Five Interesting storylines to Look for heading into the Montreal Canadiens 2021-2022 Season

Last season, the Montreal Canadiens were undoubtedly one of the more intriguing narratives in hockey – stumbling through the North division, before marching all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals; where they met their eventual demise in the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Canadiens achieved this feat on the backs of some of hockey’s astonishing young stars, and exemplary veterans, who led the Canadiens on a dramatic run that will be remembered forever in the ‘Centre Bell’s’ ongoing echo’s.

As the Canadiens look to repeat last year’s cinderella run, there will be another number of storylines to follow, especially in Montreal – where all season long, everything seems to be grab the headlines.

After what’s been a busy offseason, let’s take a look ahead towards what some of those storylines might be when the Canadiens hit the ice again, on October 13th in Toronto.

The Progression of the Canadiens Young Talent

It’s no secret that the Canadiens youngest players were an integral part of last year’s team that came within three wins of a Stanley Cup. Most notably, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield paired up to form a dynamic duo that combined for 28 total points during the playoffs.

Now heading into their first full season together, the expectations for the Canadiens new one-two punch will be tremendous. The anticipation is that Suzuki will become the team’s full-time number one center, while Caufield – in typical Montreal fashion – is supposed to score at least 50 goals.

Realistically, Suzuki should become the Canadiens number one center this season, and Caufield should contribute significantly to the team’s offense – two things the Canadiens will need if they want to make the playoffs, let alone travel back to the Stanley Cup Finals.

But the team’s young talent doesn’t end there – Alexander Romanov and Jesperi Kotkaniemi are another two noteworthy players to keep an eye on as they look to improve upon last seasons ups and downs.

If these four players, and the likes of Jake Evans or even Ryan Poehling, can all take a step forward next season, there is no doubt that the Canadiens can reach the playoffs once again. Assuming the team’s veterans are ready to play – the team could very well use a blend of young and old once again, as they attempt to repeat last seasons heroics.

Whether that will be the case is yet to be seen, but it sure will be something to look for as the team slowly transitions into a ‘newer’ generation of Canadiens hockey.

New Faces, Same Places

There is nothing more exciting than watching your teams new offseason additions play in their new threads on opening nights. In Montreal’s case, this season will see newcomers Mike Hoffman and David Savard make their debuts for the ‘bleu, blanc, et rouge’.

Replacing Tomas Tatar and Shea Weber, the pair will have big shoes to fill both on and off the ice. It will be interesting to see how they fit into a team that surely will miss both of these players; especially their captain Shea Weber – who along with Carey Price, was one of the undeniable leaders of the team.

Savard, a native of Quebec, plays a similar style to Weber –  a presence in his own zone, both at even strength and on the penalty kill. Savard isn’t afraid to be physical or block shots, something that Weber became well known for around Montreal.

In Savard, the Canadiens are getting a similar player to Weber at a reduced cost; and although he may not be in the same echelon as Weber, he plays a similar style and can bring a cup-winning attitude to the locker room next season.

Hoffman on the other hand is a little bit different from Tatar – the player who he is expected to replace on the wing for the Canadiens. The two are both offense-first forwards, but where Tatar was a greater playmaker, Hoffman is a better goal-scorer.

For 800,000 dollars cheaper than Tatar’s previous contract with Montreal, Hoffman will bring a scoring touch to the team, particularly on the powerplay, where he has ranked fifth in the NHL in man-advantage goals since 2015.

Over that same span, the Canadiens have ranked 25th of 30 (Excluding the Golden Knights) in team powerplay goals, so it’s safe to say that Hoffman should be an integral part of the team’s offence moving forward.

It will be interesting to see if the ‘new guys’ can not only make up for where the Canadiens lost in the offseason but provide some extra flare that the team will be looking for as they look to battle through another big season – especially when those ‘new guys’ have as much experience, skill, and grit, as these two do.

Heading back to the Atlantic

The NHL’s Atlantic division is widely regarded as the toughest division in the league these days. Boasting the likes of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, and Boston Bruins; the Canadiens feel like a little fish in a massive sea.

The Canadiens lack of ‘superstar’ talent outside of goaltender Carey Price, makes it seem like a tall task for the recent runner-ups of the Stanley Cup. In the other four ‘powerhouse’ team’s case, they boast rosters that include players such as Nikita Kucherov, Brad Marchand, Auston Matthews, and Aleksander Barkov – just to name a few.

In stark contrast, the Canadiens rely on their depth to power what sometimes isn’t always the ‘prettiest’ team on paper. Nonetheless, the Canadiens showed a will to win in last seasons playoffs that, aside from the Tampa series, made it look like having the ‘faces of the league’ wasn’t all it’s made out to be.

At the end of the day, that’s what playoff hockey is sometimes all about. Unfortunately for the Canadiens though, it’s going to take 82 games to get to the playoffs first, and in the regular season, it typically is the team’s with the most star power that tend to dominate.

Without a doubt, the Canadiens have what it takes to win a playoff series or two. After all, they have heart, and in a matchup of seven games, it’s often enough to turn the tides. However, whether or not the Canadiens can score enough goals and make enough saves for seven months against the league’s best players will be intriguing.

It should provide excitement for fans nationwide, as the Canadiens attempt to show the world they are every bit a part of the Atlantic school – swimming right next to the others in their pursuit of an ever-so-coveted playoff berth.

A Packed Bell Centre

Arguably the most exciting storyline for Canadiens fans to look forward to this upcoming season, is the possible return of 21,273 rapturous fans to the team’s home arena – the Bell Centre. For as amazing as last season was, Canadiens fans were missed mightily – especially as the team reached their first Stanley Cup Finals since 1993.

With vaccination rates rising across Canada and Quebec alike, the Canadiens may expect to eventually announce full capacity at the team’s home games this season – even if that doesn’t mean against the New York Rangers in their home opener on October 16th, it’s entirely possible that we could see a packed Bell Centre at some point between now and the end of the season.

When that day comes, the arena should be more electric than it’s ever been, as fans finally get to continue cheering on a team that has given them lots to root for these days. There truly is no better atmosphere in hockey, than that of the Bell Centre, and it’s a force to be reckoned with when opposing teams step on the ice for every game – big or small.

As the Canadiens work to continue passing the torch to their younger generation of players, integrate both familiar and new faces into their lineup, and fight their way through the mighty Atlantic Division, they will need all the help they can get.

There is no doubt that the Bell Centre will be sure to provide enough energy to cover all of that and more when it’s finally called back to its regular duties once again.