The Montreal Canadiens are once again at the bottom of the NHL, and while it’s disheartening for many to see the legendary franchise so low in standings, this dismal season has produced some positive stories.
The Habs lineup, while talented on paper, has been plagued by injuries and leads the league in man games lost (670) for the second straight season. Fans have been largely denied seeing young stars like Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky strut their stuff on the NHL ice while praying for a miracle in the form of a draft lottery win — and a chance to support generational contender Connor Bedard design.
Owners and management hope this remodeling will turn the club’s fortunes around sooner rather than later, and while a younger contingent of fans have enjoyed the meme-filled season so far, this is a market that’s proud of its results on the ice.
Montreal may have been one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, but there’s a lot to look forward to for a young team full of talent. (Getty)
It’s not all doom and gloom in Montreal, however. Here are some positives for the Canadiens organization and fans to take away this summer, next season and beyond.
The children are alright
The Canadians have a well-defined and promising core to invest in for the long term, and while a wealth of young talent on the roster hasn’t necessarily translated into wins and points this season, a number of potential stars have made great strides in development.
The first name to pop out is Nick Suzuki. Only 23 years old and already a captain in one of the NHL’s biggest markets, Suzuki eclipsed his season-high points on Thursday against the Washington Capitals, scoring one goal and one assist in a stunning 6-2 home win and amassing 63 points for the season. The London, Ontario native got off to a hot start, regularly teaming up with linemate Cole Caufield to rack up plenty of points before Caufield required season-ending shoulder surgery in late January.
Suzuki has consistently demonstrated his high-end skills and vision, making tough veteran games with ease and distinguishing himself as one of the most talented young forwards in the NHL today. He’s also showing maturity on the defensive side of the puck, a necessary step in his development if he wants to become the No. 1 center Montreal wants him to develop into.
The story goes on
Despite ending his season early, Caufield took the league by storm, showing his uncanny nose for goals and an elite shot. The little sniper had 26 goals and 36 points in just 46 games, with pace for 46 goals and a 99th-percentile scorer rank in the NHL. The 22-year-old could even become the Canadians’ top scorer this year despite missing almost half the season (Suzuki has 24 records with three games remaining). In the worst case he will be second.
The Habs also have some cleats on the defensive, starting with 21-year-old Kaiden Guhle. The rookie is fourth in average ice time on the team, regularly pushes into the top pairing, and takes on the opposing team’s top line every night.
He’s also shown some skill moving the puck off the back end and hitting it offensively, scoring five goals and 18 points in 44 games. Guhle has been in and out of the line-up all season as he’s nursing various injuries, but his performances against some of the league’s best forwards have got fans excited about his potential as a top pair.
Jordan Harris and Justin Barron have also made significant strides in their respective development as NHL-caliber defensemen, balancing their puck movement skills with a more steady presence on their own teams. Harris ranks second among Canadian defenders in expected goals conceded per 60 (2.78) via natural stat trick, just behind defensive partner Johnathan Kovacevic.
Meanwhile, after a slower start to his Montreal stint, Barron is finally finding his feet. After transferring from the Colorado Avalanche to the Canadiens at the close of last season, Barron has struggled to make a difference with his new club to complete the 2021-22 season. The 21-year-old started this season in the AHL with Laval Rocket and amassed 16 points in 25 games before being called up to the big club to fill in for some injured regulars. He hasn’t looked back since then, playing in 36 NHL games with Montreal, scoring 14 points while showing a more mature defensive play than before. He’s also found room to show his offensive touch, ranking second among the roster’s blueliners in points per 60 (1.42).
While the development of this young group has been encouraging for the front office, many eyes remain on Juraj Slafkovsky, the first overall winner of 2022, who had just 10 points in 36 games before being closed for the season with a knee injury. The 18-year-old failed to make a real impact as a wide-eyed rookie at the NHL level as many might have predicted, but the club and supporters are hoping for some growth in his second season after spending a full year in North America .
And to top it all off, the Canadiens are poised to finish in the top five in June’s draft with one of the most talented classes we’ve seen in years.
We trust in Kent Hughes
General manager Kent Hughes had a big task ahead of him after taking over the front office alongside hockey operations president Jeff Gorton midway through last season following the long-awaited sacking of Marc Bergevin. Hughes inherited a team that was doomed despite reaching the Stanley Cup Finals just months earlier. He managed to stock up on picks and prospects by the deadline, while delivering expiring contracts and tackling the reconstruction that had been postponed for years.
However, in the last off-season, Hughes and co. worked their magic. First, he traded Shea Weber’s contract to Vegas for forward Evgeni Dadonov, dropping a dead contract for a pending UFA that he could flip at the next trade deadline. He then made headlines in the Montreal draft by selling defenseman Alexander Romanov to the Islanders for the 13th overall pick, which he then traded to the Blackhawks for former lead pick Kirby Dach.
A little over a week later, the Canadians traded disgruntled defensemen Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling for defenseman Mike Matheson and a fourth-round pick with the Penguins — a somewhat disappointing return at the time.
In August, Hughes would acquire Sean Monahan and a first-round pick from the Flames for future consideration as Calgary Cap created space to accommodate the signing of Nazem Kadri.
Looking to get his career back on track after several injury-plagued seasons, Monahan started the campaign with 17 points in 25 games before – you guessed it – a move to IR for the remainder of the year.
However, Matheson and Dach proved to be powerful strikes for the Canadians, who each proved effective players on either side of the puck. Matheson has won over Habs fans with his elite skating, playmaking skills and passion for his hometown hockey club. The 29-year-old has a career-high 33 points in 45 games – good for fourth place in the team standings – and has filled in Petry’s footsteps admirably.
Dach, meanwhile, has finally found some consistency in his game, showing the high-end skills and decision-making that earned him the third overall pick of the 2019 NHL draft. Used in a variety of positions and roles in Montreal’s top six, Dach drives the game at a high level regardless of who he’s competing with while using his 6ft 4 frame to win puck fights all over the ice.
The former Saskatoon Blades standout has career-high goals (14), assists (24) and points (38) in his debut season with the Canadiens. Dach is third on the team in Corsi for (50.3 percent), behind only Monahan and Brendan Gallagher, both of whom have played significantly less than the 22-year-old this season.
via The Athletic
Dadonov had little to no impact as he hopped around the Canadian bottom six before being traded to the Stars for forward Denis Gurianov in late February. Gurianov, who had just two goals in 43 games this season at Dallas, has eight points in 20 games – including a four-game scoring streak in March – with the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge and put his elite speed down the wing to good use .
rough diamonds
We have to give credit to the Montreal scouting and development team for seemingly finding some serious talent out of nowhere.
First, one of the stories of the season for the Canadians — and surrounding the NHL — is Arber Xhekaj, a rookie defenseman who went undrafted in both the OHL and NHL before signing an entry-level contract with the Habs in 2021. The hulking 22-year-old quickly became a fan favorite due to his willingness to protect his team-mates and regularly faced off against some of the league’s toughest players. He’s not all meat and potatoes, however, as he’s shown some reliability as a stay-at-home blueliner who can rely on his hands and IQ to get him out of sticky situations.
At net, Samuel Montembeault has taken the lead, putting up respectable numbers while holding off one of the most defensively challenged sides in the league.
After struggling to establish himself as a reliable NHL goaltender with the Panthers, Montembeault is finally coming to terms with his home province, posting a season with a .900 percent save rate for the first time in his four-year career.
At 17.64, the 26-year-old is even one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
With Carey Price all but retired and Jake Allen struggling in a starting role, Montembeault could lose next season if he can maintain that form.
Eventually, fans had fewer and fewer things to cheer for as the team’s leaders and young stars tumbled left and right as this unforgettable campaign drew to a close. That’s where Rafaël Harvey-Pinard comes in, the 24-year-old rookie who immediately jumped at the opportunity that presented itself to him when he was called up in January. In 33 games, Harvey-Pinard has scored 14 goals and 20 points, winning fans’ hearts with his passionate style of play and infectious smile. Picked in the seventh round of the 2019 draft, Harvey-Pinard took the long road to the NHL, signing an AHL deal from Major Junior before signing an entry-level contract with the Canadiens in 2021.
A native of Jonquiere, Que. spent most of his time with the big club at the helm of Suzuki to rejuvenate the captain’s game and mid-season production. On March 25, Harvey-Pinard scored his first career hat-trick in an 8-2 win against the Blue Jackets in Montreal.
Look at that smile, Habs fans. It wasn’t all bad this season.
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