Montreal Canadiens: How Many Habs Will Score 20 Goals This Season?

The Montreal Canadiens will enter their second full season of their rebuild after their two remaining preseason games against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night, then for a clash against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. Much has been made about the young talent running through the Canadiens roster, and how their veterans will help make the storied franchise a cup contender again. Injuries have limited certain players more than others, and in large part, they have stymied the production of offence.

But with one season under their belts, Canadiens management and head coach Martin St. Louis learned a lot from last year and will look to use that knowledge this season. Expectations will increase, and with that players will look to stay healthy, and hope to put up their best goal outputs of their careers. It’s not a question about skill or ability, but more consistency and, of course being able to stay in the lineup.

If the team is going to climb out of the basement of the league and start pushing for improvement they will need their forwards to produce to their capabilities. Meaning, that many who have eclipsed 20+ goals in the past will need to get back to their productive ways. Last season only Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield scored more than 20 goals, both scoring 26.

With all that said, who on the Canadiens will score 20 goals or more in 2024-25? Will it be just the two from last season or will others emerge for the first time or channel their best seasons? Let’s dive into the players who could potentially score 20 goals this season.

There is no question that the Canadiens have plenty of young talent and a nice blend of veterans on their roster. Some have high potential to be a nice piece of the offensive puzzle. Some have scored 20 goals in their career, but for whatever reason haven’t been able to get back there.

Here are players that could score 20 goals or more this season. Some are more obvious than others, while some will need to have somewhat of a breakout year.

Nick Suzuki

The Canadiens captain and reigning Iron Man is primed for a big year, and with a healthy Caufield back in the fold, he will have his trigger-man back to capitalize on his brilliant passes. Nick Suzuki is also no slouch in the shooting game, and he loves to come in on his off-wing and sling the puck over the goaltender’s shoulder. His calling card is his deceptiveness because he uses it to freeze defenders, who have to respect the shot and pass, and he often makes them pick wrong.

Having consistent linemates throughout the season will be crucial for Suzuki’s success, and the difference in his point production. If you know Suzuki though, you know that isn’t his main focus, he likes to make smart plays at both ends of the rink and support his wingers. The brilliance of Suzuki is in his ability to consistently make the right play, and if he used his shot a little more this season, there is no reason that he can’t hit 30, maybe 35 goals.

There is no question, at least not in my mind, about whether he will reach 20 goals or not, it seems very likely. In hockey, there are no guarantees, but for Suzuki to surpass 20 goals, with 22 on one wing, and whoever St. Louis deploys on the other, he has very good odds. When you consider that he scored 26 last year, and the lineup was thin because of injuries, it’s a good bet to place that he will score at least 20.

Brendan Gallagher

The most consistent goal scorer on the Canadiens, yes you heard that right, and it holds weight because he has the most 20+ goal season to support the statement, aside from Sean Monahan. He is not the flashiest, and yes there are guys that will score more goals than Brendan Gallagher, but he has shown a resiliency and drive to keep scoring. He sort of has his back against the wall, and isn’t expected to reach 20 goals, and that is why I think he will.

Adaptability is a big part of Gallagher’s game, he is able to fit in on any line because the way he plays doesn’t change. He is consistently driving the net, and getting in the goalie’s view to create havoc, which will likely not change. I would think he should slot in with a couple veteran’s maybe Monahan and Pearson, and create a line that can do it all.

He has two seasons above 30 goals, 31 in 2017-18 and 33 in 2018-19, and has scored more than 20 goals on four separate occasions. Gallagher also scored 19 goals twice in 2014-15 and 2015-16, but he hasn’t scored more than 14 goals since the ’19-’20 season. But he has only played 128 games over the last three season, so a healthy season could be the exact thing that Gallagher needs to get back to his scoring ways.

Josh Anderson

Josh Anderson has hovered around the 20-goal plateau over the last two seasons, with 21 last season, and 19 in 2021-22. He played 69 games over the last two years, and it’s a good bet that he will reach at least the same number, hopefully more. 20 goals is basically his sweet spot, and if he can stay healthy, he could have his best year yet.

His best goal output was 27 goals in 2018-19 while with the Columbus Blue Jackets, which is definitely not very recent. However, there are a lot of young guys coming along, who will likely slot in with Anderson, and keep pace on the rush, which will be a positive notch in his offensive tool belt. An uptick in play should be on the horizon, and there’s nobody else on the team that can put defenders on their heels every time he rushes the puck, which will open up space for speedier linemates, Newhook specifically.

Health and consistency will be the biggest challenge, which is normal league-wide, but with an optimistic mind, Anderson will be on the same line throughout the year, and have time to form chemistry with the same linemates, which should translate to lots of scoring chances. Anderson, like Gallagher is a straight line kind of player, and you can expect him to consistently drive the puck to the net and create space for his linemates or himself, to use his shot.

Sean Monahan

Sean Monahan was very consistent in Calgary Flames, where he played for nine seasons. The injury bug has struck him pretty hard over the past three seasons, and he has failed to score more than 10 goals. Monahan is also looking to have a healthy year, and show that he is still a very important piece, and he is just 29 years old.

He is still in his prime, and the odds that he scores 20 goals are quite good, considering the array of healthy forwards that are vying for a spot to plan on the Habs roster. In Calgary, Monahan failed to score less than 22 goals only twice, both times came during his final to seasons with the Flames, and they can be attributed to his injuries. Two way brilliance, and dominance in the faceoff circle are big parts of his game, and his hand-eye coordination is a nightmare for opposing goaltenders.

With more shooters trying to insert themselves in the lineup, Monahan has the ability to create space and set up his wingers, using smart passes and strong puck skills. Monahan is a great penalty killer, and his hockey IQ could see him become a shorthanded threat. His shot is also a threat, and he has the ability to beat goalies with either a slapshot or one-timer half-clapper, which is why I believe he should be considered as a player that will score 20 goals this season.

Dach, Newhook & Slafkovsky

Kirby Dach has a chip on his shoulder, and the way he plays since he joined the Habs reflects that; he plays physically and loves to rush the puck up the ice. His hands, and speed stand out every time he rushes the puck, and his potential is so high, it puzzles me why the Blackhawks wouldn’t keep him around. Dach is poised to take another step this season, and I don’t see why he won’t score at least 20, but I think he will be a consistent 30 goal scorer throughout his career in Montreal.

Alex Newhook has the benefit of practicing alongside some of the NHL’s best in Colorado, and while the Avalanche gave up on him, his experience alongsider Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar, is invaluable. He needs to work on his play in the faceoff circle, but his speed makes him so effective in all three zones, and he has a sneaky good shot. Newhook will benefit from the increase in minutes, and playing in an environment with reasonable expectations, he has the potential to feature on a line that will give him ample scoring opportunities, which should put him right in the sweet spot to score 20.

Juraj Slafkovsky has been labelled a bust, an awkward skater and a player who doesn’t have any awareness in the offensive zone. He is only 19 years old, and the potential is there, Kent Hughes selected the player he believed would be the best in two or three years, not right away – and yes, I still think Logan Cooley’s goal was impressive – but Slafkovsky will benefit from the patient approach. He can take over the game, create space for himself, and would definitely increase his goal output if he shot the puck a little more, which he can do with one-timers, snapshots and heavy slapshots.

There may not be eight 20 goal scorers in ’24-’25, but I think all of these players can score at least 20 goals. If not this season, then perhaps the next one, but the potential is there. This team isn’t expected to do too much, but don’t tell the players that, it’s all business for them. I left Rafael Harvey-Pinard off of the list, but I also believe he could come very close to 20 also.

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