Canadiens: Predicting the Habs Top 9 for the 2020-2021 Season

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With the new NHL season beginning in January, the Montreal Canadiens have a lot questions about their starting lineup on offense.

After the Montreal Canadiens’ virtual trouncing of the Pittsburgh Penguins in last season’s qualifying round of the NHL’s ‘playoff bubble’, the Habs’ first round series versus the Philadelphia Flyers didn’t go as smoothly as they hoped. They got eliminated in six games. Throughout most of the series, the Canadiens found themselves falling into the same usual trap that had been plaguing them all season, letting in early goals and resorting to playing catchup all game.

The Flyers managed to play a sound and airtight defense, outworking, and shutting down Montreal’s smaller and faster forwards. Ultimately, when push came to shove, the Canadiens were getting bounced around with the Flyers managing to take liberties on the smaller Habs players.

However, the Canadiens put up an admirable effort after being the 24th ranked team in the NHL. They saw big steps taken by young centers Jesperi Kotkaniemi (4PTS, 10GP) and Nick Suzuki (7PTS, 10GP), consistent play from their top forwards in Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault, and Brendan Gallagher, and significant improvement from an injury plagued Jonathan Drouin (7PTS, 10GP).

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin decided that with his current core finally beginning to hit its stride, their problems highlighted in the first round needed to be addressed and took the steps necessary for the team to reach the next level.

On draft night, he went and trade F Max Domi for power forward Josh Anderson and then inked unrestricted free agent F Tyler Toffoli on Thanksgiving Day. These key acquisitions have provided Habs’ HC Claude Julien with several options in the lineup along with last year’s forward group.

Oct 6, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Montreal Canadiens Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

First Line

LW Tomas Tatar- C Phillip Danault- RW Brendan Gallagher

It’s a safe bet to assume that Claude Julien will stick to what works and keep his top line from the past two seasons. Tatar, Danault and Gallagher have shown to be the team’s most consistent and reliable trio night in and night out.

Tomas Tatar has played the best hockey of his career since joining the Canadiens with 58 and 61 points respectively in the last two seasons. Also, he was the team’s most productive player on the powerplay this season with 14 points.

Phillip Danault has proven himself to be one of the league’s top two-way centers, ranking sixth in this year’s Selke Trophy votes. This season, he posted a team-leading +18, which ranked 28th overall in the league. He led the team in short-handed ice time for forwards with 2:31 minutes/game. He boasted a 54.5 faceoff percentage, being Julien’s go-to guy during defensive zone faceoffs. His stellar 200-foot game allows for his wingers to go on the offense and make mistakes, He shows that he can make his teammates better.

He was also on pace for a career year in point totals with 47 points in 71 games as opposed to his 53 points in 2018-2019 where he played a full season

Brendan Gallagher has shown to be one of the teams most reliable, most efficient, and hardest working players ever since his rookie year in 2013. He was a 30-goal scorer in the 2018 and 2019 seasons and was on pace to achieve over 25 this year after finishing with 22 goals with just 11 games left to be played. Gallagher has shown to be a gem on the powerplay, averaging just over 2 minutes per game being that ‘pesky, in-your-face’ type forward in front of the net.

However, one thing that he can improve on is his shooting percentage, leading the team with a total of 226 SOG, resulting in a lowly 9.73% success rate. He has always struggled with this statistic throughout his career, but he shows that the harder you work, the more it pays off and who could argue with that?

With Gallagher now having signed his precious 6-year extension with the team, we know that he is committed. He’s in this for the long haul and we can expect more of his hard-nosed play for years to come.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 07: Josh Anderson (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Second Line

LW Jonathan Drouin- C Nick Suzuki- RW Josh Anderson

The combination of Jonathan Drouin and Nick Suzuki was mostly used in the 2020 playoffs and boy did they have chemistry. The both each posted 7 points in 10 games, resulting in them being the two most productive players on the team. The one thing this pair needs to help compliment its speed and skill is size and goal-scoring ability, and that is Josh Anderson.

Josh Anderson stands at 6”3 and 222 pounds, posting a whopping 602 hits over 267 career games. He’ll prove to be an asset when oppositions see him running down the ice, protecting his line mates while being able to contribute offensively. He will make players think twice before taking runs at players like Jonathan Drouin (yes, we mean you Alex Ovechkin).

Anderson has shown that he could be a bonafide scoring, power forward when he put up 27 goals in the 2018-2019 season. Unfortunately for him, he posted 1 goal in 26 games after an injury-plagued season where he required surgery for a separated shoulder. The Canadiens are hoping for him to bounce back this year, and in a big way after giving up one of their best forwards in Max Domi.

Nick Suzuki ranked sixth last season in rookie scoring with 41 points in 71 games. Starting the season off on the fourth line, he slowly worked his way up the lineup, picking up his pace toward the quarter mark of the season. He earned a spot on the team’s top powerplay unit, averaging 2:10 minutes/game and proving to be a true playmaking specialist.

He broke out during the playoffs, where he was getting more and more minutes, showing that he could be relied on to score goals and help make big plays when the team needed it most. He is showing just why he was that coveted prospect that Bergevin wanted when making the Max Pacioretty trade with Vegas in 2018.

Since his acquisition, it seems like every year has been a ‘developing year’ for Jonathan Drouin. Barring his injury ridden 2019-2020 season, he has steadily posted 45+ point years with the Canadiens but has never reached his full potential back when he was selected third overall by Tampa Bay in 2013.Some argue that he’s never been given the best linemates to work with while others say he’s just simply not what he was projected to be.

However, he has seemed to find success with Suzuki and with Anderson allowing him to have more space on the ice this season, we could finally see the real Jonathan Drouin.

VANCOUVER, BC – FEBRUARY 22: Tyler Toffoli #73 of the Vancouver Canucks celebrates after scoring a goal (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /

Third Line

LW Artturi Lehkonen- C Jesperi Kotkaniemi- RW Tyler Toffoli

Artturi Lehkonen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi have found success with each other before. Going back two years ago, each of them scored 31 and 34 points respectively. They spent the whole time that year on the third line and not to mention it was 18-year-old Kotkaniemi who commanded that offence. One thing the duo would need is a big, veteran presence with a goal scoring touch. That is where newly acquired free agent Tyler Toffoli fits in.

Kotkaniemi had a rather forgettable 2019-2020 season after accumulating just 8 points in 36 games with Montreal. However, he has shown that he’s too good for the AHL, after posting 13 points in 13 games with Laval when he was sent down for the remainder of the season. He needs to find that touch he had in his rookie season again and prove that he once again was the right choice at third overall in 2018.

He seemed to have turned a page in the 2020 playoffs, but it is obvious that there are still a lot of things to work on. Toffoli is a proven winner and has played with the best of them over his career and will hopefully demonstrate to the still learning Kotkaniemi what it takes to win and be consistent on a nightly basis.

Lehkonen shows that he can be a consistent 25+ point player in this league. He has proven to be one of Claude Julien’s best defensive players, averaging 2:25 mins per game on the penalty kill. He and Kotkaniemi can play that 200-foot game and have success with that play style. Lekhonen shows that he can play any type of game you want and is the ideal bottom six forward on any team.

What more can be said about Tyler Toffoli. He was a Stanley Cup champion in only his second season and played alongside one of the best centers of the past decade in Jeff Carter. Since then, he is shown that he is one of the most consistent players in the league, managing 300 points in 525 career games. He also brings size and physicality, which is something that has been dearly needed on the team.

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People may say that Marc Bergevin did not sign him to play third line minutes, but he saw the value and the experience Toffoli brings to the team and its young players is priceless. The success of the young Vancouver Canucks after acquiring him from the Kings is a great example. He was incredible as he put up 10 points in 10 games with them in the regular season and was an integral part of their deep playoff run.

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