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Alex Barré-Boulet has the talent to play on a top-6 team, says Louis Domingue

On July 1, many NHL teams broke out the chequebook to sign free agents, often at (very) high prices. The Habs, on the other hand, were quieter… but they did sign Juraj Slafkovský for eight years.

We know he was a team priority this summer… and it’s a contract that has made just about every Habs fan happy.

That said, Kent Hughes did come to an agreement with one player on the independent market: Alex Barré-Boulet. It’s not a blockbuster signing, but it’s not a bad bet either.

At minimum salary for one year, the Habs really aren’t risking much.

Many see him as a depth player, but Louis Domingue is a little more optimistic: in his eyes, Barré-Boulet is a player who has the talent to play on a top-6 NHL team.

That’s what he said on BPM Sports recently.

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Our colleagues at HabsAndLNH also made the find.

Domingue is in a good position to speak, having played with Barré-Boulet in the AHL. He saw him score 56 points at the age of 22 with the Syracuse Crunch, a pace he has improved over the years.

The analyst explains that Barré-Boulet hasn’t really had the chance to prove himself in the NHL, as it’s difficult for a player like him to force a team’s hand. In Tampa Bay, for example, he certainly wasn’t going to steal the spot of guys like Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos and others, who were well established in the club’s top-6.

The question is whether he’ll have the chance to do so in Montreal, given that Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovský and Kirby Dach have a guaranteed spot (and a guy like Alex Newhook has a good chance of getting one too).

But according to Domingue, Barré-Boulet’s talent is undeniable, especially on the power play. That said, he’s probably not the kind of player who will be effective on a fourth line… and one wonders if this is something that will cost him dearly considering Montreal’s forward situation.

In Overtime

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– It’s not ideal.