The Montreal Canadiens aren’t going into the 2018-19 season with a guaranteed playoff spot in view, and those lower expectations will benefit them.
Heading into the 2017-18 season, it was hard not to get excited for what the Montreal Canadiens would do. After a disappointing exit from the playoffs the year before, the team had a goal to exceed their limits.
Jonathan Drouin and Karl Alzner were the new guys in town, while prospects Victor Mete, Jacob de La Rose, and Charles Hudon had their sites set on a full season in the NHL. Additionally, it was interesting to see how Claude Julien’s training camp runs impacted the team. But it went south for the Habs starting in the preseason and continuing in the regular season.
Management seems to have pushed the scope towards the young and the speedy. Although Marc Bergevin and company don’t want to use the ‘R’ word, it’s kind of looking like it.
The team was relatively quiet on the free agent market with Tomas Plekanec being their ‘big’ signing. The others were dedicated to adding young depth to the organization. Bergevin expects Matthew Peca, signed to a two-year contract, to be on the team, but there’s hope for Xavier Ouellet as well.
Related Story: Recapping the Habs 2018 Free Agency
Training camp is going to have a different feel amongst the fans and media members. Not many can lock the Montreal Canadiens into a playoff spot. The three teams who dominated the Atlantic Division haven’t gotten any weaker, while other teams in the Eastern Conference have improved. Expectations are definitely not something in Montreal’s schema at the moment.
But that could work in their favour. Think about the Vegas Golden Knights. No team came into the 2017-18 season with lower expectations than them. That didn’t stop them from having the best inaugural year by any expansion team in league history.
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They took teams by surprise and played the right way to succeed. The Habs still have Carey Price who should have a much better season. At the same time, Brendan Gallagher and Paul Byron aren’t going to get worse, while Drouin, Phillip Danault, and Artturi Lehkonen will get better.
It still doesn’t prove anything, but the Montreal Canadiens have the chance to catch teams off-guard. Will that get them in the playoffs? Who knows. But based on Bergevin’s comments, they’re going to try.
In Case You Missed It
Tomas Plekanec believes the playoffs are a possibility
Plekanec met with Montreal media after re-joining the team and shared his belief that they can get back to the playoffs.
Not trading for Ryan O’Reilly was the right move
The St. Louis Blues gave up a big package for Ryan O’Reilly and the Montreal Canadiens did the right thing in taking themselves out of the running.
Marc Bergevin is still revamping the core he inherited
The makeup of the Habs has changed in Bergevin’s tenure and he’s continuing to make the core of the team his.
Next: No Move Was the Best Move
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