A journalist had predicted the arrival of Adam Brooks in Montreal!
This afternoon, several players had their names called off the waivers by one or another of the 32 NHL teams. While Habs fans are certainly sorry to see Quebec's Alex Barre-Boulet head to Seattle, they can be pleased with the acquisition of center Adam Brooks from Toronto.
He may never have made it to the big leagues, but he has a lot of offensive potential that has not been fully exploited because of the Maple Leafs' offensive depth. With the Habs, Brooks will undoubtedly have a chance to compete for a roster spot, especially with so many injuries to the forward lines and the uncertainty surrounding the fourth center position.
Interestingly, journalist Marc-Antoine Godin, who works for the French page of The Athletic, had taken the time yesterday to thoroughly analyze the options available to the CH via the waivers and came to the conclusion that Adam Brooks was the most interesting choice for Marc Bergevin.
As Mr. Godin explained so well in his article, Brooks, in addition to having some talent on offense, is a player who does things the right way. He's effective defensively, hard-working, and not afraid to get involved at the forechecking position. So his acquisition could allow the Habs to remain patient with players like Ryan Poehling, for example.
A Paul Byron 2.0?
Obviously, you should never have too high expectations when a player is claimed off waivers. There is always a reason why his previous team took the risk of letting him go, but the past has proven that a change of scenery can sometimes change the course of a player's career.
Montreal Canadiens fans are familiar with this situation, as Paul Byron is one of the best examples of players who have blossomed after having to go through waivers. Claimed by the Canadiens in October 2015, the forward became a crowd favorite in Montreal in recent years before his last two seasons were plagued by injuries.
Still, he produced two 20-goal seasons and three 30+ point seasons in the blue-white-red uniform, and while we shouldn't expect that kind of production from Brooks, nothing is impossible considering the exploits of the CH's new number 24 at the junior level and in the AHL.
In short, this acquisition by Marc Bergevin is very intriguing. He could just as easily become a new Jordan Weal as a new Paul Byron. So it will be interesting to see if he will be included in the lineup in the team's first few games, and how he will fare if he is.
