Montreal’s top six might be thin, but there’s no doubt the Canadiens have stockpiled guys who can fill the forward position on the two bottom lines. So this week we ask our panelists, considering Montreal’s surplus of low end forwards, who would you have playing on the Canadiens’ bottom six next season?

Kyle (@kyleroussel) – I’ve never seen a team with such a surplus of bottom six talent (or non-talent, depending on your POV). As the roster currently stands, and assuming no new signings, trades, or other acquisitions, my bottom six to start the 2016-17 season would be Eller centering Carr and Andrighetto, while McCarron centers Flynn/Mitchell and Byron. The caveat here is that I wouldn’t have a long-term plan to keep McCarron there for very long, as I’d like him eventually on the 3rd line.

When you think about the different configurations this can take, and how it affects everything up and down the roster, it really does make your head spin!

Shawn (@CrimsonSkorpion) – I love the Carr-Eller-Ghetto idea for a third line, and this is what I originally had penned down for next season. It’s an exploit line of explosiveness and can catch the oppositions’ bottom-six off guard on any night. I don’t think Andrighetto is a fixture on the first two lines but I think his play, when he has been given the chance due to all of these injuries, has him as an NHL regular next season.

I don’t see Mike Brown here next year and if so he’s a 13th/14th forward. I honestly have McCarron in the AHL, to start. Same as Scherbak. Let them develop slowly, a la Detroit mold, and call them up when there are injuries/they’re on a hot streak. You have Mitchell, Byron and Flynn all signed for at least one more year and youngsters like de la Rose and Danault are defensively-responsible to play in the bottom-six.

And what do we make of this announcement that the Habs are front-runners on Vadim Shipachev? He’s a 6’0, 190lbs center out of the KHL and is a point-per-game player in the last two seasons. Where does he fix into the plans if the Habs indeed do sign him.

Zach (@ZachDropsTweets) –  I know this was edition of The Forum was asking what my bottom six would look like, but I’d simply be reiterating a version of what Kyle and Shawn have already said. So instead I’ll go with what I expect to see, for better or worse, from the bottom six in 2016-2017.

Truth is, David Desharnais isn’t necessarily going anywhere this offseason. In my perfect world we’d keep Lars and send Davey packing, but based on the season I’ve just witnessed, I don’t get the sense I live in my perfect world.

As Desharnais is most useful (least useless?) on the third line, we’ll likely see him there. Meanwhile I expect Eller is on the way out, primarily because he’ll net you a better return than Desharnais will (that is to say, a return at all).

Then, of course, there’s Philip Danault. I can’t say I’ve noticed him much yet, but Marc Bergevin apparently played a big role in Chicago drafting him 26th overall in the 1st round of the 2011 draft. Perhaps with Danault, Jacob de la Rose, McCarron, Mitchell and Flynn all capable of playing centre Bergevin will move both Eller and Desharnais out.

Ian (@ihabs1995) –  I would personally love to see Mike Brown back with the club next season. There’s a potential for him to fill the void left by the Brandon Prust trade, and at a much better cap hit. As a 13th forward, he would be a home run for me, but if it means young players like Charles Hudon and company get left off the roster, forget it.

Brian Flynn has become expendable this season, as the Habs have a few more right-handed faceoff options.

One thing I will break from my colleagues on is the use of Michael McCarron on the 4th line. Maybe I have a different evaluation of him, but he’s more than just a big body. The release on his shot is surprisingly fast, and with some offensive minded players, he could fit in nicely on an offensively charged 3rd line, and possibly see some time on the second line.

So here’s what I’ve got in the bottom-six:

Paul Byron – Lars Eller – Daniel Carr
Jacob De La Rose – Torrey Mitchell – Philip Danault

Extra: Mike Brown

Sean (@TheONeillFactor) – Saying that a team has a really strong bottom-six seems like the most backhanded of all compliments, but it’s hard to look at the names mentioned and not think that Montreal’s bottom two lines are pretty decent.

Furthermore, if Pacioretty can get his groove his back, if Galchenyuk can sustain his late-season surge into a full 82-game stretch and if Gallagher can stay healthy, the Habs top line heading into 2016-2017 is pretty darn impressive as well.

The problem is the second line – Montreal has a decent mix of top-end talent and low-end depth, but a glaring lack of secondary scoring. Plekanec isn’t what he used to be. Desharnais isn’t cutting it. Eller is not that guy. For this team to take any sort of leap next season, they need some complementary scorers who can carry the team when 67-27-11 go cold. You look at what Toffoli and Lucic have provided the Kings or what Sharpe and Ladd have provided the Blackhawks and there is no equivalent on the Habs.

Of course identifying the problem is easy…finding a solution may be difficult. But, this season’s meltdown aside, the window for this team to contend is wide open if and when Carey Price is healthy. Whether it’s buying low and a post-hype prospect like Yakupov or Drouin, swinging another Vanek-like trade or opening the vault for a UFA, Priority 1A this offseason needs to be finding some guys to help our top line carry the load. Do that, and the bottom six should be able to perform their roles just fine.

Antoine (@HabsoluteTruth) – It’ll definitely be interesting to see what management decides to do with Eller. We have Danault and McCarron who could both potentially replace him on the team’s third line. Personally, I would prefer keeping Eller since I’ve made it clear on the previous editions of The Forum that I’m a fan of what he brings and don’t think he’s so easy to replace in terms of two-way play and offense. I think Desharnais is as good as gone, he’ll be bought out if no team is interested (which I believe will be the case).

My bottom six would be:
Hudon – Eller – Andrighetto
Carr – Danault – Mitchell
Extras: Lessio & Byron

I think that third line can all chip in close to 30 points each while providing some much needed secondary scoring on a semi-consistent basis. The fourth line is one that can play a dozen minutes a night, provide some solid defensive play and I think Carr & Danault could be a nice duo.