Devante Smith-Pelly's Unique Advantage

Normally when a player - any player - is acquired by the Montreal Canadiens, there is much overblown analysis, expectation and prediction, In the case of the Sekac for Smith-Pelly trade, you can add conniptions to the list. Many fans are incensed by the deal, which could prove to be a unique advantage for Smith-Pelly.

Leading up to the trade deadline, Marc Bergevin once again defied the workers at the ol' rumour mill and pulled off a deal nobody saw coming. In a move considered by many to be a surprise, Monsieur Bergevin shipped his prize offseason acquisition, Jiri Sekac, to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the pedigree-rich Devante Smith-Pelly. The tale of the tape was nearly identical in terms of age and point production. Nevertheless, many Canadiens fans were furious with the deal.

Sekac represented a big win for Bergevin, the Canadiens and their fans. Following a breakout season in the KHL, the undrafted forward was courted by many NHL teams, before finally deciding to sign with the Montreal Canadiens. The 22 year-old is a good skater with decent hands and offensive instincts, whose 6'2" stature is a sight for the sore eyes of Canadiens fans, which had long been straining to watch the sub-six foot players that had once formed the majority on the team.

Sekac cracked the lineup after his first training camp in North America and on occasion showed flashes of very slick offensive skills. Sekac's low production and streaky play was to be expected, but fans clamored for coach Therrien to use Sekac in a more prominent offensive role. Perhaps they were right, perhaps they were wrong. Point being, the fans liked what they saw of the young, flashy Czech forward.

Smith-Pelly, on the other hand, was in the midst of what was considered a disappointing season with the Anaheim Ducks, whose fans expected more immediate dividends from their 2010 2nd round draft choice. It's not as though he'd played poorly. Detractors and angry Hab fans have been quick to point out Smith-Pelly's poor 'advanced' stats (ugh) yet shrug off the fact that at the time of the trade, Smith-Pelly was leading the Ducks in hits. What is also left out of the conversation is the fact that Smith-Pelly has a reputation for being a standout performer, dating back to his Memorial Cup appearance with the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors.

Fans blame Michel Therrien for simply not liking Sekac, which may in fact be the case. Sekac himself was very vocal about not being sure of his role while with the Canadiens. Unfortunately for Sekac, Therrien is the coach of this team and Sekac is a rookie. Therrien's young players have to earn their spot in the lineup. They are expected to battle their way from the bottom six to the top. Therrien has had the likes of Danny Briere on his fourth line and Dale Weise on the top trio. Nothing is a given on Therrien's team.

The truth of the matter was best articulated by Arpon Basu, who tweeted that the real winner of the trade won't be known until both players have played a few more years. Truer words couldn't be spoken. Jiri Sekac might end up delivering on the promise shown in his good KHL season and he could end up being a very productive, effective player. He could just as easily become the next Alexander Perezhogin, Guillaume Latendresse or Andrei Kostitsyn.

Even if Sekac ends up being a very good player, that's okay. The Canadiens made a deal for the present. Sekac is a 3rd-line player in his rookie year, with the potential of being a good top 6 scoring forward. Smith-Pelly is a solidly built 3rd-line player in his 3rd NHL season, who is  already a serviceable 3rd line player. He also comes with the potential to add an offensive component to his game, the potential for which many fans have already forgotten. It was only last season that Smith-Pelly produced 27 goals in 55 AHL games.

What's refreshing about this move is it was a true hockey trade. Each team gave up useful assets who come armed with potential for more. The difference is, Bergevin sold while Sekac 's value was high in order to buy an undervalued Smith-Pelly. From an asset management standpoint, that's not a bad strategy at all.

A big young body who likes to hit and excels in the playoffs simply cannot be seen as a bad return, in a season that carries the greatest chance at Stanley Cup contention the Canadiens have had in years. Yes, the price was high, but it's doubtful Bergevin would have moved the player he fought so hard to win, without very good cause. Perhaps his character simply wasn't what the Canadiens were looking for (pure speculation).

This finally brings us to Devante Smith-Pelly's unique advantage. Unlike most players who come to Montreal, welcomed with open arms by a sea of fans starved for a star player, Smith-Pelly is already coming in as a disappointment. The unlikely and premature canonization of Jiri Sekac has made his departure the focus of the deal, rather than Smith-Pelly's arrival. It's not often that one can evade the Montreal microscope, so Smith-Pelly would be wise to use this time to quietly become acclimated to his new team and teammates.

So, while fans wait for the years to unravel and reveal the winner of this deal, the Canadiens prepare to enter the fray of playoff warfare, armed with a Canadian-made weapon designed specifically for such battles. The potential for Sekac's future dividends is key to the Ducks' chances of winning the deal. The potential for Smith-Pelly's future dividends is simply gravy on what is already a useful asset.

Or, maybe the unthinkable will happen and this will end up being a hockey trade in which each team filled a need and both walk away satisfied.

Nah...not when Montreal is involved.