Joseph Gentile: Bergevin made a lot of moves this offseason that suggests the team will be much better than the one we saw in the regular season and playoff bubble. They got bigger, more experienced, and managed to fill out the back end and backup goalie positions.
It’s interesting to note that Montreal went 10-1-4 (reference Matthew Candy’s article from December 2020) last season against all Canadian teams. Of course, this is a different season with different circumstances, but it shows that Montreal knows how to play against these teams and know how to beat them.
Despite all the positives, I still always prefer to err on the side of caution. To be realistic, Toronto’s forward line of Tavares, Marner, Matthews, and Nylander proves to be one of if not the best in Canada.
Vancouver was impressive during this year’s bubble. The young kids showed up to play, while Hughes is proving that he can be one of the best defensemen in this league. With the addition of Nate Schmidt and the continuous development of Boeser and Pettersson, I only see the Canucks getting better from here.
Calgary’s offence still remains rather formidable with their stars in Tkachuk, Monahan, and Gaudreau. They got better in net by signing Markstrom and still have their captain and one of the NHLs best defenseman in Mark Giordano.
I will say that the Canadiens will most likely make the playoffs, finishing in fourth place. When push comes to shove, the Leafs will likely look to be the juggernauts in the North division, with the Flames and probably Canucks following suit. The Habs will be fighting for that fourth and final playoff spot.