It’s way too early to rush to final judgments on the trade that sent Devante Smith-Pelly to Montreal and Jiri Sekac to Anaheim, yet the bottom line is that “DSP” is off to a rough start with the Canadiens.
Smith-Pelly, 22, is a healthy scratch for the Habs against the Florida Panthers tonight.
This isn’t just a momentary issue, either; the young forward has produced just an assist and 20 shots on goal in 15 games with the Canadiens. While Sekac (also 22) hasn’t set the world on fire with Anaheim, he’s been a bit more productive and has even seen a shift or two with Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf.
The focus is on getting the most out of Smith-Pelly (not proving that he’s better than Sekac), and that’s where the concern lies.
DSP: Doghouse Status Persists
— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) March 28, 2015
For the record, I agree Smith-Pelly needs to sit. He just seems to be quite be quite comfortable in his doghouse is all I'm saying
— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) March 28, 2015
The Canadiens can clinch a playoff berth in a variety of ways today. The question remains if Smith-Pelly will be able to make an impact in their postseason run, and that’s a pretty big question right now.