When speculating about the center that could come to Montreal if Jesperi Kotkaniemi ever leaves for Carolina, Christian Dvorak's name tops the list. I've read some of the comments about Dvorak, and when I bring him up in discussions with friends, some of them look at me with big eyes. Each time, I get a little carried away and talk about all the qualities of the Arizona Coyotes' center.
"But Jeff, he's getting a little old to be a hatchling! Excuse me? How many players have been hatched at the age of 25 or 26? A ton. Then, on top of that, if he got out of the Arizona Coyotes environment, he could certainly reach another offensive level. On top of that, we praise Danault's work, we love him and we think he was the perfect 2nd center behind Nick Suzuki... Well, you should know that Dvorak has more up-sides offensively than Danault."
Let me say this: he scored 31 points, including 17 goals, in 56 games during the 2021 schedule. In the 2020-21 season, he scored 38 points, including 18 goals, in 70 games. In his first two National Hockey League campaigns, he has flashed the red light 15 times in each. In my opinion, even if he never reached the 40-point plateau, he is capable of scoring goals.
Add to that the fact that he excels in the face-off circle, is effective in the 200 foot range, and can play the necessary minutes given to a 2nd center. Plus, he has a very reasonable deal of $4.45 million annually until July 1, 2025. In short, to me, Dvorak is an upgrade over Kotkaniemi and is at least equivalent to Phillip Danault.
