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Does This Montreal Canadiens Team Have What it Takes to Have Another Deep Playoff Run?

By Patrick Lortie

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JULY 07: Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens skates out for warm-ups prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Five of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Amalie Arena on July 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning defeated the Canadiens 1-0 to take the series four games to one. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JULY 07: Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens skates out for warm-ups prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Five of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Amalie Arena on July 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning defeated the Canadiens 1-0 to take the series four games to one. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JULY 05: The Montreal Canadiens celebrate their 3-2 win during the first overtime period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Bell Centre on July 05, 2021 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JULY 05: The Montreal Canadiens celebrate their 3-2 win during the first overtime period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Bell Centre on July 05, 2021 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /

So let’s say this is the roster that will hit the ice in front of a (hopefully) packed Bell Centre for the 2021-2022 season. This is what the starting lines should look like.

Toffoli-Suzuki-Caufield
Hoffman-Kotkaniemi-Anderson
Drouin-Evans-Gallagher
Lehkonen-Paquette-Armia
Byron/Poehling

Chiarot-Petry
Edmundson-Savard
Kulak-Romanov
Wideman

Price
Allen

The glaring difference in the forward crew is the loss of Phillip Danault to free agency making the centreline a lot weaker than it was, at least on paper. Although Danault did show that he can skate with the best in a role reminiscent of Guy Carbonneau or Bob Gainey, the fact of the matter is he doesn’t see himself as that kind of player. Los Angeles gave him the role he wanted and the money he wanted, in the form of a second-line centre with powerplay minutes. He was also quoted a few times in the offseason that he found it hard to play under the scrutiny and pressure that is the Montreal market. In the end, he wanted to leave and we thank him for the good times and good luck in the future.

Nick Suzuki is slowly establishing himself as a #1 center in the league but still needs another solid season in the NHL to claim that throne. With Danault gone, is Jake Evans going to be called upon to play shutdown minutes against the opposing team’s best lines? While he did show promise last season and especially in the playoffs before he went down with a concussion, there’s still a huge question mark in regards to that role. The addition of Mike Hoffman is purely to boost up the powerplay numbers and make up for the goals Tomas Tatar would have given us, but make no mistake, replacing Hoffman for Tatar is a “4 quarters for a buck” type move as Hoffman will be counted on for his offensive skills only. This is not the kind of player you want to give defensive responsibilities to, hence why he’s being lined with Kotkaniemi and Josh Anderson, with “Power Horse” expected to continue his net crashing ways.

ST LOUIS, MO – FEBRUARY 20: Mike Hoffman #68 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the San Jose Sharks at Enterprise Center on February 20, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO – FEBRUARY 20: Mike Hoffman #68 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the San Jose Sharks at Enterprise Center on February 20, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

Then, we look at Jonathan Drouin who is expected to show up to training camp healthy and willing. If Drouin comes to camp with a clean slate, i’m sure he will embrace a new role being lined with Evans and Brendan Gallagher. His speed and on-ice vision would compliment this type of shutdown role perfectly with 2 guys who have shown they’re willing to sacrifice their bodies every game.

Rarely does the question of the 4th line raise so much interest but this year it certainly does. The signature of Cedric Paquette was made as such that he would play center and he’s coming to Montreal foaming at the mouth at the idea of being the team’s 4th line center, with most likely Ryan Poehling challenging him for the job. The winger spots are filled with Lehkonen and Joel Armia which leaves Paul Byron as the odd man out.

So where does that leave Corey Perry who also hit free agency and openly said he wanted to come back to Montreal? After the professionalism and effort he gave all year, Paul Byron can’t be sitting in the stands with an “A” on his shirt and a $3.4 million cap hit. So the time on the left side will likely be split between him and Lehkonen. On the right side, Armia has re-upped for 4 years at $3.4 million so his seat is glued in as well. I hate to say it but unless he re-signs for ultra-cheap again and accepts a 13th or even 14th forward type role again, there’s no space for regular play for Corey Perry on the Canadiens depth chart.

We’re going to see another even spread of minutes among the top 2 lines with line 3 playing the heavy minutes against the opposing team’s best players. This is a lineup that can beat you in many ways provided they stay healthy and that their ice time is closely monitored.

The only addition I see is either Bergevin is willing to sacrifice Kotkaniemi, prospects and extra picks in order to throw in Byron’s salary in order to get a bonafide centerman, or the more likely scenario they will sign a veteran center like Mathieu Perrault or Derick Brassard to split time with Paquette in the event management doesn’t feel that Poehling is ready to ride with the NHL squad. Paquette plays a hard-hitting game so he will need those occasional days off.

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