplay at all. With all the depth at defense for the Habs, as mentioned in the last slide, Kaberle can pack his bags.

He was ineffective in a 5-on-5 role and he did not help the struggling powerplay. That’s why they brought him in. Young guys in the system like Yannick Weber, Jarred Tinordi, Nathan Beaulieu, Brendon Nash and Frederic St. Denis would be a better fit in Kaberle’s spot.

8. Figure out Moen Situation

He is a solid role player, but he can’t be a guy you have on your second line. He is an unrestricted free agent this year, so either make him a deal and keep him as an effective role player, or let him walk.

What the Habs should do is sign him for a similar contract, at $1.5 million a year, and keep him as a depth forward. They just need to find other players who can play the power forward role on the top two lines. Ones that can score. Too many times Moen was put in a situation and coaches asked way too much of him.

He is a third-line energy guy, so use him there.

9. Get Rid of Scott Gomez

This has been said all too much. This is a guy who is making $7.5 million a year and has 10 points this year. Simply not acceptable.

The money can be used for better players. The team might need to buy out Gomez’s contract and take a financial hit, but in the end, it will be worth it. He has a no-trade clause, so even if a team was willing to take on his salary in a trade, it’s not a guarantee he would go there.

Gomez isn’t even a role player on the Habs. It’s not like he is a fourth-line checking centre. He is a top-two line guy. But he’s not playing like one. Most nights, he’s just a liability

10. Come Ready to Play

The Habs got off to a horrible start this year.They only notched four wins in 11 games in October, followed by six wins in 14 games in November.

If the Habs want to reach the postseason next year, they need to get out of the gate stronger, and prove to other teams that they are the real deal. If they make the right offseason moves, all of this is possible and the Habs could finish much, much higher in 2012-13.