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Montreal Canadiens: Biggest Questions Going Into 2023-24

By Ryan Praught

MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 12: Juraj Slafkovsky #20 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates a 4-3 victory with goaltender Sam Montembeault #35 against the Nashville Predators at Centre Bell on January 12, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 12: Juraj Slafkovsky #20 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates a 4-3 victory with goaltender Sam Montembeault #35 against the Nashville Predators at Centre Bell on January 12, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Jan 17, 2013; Montreal, QC, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Yemelin (74) gets checked out by trainer Graham Rynbend after taking a puck to the neck area during the second period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 17, 2013; Montreal, QC, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Yemelin (74) gets checked out by trainer Graham Rynbend after taking a puck to the neck area during the second period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /

Not to continue to beat a dead horse, but health remains an area of concern with the Canadiens going into this season. Sure, the Canadiens made changes to their medical staff in an attempt to fix this, but the questions remain. You don’t have as many injuries as the Canadiens have had in each of the last two seasons and forget about it.

Fans will be watching, hoping and praying their team can stay healthy, especially regarding their favourite players. Guhle, Slafkovsky, Caufield and many others all missed significant time due to injuries last year, and it cannot happen again.

If Montreal can go through a year with fewer injuries, especially of the season-ending variety, then that is a major weight off fans’ shoulders. Injuries are brutal for on-ice success, and they don’t help development either. Health has to be a top priority for the Canadiens season.

It’s difficult to see a pathway to the playoffs for the Habs if they can’t stay healthy. While the Canadiens are certainly adding more talent to the fold, I’m already skeptical they can compete as it is. Injuries, particularly to stars, pretty much derail that hope.

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