from Arpon Basu of NHL.com,

Bergevin took a chance on two talented, underachieving forwards in the hopes they find a way to play to their potential.

The Canadiens on July 1 traded popular forward Brandon Prust to the Vancouver Canucks for Zack Kassian and a fifth-round pick at the 2016 NHL Draft. Kassian was the No. 13 pick at the 2009 NHL Draft, has scored 35 goals in 198 games, and has been traded twice. However, the 24-year-old was tied for the Canucks lead in goals per 60 minutes of ice time last season, according to war-on-ice.com, and the Canadiens hope a clearly defined role will lead to more consistent production from the 6-foot-3, 214-pound forward.

Bergevin also signed forward Alexander Semin to a one-year, $1.1 million contract July 24 after the Carolina Hurricanes bought out of the final three years of his five-year, $35 million contract July 1. The 31-year-old is coming off the worst season of his NHL career (six goals, 19 points in 57 games) but as a right-handed shot with a tremendous release and high-end skating ability, he fills an area of need for the Canadiens. He has 238 goals and 513 points in 635 NHL games in 10 seasons, including seven seasons with 20 or more goals.

"We're going to give him an opportunity, and it's the type of player we were missing when you looked at our team," Therrien said. "He's a guy who can score, who can make plays, and who's shown in the past that he can contribute to the success of a team offensively."

The bottom line for the Canadiens in 2015-16 is they need to score more goals. Whether that comes by fixing a dysfunctional power play, from contributions from new acquisitions, or through the continued development of forwards Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, it has to happen in order for the Canadiens to take the next step.

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