The Montreal Canadiens have not certified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since their shock run to the Stanley Cup Last within the 2020-21 NHL season, which was shortened because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, they’ve seen a pair of prime gamers in defenseman (and captain) Shea Weber and goaltender Carey Worth should stop enjoying on account of damage troubles; each of their careers are over.
Within the meantime, the Canadiens have moved ahead with a younger core of gamers that embrace captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slavkofsky, and Alex Newhook; Brendan Gallagher virtually looks as if a grizzled veteran now.
The Canadiens additionally sought extra goal-scoring assist, and thought they discovered it till the damage bug struck.
They acquired former 40-goal scorer Patrik Laine in a commerce with the Columbus Blue Jackets, however he has but to formally debut for the staff after struggling a lower-body damage throughout the exhibition season. The excellent news is that he continues to be on the mend and is predicted to have the ability to suite up earlier than lengthy.
Sitting in final place within the Atlantic Division with a document of 8-11-3 by 22 video games, what are their greatest surprises and disappointments?
The most important shock to start out the 2024-25 season
Whereas it is not precisely a shock that Canadiens ahead Cole Caufield has continued his goal-scoring, he is taking his scoring prowess to fully new heights.
Via 22 video games, he is scored 13 targets and is on tempo to set an astonishing career-high of 48 targets, which might simply greatest his earlier career-high set final season when he scored 28 targets and 37 assists.
The most important disappointment to the beginning 2024-25 season
The Canadiens anticipated large issues from Juraj Slafkovsky after they chosen him first total within the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
The Slovakian ahead acquired his ft moist on the NHL degree by skating in 39 video games in 2022-23, scoring 4 targets and 6 assists earlier than struggling a knee damage that introduced an finish to his yr and ended any likelihood of successful the Calder Trophy because the NHL’s prime rookie.
Associated Montreal Canadiens InformationArticle continues beneath
He loved a significantly better marketing campaign in 2023-24, skating in all 82 regular-season video games whereas scoring 20 targets and 32 assists. Administration noticed match to reward him with a long-term contract extension, an eight-year, $60.8 million contract signed on July 1, 2024; his deal carries a substantial AAV of of $7.6 million.
Nonetheless, his manufacturing has fallen off a cliff to date within the 2024-25 season. Previous to his purpose on Wednesday night time towards the Columbus Blue Jackets, he had solely scored one purpose all season and had gone pointless in his earlier 5 video games.
He even ended up on the fourth line, a brutal demotion from head coach Martin St. Louis, who later defined what the teen needed to do so as to get again into his good graces, by way of The Hockey Information.
“Simply specializing in taking what the sport is giving him,” St-Louis informed reporters Monday about Slafkovsky. “Enjoying the sport, not having your thoughts made up of what you wish to do this night time. Simply play the sport and be prepared for something. Be engaged your complete shift
The Habs are off till Saturday after they pay a go to to the Large Apple to tackle the New York Rangers at Madison Sq. Backyard; puck drop is scheduled for 1:00 PM EST.