Robert Lang's arrival finally gives Montreal the depth at centre through the top three lines to contend legitimately.

For the last several weeks on Game Points, I have maintained that the Habs, even with the additions of Tanguay and Laraque, were still not ready to contend for the Stanley Cup. My reasoning had been that the third line for Montreal was simply not good enough to help the team go all the way.

With perennial contenders having third line players like Kris Draper, Sammy Pahlsson, Mike Modano and John Madden, the Canadiens could simply not compete for the cup as long as their third line was suspect. Championship teams have third lines that can shut down the opposition and chip in with offense. Somehow, Maxime Lapierre just doesn't inspire offensive confidence in me heading into the season.

I've said all along that the Canadiens were kidding themselves if they thought they could go into the season and contend for a cup without a proven third line centre. Well, now they have it. The only question is - who will play on the third line?

Robert Lang is now on board, a big center to help the team overcome their feeble physical play in the postseason and help them with scoring on the top three lines. While Lang is aging, don't rule him out being used with Andrei Kostitsyn and Alex Kovalev. This would free up Plekanec to be used on this all-important third line.

With Koivu penciled in as the number two centre alonside possibly Tanguay and Sergei Kostitsyn, that would leave Plekanec and Higgins to play on the third line, possibly with either Begin or Kostopoulous.  Now you're talking. Plekanec is a great offensive player, no doubt, but he also has tremendous value as a checking centre. He can turn defence into offence in a flash and he can use his smarts to match up against any top centre in the NHL.

Lang played with Kovalev in Pittsburgh, so his role on the top line would be virtually seamless. Koivu on the second line makes sense because his body can no longer take the punishment of playing 18 minutes a night. on the top line. So that would leave Plekanec in a third line role with Higgins. The two are headsy players and would fit into their new roles with perfection. Imagine the speed and transition game on the third line with those two guys.

It just makes so much sense on so many levels to make these moves. Lang's bigger stature at centre over Plekanec would allow for more room for Kovalev and Kostitsyn to operate. It would also make the potent Canadiens that much more potent with a now threatening third line.

So Guy and Bob: go for it! The third line makes or breaks a team's chances to go deep in the playoffs and you have the tools now to have an incredible third line. Make the unpopular move of switching Plekanec and Higgins down to the third line and this team would be ready for a cup run. I guarantee it.