Trade deadline mismanagement sealed Canadiens' playoff fate

It was a tight series between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers, but in the end the club that was able to solve the opposition's netminder reigned victorious.

With a 3-1 Game 6 victory, the Rangers punched their ticket to the second round, leaving the Canadiens to wonder what went wrong.

It shouldn't take the club too much pondering to realize the biggest fault was that their offense dried up. It was an offense that sat in the middle of the pack during the regular season and one that, to general manager Marc Bergevin, didn't need upgrading.

Looking back, it became clear ahead of the trade deadline that the Canadiens' biggest need was more offense. Carey Price had been good most of the year, but made it clear he could - on occasion - be just really good instead of unbeatable.

He wasn't going to be able to solve all of the team's mistakes.

So the club needed to find goals, but rather than adding potential scorers such as Martin Hanzal or Patrick Eaves, the team elected to add size in Dwight King, Steve Ott, Andreas Martinsen, Brandon Davidson, and Jordie Benn.

Sure, adding Benn and Davidson was acceptable in that both helped out on the back end, but the forwards acquired are evidence of some head-scratching management.

The contingent mentioned above - and Nikita Nesterov, who was also acquired ahead of the trade deadline - combined for no goals and no points in the series.

The three forwards mentioned above only contributed one goal (by King) during their time with the Canadiens.

In fact, David Desharnais - dealt to the Edmonton Oilers for Davidson - has contributed a goal - in overtime - and an assist this postseason.

In the six games, the Canadiens averaged just 1.83 goals, the fourth-worst mark in the playoffs, with the Oilers being the only team below them still alive.

The onus will surely fall on captain Max Pacioretty, and rightfully so, as he failed to record a single goal, only posting a single assist in the series. However, the fact is the Canadiens' offense was in question long before the playoffs began and the team had adequate time to address it.

Sure, Hanzal's asking price may have been ridiculous, but in the end, Bergevin failed to improve the club as they made their march into the postseason and the results now speak for themselves.

No one's going to be able to hide behind a fern on this one.