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Canadiens Analysis

Canadiens Analysis: Mid-season Tiered Habs Player Rankings

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3 months ago

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The Montreal Canadiens have played half of their 2024-25 hockey season, and have an over-500 record to show for it. Kent Hughes took some flack earlier in the year for floating the idea that this team could be in the mix for a playoff spot, but as things stand, this team is right on the bubble, looking in.

Things were off to a lacklustre start with an 8-12-3 record by the end of November, but this edition of the Montreal Canadiens really turned things around in December, and improved to 19-18-3. Moreover, a winning streak against the four last Stanley Cup winning teams seems to have rallied the team’s most skeptical followers, with convincing signs that they are in fact, in a legitimate hunt for a playoff spot.

With a sufficient body of work for most Habs players, let’s look back at individual performances and see how they fared in the first 41 games of the season.

To do so, we will break it down via tiers:

– Top tier: Outperformed expectations
– Middle tier: Met expectations
– Lower tier: Underperformed

Montreal Canadiens Player Who Surpassed Expectations

Alexandre Carrier: As up-and-coming defenceman Justin Barron struggled to establish himself as a regular in the NHL with perilous plays in his own zone, Kent Hughes elected to cut his losses and trade him while he still held value. That proved to be an excellent decision, as the player obtained in return, Alexandre Carrier, immediately solidified the defensive squad. His mature and effective two-way play, on top of being a local kid, has fans forgetting all about Barron. The Canadiens started winning games consistently immediately after his arrival. Coincidence? Methinks not.

ON TOPIC: Canadiens Trade Analysis – Alexandre Carrier’s Impact Goes Beyond Expectations

Cole Caufield: After a red-hot start, Caufield cooled down a little bit following the insertion of Patrik Laine into the lineup. That said, the diminutive sniper still pots goals regularly and is a major contributor to the Montreal Canadiens offensive success. Currently tied for 7th in goals throughout the league (and first for goals scored on away ice), Caufield is on pace to be Montreal’s first 40-goal scorer in a season since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94. Let that sink in!

Jakub Dobes: With Cayden Primeau struggling mightily since day one of the regular season, the management group had to find a solution to improve their netminding squad. They ultimately elected to promote internally, giving 23-year-old Dobes the nod. It’s a small sample size, but in two starts, the 6’4 masked man is boasting a .982 save percentage, while looking calm, collected and oozing confidence. Quite the contrast! His wins (including a shutout) were also against recent Stanley Cup winners, namely Florida and Colorado. It will be interesting to see if his stellar play continues throughout the year, or if it’s only a flash in the pan.

Jake Evans: Stop me if you’ve heard this before: A player in a contract-ending year is blowing away expectations and is having a career-year! Kent Hughes and Geoff Gorton will have a tough decision to make, as Evans, a key component of this Habs team’s success, might be tempted to test free agency to get a significant salary bump. His 3.9 goals above expected indicated a bit of puck luck, buyers beware! But his overall excellent play would justify a pay raise, regardless of goals scored.

MUST READ: Jake Evans Trade And Contract Discussion – Finding Comparable Contracts For An Extension

Kaiden Guhle: It appears Kaiden Guhle has found another gear, as one of the team’s lead minute muncher, especially since being paired with Alex Carrier. Guhle plays an effective, hard-nosed brand of hockey and has looked like a legitimate first-pairing defender for a significant chunk of the season. Not many points are coming off his stick, but wit Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson with the team, it’s a non-issue.

Nick Suzuki: As the captain and one of the better paid player on this team, you would expect Suzuki to lead the team in points, and this is exactly what he is doing. Once again averaging a point per game pace (currently 41 in 40), he also ranks 13th in points among centres, ahead of the likes of Tim Stützle, Tage Thompson and Sam Bennett. Does that end the ‘Is he a legitimate first-line centre’ debate?


Emil Heineman: No one could have predicted that Heineman would be top three in goals for a rookie by mid-season, and yet here we are. The feat is even more impressive considering he has accomplished this while playing limited minutes on a fourth line, as opposed to top line minutes and first powerplay duties for his competitors. Regardless of goals tally, Heineman also positively impacts games as a strong forecheking presence, as he regularly forces turnovers and extends possession in the offensive zone. He also leads the team in hits, with 96.


Lane Hutson: Every Montreal Canadiens fans had high hopes for the diminutive defenceman, and he has not disappointed. Hutson rapidly eclipsed Mike Matheson (a top-10 powerplay point-getting defenceman!) within the first months of his rookie season! He currently leads all rookies in points (again, as a defenceman!) and has been an absolute spark plug for the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge. To top it off, his defensive game has been quite good – something his detractors clamoured ad nauseam would be a cause for concern. Can you name the last Calder Trophy winner that donned the Sainte-Flanelle?

Patrik Laine: After missing a healthy chunk of the season due to a lower body injury, Laine’s return to action created a chain reaction that sparked the Montreal Canadiens’ winning streak. His powerplay prowess (tied eight in power play goals with only 13 games played) add a dangerous dimension to the Habs man advantage, and his insertion in the line-up allows bench boss Martin St-Louis to “spread the riches” and roll balanced lines. His arrival also coincides with Kirby Dach’s improved play, and it appears there’s chemistry building between the two 6’4 behemoths. Now, if Laine were to start scoring at 5v5 again, theirs and Nick Suzuki’s line could create a menacing one-two punch the likes Montreal fans haven’t seen in eons.

Montreal Canadiens Players Who Met Expectations

Josh Anderson: Josh Anderson has been tasked with a checking role, and penalty killing duties — something in which he has proven excellent. And while his production will likely never be worth his (too) rich contract, Anderson at least positively impacts games in this newfound role. It’s been a pleasant transformation, which mainly rests on appropriate deployment and managed expectations.

Joel Armia: Armia’s slow start of the season is now behind him, and he is part of what some Montreal Canadiens faithfuls call one of the best fourth line in the league. His excellent two-way play, anticipation and puck protection skills have been on display, and he and Jake Evans have been dangerous and effective as a penalty killing duo. It will be interesting to see if Kent Hughes retains his services beyond this season, as the enigmatic player’s contract is set to expire.

Kirby Dach: It’s been a rocky start for the young centre, but in December, you could see the confidence grow, game after game. As we look back on the midway point of the season, he’s ran out of time to truly outperform expectations, but he certainly is trending in the right direction, with four goals in his last six contests. Considering he missed an entire season last year, it was logical to allow him a grace period in order to hit his stride, but it appears he has turned that corner. Looks like the best is yet to come for Dach in 2025.

Brendan Gallagher: Gone are the days when Brendan Gallagher was relied upon to provide a hefty chunk of goals, and play top six minutes. That said, his contribution, especially given his limited ice time, has been respectable. There’s also something to be said about the unwavering consistency he offers his coaches. You know exactly what you get when you send number 11 on the ice: a true leader who never lifts his foot from the gas pedal. Compared to last season, where he looked slow and exhausted, this renaissance of sorts has been a welcome sight.

Mike Matheson: Matheson has been knocked down a peg or two with the emergence of Lane Hutson. He’s lost first powerplay duties and has been forced to play on the right side. He’s also been tasked with penalty killing responsibilities – a first since joining the Habs. That said the veteran seems to have accepted the new role and embraced the challenge. He has proven to be an effective penalty killer, and a great complementary player for Lane Hutson. This new role and position could see him stay in Montreal beyond next year, as he’s no longer part of the logjam on the defensive left side.

Michael Pezzetta: It appears the Montreal Canadiens bench boss finds little value in adding the pending restricted free agent to his lineup, as he only relied on him for six games, mainly to replace injured players. Pezzetta has been himself, adding a physical dimension to the team, but providing little offensive output. It would appear his time in la Belle Province is running out, especially with the likes of Florian Xhekaj and Luke Tuch in the pipeline.

David Savard: Akin to Gallagher and Pezzetta, there are no surprises with David Savard: you know exactly what you’re going to get. He’s also been a great complement to Arber Xhekaj, as the pair has played well in a shutdown role. The arrival of Alex Carrier could very well be the stopgap this management team needed to part with Savard at the trade deadline… unless Savard is the Montreal Canadiens own rental for their playoff aspirations!

Arber Xhekaj: It’s a much more collected and efficient version of Arber Xhekaj we’re seeing this season, especially since forming a duo with David Savard. He seems to have a better understanding of when to engage and when to exercise restraint when things heat up, as well. Although his turnover numbers will need to be polished, he is shooting more this year and playing well enough to prevent Jayden Struble from stealing his spot.

Underperforming Montreal Canadiens Players

Christian Dvorak: As the lone left-handed centre, and the best out of the group in the faceoff dot, Dvorak has a certain value. He has also been playing well on the penalty kill, alongside Josh Anderson. But given his salary and his expiring contract, his 12 points remain underwhelming: You’d think he’d play with more urgency. Is the Christian Dvorak experiment nearing its end in Montreal? If so, the Habs will need to find a left-handed faceoff whiz for next season, via trade or through free agency…

Samuel Montembeault: It’s been up and down for the local goaltender, and it’s no secret, when he’s on, the Habs have a good chance to win. In wins, he boasts an incredible .949 save percentage, but a lowly .852 save percentage in losing causes. December was a better month for him, but January has been so-so, so far, in two contests. With Jakub Dobes off to an excellent start, Monty will need to right the course, otherwise he could very well lose the starter’s job if the discrepancy between the netminders’ performance keeps growing. After all, Martin St-Louis said he’d lean more into hard coaching this season.

Alex Newhook: Alex Newhook has shown flashes of the great things his speed can create for the Montreal Canadiens, but unfortunately hasn’t been able to convert much. His 7.7 ixGF is the second best in the team, but he’s only managed seven goals and two assists on the season, good for 15th in points for the club. Given the quality of his linemate and the substantial ice time he enjoys, he will need to start producing as he currently has fewer points than David Savard and Christian Dvorak, which is far from ideal.

Juraj Slafkovsky: Slafkovsky closed last season on a tear, and looked dominant in the process. While his points totals at this stage of the season are still decent (nearly a 50 points pace over 82 games), Slaf hasn’t looked as dangerous for most of his 37 games played. He doesn’t shoot as much either, with 1.25 shots per game (compared to 1.85 per game last year) and has looked lost at times during the start of the season. It is still the dawn of the team’s youngest player’s career, and we should all remember that development isn’t linear. Some things are worth waiting for, and hopefully, Slafkovsky’s breakout will be a treat to watch.

Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of Montreal Canadiens players? Let us know in the comments below!

All Montreal Canadiens statistics via Money Puck.

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