As the dog days of summer approach, the free-agent market has gone relatively quiet, with most, if not all of its stars being signed on July 1 (sorry Rick Nash).
With Shea Weber out for an extended period due to knee surgery, Montreal might have to dip into the murk of the free-agent pool to find a low-cost veteran to help round out their NHL lineup. While it isn’t necessary to do so, Claude Julien and Marc Bergevin value having veteran players both on the ice and as locker room presences.
If they’re looking for a short-term solution, who is still a serviceable NHL player and who should come cheap, they don’t have to look any further than Cody Franson.