Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens Management Preparing To Take The Next Step
Even though qualifying for the playoffs was well beyond realistic expectations, the Montreal Canadiens saw several of their key players experience tangible growth in 2023-24.
From Juraj Slafkovksy’s improved scoring rate to Nick Suzuki’s emergence as a top-line centre, and everything in between, there certainly are some positive aspects to keep in mind as the team prepares to take the next big step in their rebuild.
And though they’re not ready to compete with some of the best teams in the NHL, there will be an opportunity to significantly improve the lineup this summer, either via free agency or yet another draft-day trade that will lead to an NHL-ready player joining the team, much like the trades that saw Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook join the organization.
As it stands, the Canadiens will be blessed with an abundance of one of the most important assets in a modern sports landscape: salary cap space.
Their financial maneuverability will be considerable, as the Canadiens are expected to have over $17 million in available funds this summer.
MUST READ: Canadiens Salary Cap Outlook For 2024-25 Provides Interesting Options
On top of having more cap space than most teams in the NHL, the Canadiens also own 12 picks set to take place in the first three rounds of the 2024 and 2025 NHL Entry Drafts, including four first-round picks.
“It’s a huge summer for us,” explained V.P. Of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton. “We want to set ourselves up pretty well.”
The Canadiens will have to make sure they avoid taking the same route as a team like the Detroit Red Wings, who attempted to hasten their rebuild by adding expensive veterans to the mix in a desperate bid to qualify for the playoffs.
Not only did the Red Wings fail to qualify for the playoffs, but they’re also set to draft in the middle of the first round, the worst possible outcome for a team that needs to add more talent to the mix.
Of course, there will always be significant pressure to perform in hockey-crazed cities like Montreal and Detroit, not to mention expectations from the person who signs the cheques.
Montreal Canadiens Making Moves
“I read Geoff Molson said we want to be in the mix for the playoffs,” said general manager Kent Hughes. “That is a fair characterization. Whether we push it over the threshold, I don’t know but we need to be better. The fans deserve it.”
While there’s no doubt the Canadiens have improved certain aspects of their overall play, there is still a bevy of issues that need to be addressed before they can even consider becoming legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
Essentially, this is the time frame in which the team is at its most vulnerable. The Habs have plenty of cap space, lots of draft capital, and one of the most intense fanbases in the world.
Yes, the Canadiens need to be better, but not at the cost of deviating from what seems to be a rather well-designed rebuild blueprint.
The good news for Habs fans is that Hughes will not use fan pressure as an excuse for his own shortcomings, unlike former general manager Marc Bergevin, who suggested fans could not tolerate a rebuild.
It turns out Montreal Canadiens fans can indeed show patience, they just want the reassurance that their patience will likely lead to success down the road, a philosophy shared by the current management group.
“We’re going to try to do what we can,” said Hughes. “But we won’t do it at the expense of this long-term plan.”
Canadiens Head Coach St-Louis One Of Longest Tenured In NHL
Montreal Canadiens Prospects Set To Join New Teams
Habs Daily: Canadiens Lack Talent Up Front, Bob Cole Montage
Canadiens Wrap: Draft Targets, Rebuild Analysis, Suzuki Decision
Canadiens Videos: A Great Tribute For The Legendary Bob Cole
Cayden Lindstrom a Prime Draft Target for the Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens Checklist: State Of The Rebuild – Forward Prospects
Canadiens Checklist: State Of The Rebuild – Goaltending Prospects
Habs Daily: State Of The Rebuild Series, European Prospects
The most promising statistics of the season for me were our record when leading after 2 periods was something like 25-0-5 and leading the league in 1 goal games. In something like 44 games this season we earned points in something like 29 or 30 of them. To me, both of those show that we’re on the cusp of really turning the corner. A healthy Dach for an entire season, the continued growth of the core kids, and a few key additions (and subtractions) this summer, and I believe we most certainly should be in the mix for a playoff spot next season. The monkey wrench in our ascension is the Sens, Sabres, Red Wings, etc. will also be doing the same thing. Not only do we have to be better in comparison to ourselves, but we also need to improve more than our division opponents improve in order to gain any ground. We can control our own fortunes, but we have no control over the teams we need to surpass, and that’s going to be the biggest hurdle to overcome. Winning the draft lottery would be a massive help, but if Ottawa or another division rival add Celebrini, it’ll negate the improvement made made whomever we add at the draft.
This management group has done excellent work in the short time at the helm- we were in the Cup finals 3 years ago and crashed and burned badly the next year so the old group was out and in came the new with a vision of how to rebuild properly. I think we are way ahead of the plan and next year we will be a playoff bubble team and play meaningful games in April.
Marty, Slav, Beck Hutson Monahan, Chariot and Roy were top of class decisions. Dach and Newhook appear to be very good moves but still in the show me stage but trending nicely- Kirby needs health and Alex needs a full year playing like he did the past several months. Few less outstanding decisions as well but no disasters.
Roster is young, talented, excited and get along well.
Cap is healthy and the inherited bad contracts will not cause compromised decisions, they are manageable. Plus Hughes is an excellent negotiator which is critical in attracting free agents and transacting trades.
We are on our way to being a top team. Great job Gorton, Hughes and Marty!!
The Detroit Red Wings situation is different then Montreal’s situation in that whereas the Red Wings have missed the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons, the Canadiens have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons. So it is understandable that management became impatient with their rebuild and decided to add some quality veteran players. They did not want to have a ten year rebuilding program.
I see another Dach or Newhook type trade being executed. A former 1st rd draft pick, say 21-25 yrs old, who has for whatever reason fallen out of favor with their current team. Someone who can be signed to a 3 or 4 yr deal at about $4M-$5M per season. There’s more value and upside in that, then signing a UFA for an overpaid amount.
Frankly, the only UFAs who are top 6 worthy AND are under 30 yrs old are Guentzel, Reinhart, and Teuvo. But these would cost much more than $5M per. And do we really want Monahan or Drouin back? I say make the trade, involving the late 1st rd pick from Winny…the first two worked out well – I’ll take my chances again.