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For Better or For Worse: Is the 2019-2020 Montreal Canadiens Roster Better than Last Year’s?

By Curt MacLellan

MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 2: Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens defends the goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on April 2, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 2: Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens defends the goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on April 2, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, QC – SEPTEMBER 15: Montreal Canadiens goalie Keith Kinkaid (37) (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – SEPTEMBER 15: Montreal Canadiens goalie Keith Kinkaid (37) (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The upstart Columbus Blue Jackets shocked the juggernaut Tampa Bay Lightning, and hockey pundits everywhere, by toppling the President’s Trophy winners in four straight games. I’m doubtful that last year’s Habs could have done that. While Claude  Julien did indicate recently that the Habs peaked a little too late in the season, and ran out of time, a beleaguered Price and pathetic powerplay would have proven immensely difficult to overcome against Tampa Bay in the postseason.

The key contributors to the Habs offence: Domi, Gallagher, Tatar, and Danault all had career years last year, as did defencemen Petry, Kulak, and Mete. Is it reasonable to expect all seven of these players to match or surpass their career highs again this season? Probability suggests that is unlikely. It is natural for some players to regress and others to improve from season to season, but suggesting those players will all improve is highly improbable.

Evidently, an even greater improbability is a coveted UFA signing in Montreal. First Matt Duchene (who at least interviewed with Montreal Canadiens brass) , then the whole Sebastian Aho offer sheet fiasco, which TSN’s Craig Button called “laughable,” and The Gazette’s Brendan Kelly labelled “window dressing,” to the recent Jake Gardiner refusal of a more lucrative deal from Montreal to sign in Carolina. Duchene and Gardiner balked at the idea of signing in Montreal. The rabid fans, media scrutiny, and high taxes, amongst other drawbacks, encourage players to sign elsewhere. Marc Bergevin is correct about one thing: if you want these star players on your team, you have to draft them and develop them. They are rarely traded, and even more infrequently do they sign in Montreal.

As a result of not acquiring one of these elite players, Bergevin went out and addressed his needs to a lesser degree. Ostensibly, Cousins replaces Andrew Shaw on the wing. Is Cousins an upgrade on Shaw? Unlikely. Not only did Shaw have better offensive numbers than Cousins, he has the intangibles of being a leader on and off the ice, and his value therein cannot be overstated. Jonathan Toews once labelled him the most integral and crucial character in Chicago’s last two Stanley Cup victories.

Next, Ben Chiarot replaces Jordie Benn. Is Chiarot an upgrade? Probably. His numbers  are almost identical to Benn’s offensively (22 points for Benn, 20 for Chiarot), but his size 6’3 219, and his physical style of play, should help the Habs’ cause. Finally, Keith Kinkaid comes in as Carey Price’s backup after Antti Niemi faltered and floundered last season. Is he an upgrade over Niemi? Absolutely. Although Kinkaid had a poor showing in New Jersey last season, his body of work proves him a worthy backup, being able to possibly play thirty games, or more if necessary, thereby alleviating  Price’s heavy workload.

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