We could be seeing the emergence of Jordan Weal in Montreal.
Since his arrival, he has recorded eight points in 13 games for the Canadiens, which is a huge increase compared to the two he had with the Arizona Coyotes in 19 games, and also an increase in points per game compared to his previous career average of 0.30.
What makes Weal a valuable piece for Montreal in this ongoing playoff race is his ability to consistently make positive plays: the way he finds controlled offensive entries, passing options, and shots on net where most other perceived ‘‘depth players’’ would dump or cycle the puck, forcing their team to battle on the boards and diminish their chance of creating offensively.