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Montreal Canadiens: 3 Biggest Reasons Habs are Stanley Cup Contenders

By Ken MacMillan

Jan 28, 2021; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens Brendan Gallagher. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2021; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens Brendan Gallagher. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /
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MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 02: Tyler Toffoli Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 02: Tyler Toffoli Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

New Additions Find Roles and Chemistry Immediately

The Canadiens made significant changes to their lineup in the offseason. General Manager Marc Bergevin added Jake Allen in goal, Joel Edmundson and Alexander Romanov on defence, and Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli, Corey Perry and Michael Frolik up front.

A lot of times, it takes new players some time to adjust to a new team. When the Habs brought in Brett Kulak he looked like a depth piece who might become an NHL regular or might not. Eventually he earned the coaches trust and formed some chemistry with teammates and he looked terrific in a top four role in the postseason last summer.

Ben Chiarot took some time to adjust before forming a great partnership with Shea Weber.

Joel Edmundson took one game to figure things out and most of the other newcomers took less time.

Josh Anderson scored twice on opening night and already has eight goals. Tyler Toffoli is leading the team, and was leading the league for a short time, with nine goals in 12 games. Edmundson has played heavy minutes at even strength with Jeff Petry and looks quite comfortable in a top four role. Corey Perry stepped in and helped out when Joel Armia was injured.

Most importantly, Jake Allen has been sensational in goal.

The former St. Louis Blues netminder has played five of the team’s 12 games so far this season and has won four of them. His 1.81 goals against average and .940 save percentage are light years better than we are used to seeing from Carey Price’s backups. Allen was brought in because Price’s backups struggled so much in recent years, and he has been better than advertised.

A busy, truncated schedule makes it even more important to have a quality second goaltender. Many years in the past Price has carried the team to the postseason only to run out of gas down the stretch and look a little sluggish in the playoffs.

Last year, after months off due to Covid-19, Price was phenomenal in the postseason, leading all goaltenders with a 1.78 GAA and coming in second with a .936 SV%. The hope was, with Allen in town, that a rested Carey Price would start Game 1 of the 2021 Playoffs. Allen is more than holding up his end of that bargain.

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