“Montreal Canadiens Show Signs of Progress Amidst Rebuilding Phase: A Deep Dive into the Journey and Future Prospects”

Over the past two years, the Montreal Canadiens’ rebuild has been a slow burn, but there are indications of progress despite some notable discrepancies.

Building a sustainable lineup is challenging, as it always is, given the large influx of youth and the increasing monetization of senior players for prospects and futures.

The team is just not there, which is one of the key reasons the Canadiens management hasn’t said anything about the NHL playoffs since their terrible 2022–2023 season.

But the club appears to be moving in the right direction because of the highly anticipated development of a few talented young players as well as a few other surprises along the road.

Things Become Worse Before They Get Better

The Bell Centre was beset by deep-seated issues that required major overhauls in coaching philosophy, organizational culture, and developmental process before the struggling Canadiens could become competitive once more.

The firm decided to try something different this time around and concentrate on development rather than finding the fast fixes that have harmed the long-term viability of their success in the past, with the recruitment of Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes, and Martin St-Louis.

The Montreal Canadiens are the first team eliminated from NHL playoff contention. pic.twitter.com/CNVPVdEwdE

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 26, 2022

However, rebranding a franchise that has lost the majority of its key members in such a short period of time can be a difficult and inconsistent process. Fans frequently miss this point because they don’t realize how much scar tissue accumulates from being the division’s whipping boys.

The team has a history of trading for picks and prospects in return for veteran players who no longer fit within their competitive window, and they’re far from done.

The Canadiens will gradually rise out of the cellar of the NHL standings with the addition of players like Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook, as well as the draft selection of elite prospects like Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, Owen Beck, and others.

The signs

Fast-forward to the end of 2023, and despite the notable irregularity of having one of the NHL’s youngest teams, we can see observable signs of progress. This does not imply that they will make a Stanley Cup run any time soon, though. Having been tipped at +12500 to win the biggest prize in the National Hockey League, a cursory glance at the most recent NHL betting lines indicates they still have a ways to go before they take home the hardware.

It’s not always necessary to evaluate improvement in terms of a team’s likelihood of winning the Stanley Cup.

In the case of the Montreal Canadiens, it would be more accurate to gauge how challenging they are to defeat. The good news is that St. Louis’ squad has demonstrated far more fortitude when down in games. In fact, there is now a strong drive to win, as demonstrated—perhaps ironically—during a recent defeat by the Minnesota Wild.

As a matter of fact, the Canadiens have won 26 of their previous 45 games by a single goal, demonstrating their ability to compete with the best in the NHL almost every night.

Leading the charge thus far this season is captain Nick Suzuki, who has put up some of the finest defensive numbers in the NHL at even strength while also increasing his scoring production with 37 points in his last 45 games.

The Canadiens’ top line, consisting of Slafkovsky, Caufield, and captain Suzuki, has started to make an impact, game after game. For the Canadiens, they have started to make a big difference. In the last week alone, they have helped the team pull off valiant victories over the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and New Jersey Devils.

One of the most exciting developments of the 2023–2024 season has to be Slafkovsky’s quick rise. Since being moved to the top line in December, the 19-year-old has led the Canadiens in even-strength performance. The improving chemistry of the Canadiens’ top young three has also contributed to Caufield’s comeback, as he has now scored seven goals in his past 11 games this season.

The NHL’s second-youngest team, the Canadiens, have proven they still have a ways to go before they can advance, as shown by a few humiliating losses to the Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks.

The success of that top line will be the primary consideration in the overall assessment as the club searches for growth and advancement, and after the past month, the prognosis must be favorable.

How Do The Montreal Canadiens Go Forward?

While Lane Hutson is still honing his skills in the NCAA and David Reinbacher is getting great minutes in Kloten, other players who have made considerable development in the last several months include Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble, Jordan Harris, and even Arber Xhekaj with the Laval Rocket.

The defense of the Montreal Canadiens appears to be in capable hands, but they appear to be lacking in scoring, which needs to be fixed before they can advance.

General manager Kent Hughes stated at his most recent news conference that the team was aware of the need to strengthen their goal-scoring capabilities and continue to develop their youth in order to assist them in scoring more frequently.

Due to Dach and Newhook’s serious injuries, the team has mostly concentrated on pushing their top line to new heights and assisting in the stabilization of the youngest defensive brigade in hockey.

Given that Suzuki appears to be the only player destined for more than 65 points this season, Hughes would not rule out making one or two trades in the winter to further strengthen the lineup. The rookie captain’s season might turn out to be a career year, but the Canadiens will need a lot more offensive punch to help their developing defense and goaltender Samuel Montembeault if they are to climb out of the NHL’s cellar.

This might start around the NHL Trade Deadline, where it’s said that veterans like David Savard, Jake Allena, and Sean Monahan will be active. In addition to aiding the Canadiens in their pursuit of acquiring a star forward this summer, receiving some good trade chips and/or valuable prospects in return would probably cause the team to finish in the bottom 10 of the NHL Standings, ensuring that they will have the opportunity to choose an intriguing forward prospect at the 2024 NHL Draft.

There is no denying that the Canadiens are making progress, but what transpires in the upcoming six months will have a significant impact on their future plans as they attempt to make the playoffs once more the following season.

Oui, Capitaine!

Ay, ay, Captain! 🫡#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/UckgILWoUY

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 22, 2023