Every year, some players take their games up a notch, and when they’re youngsters playing for what is still a rebuilding Montreal Canadiens team, it makes them easy to root for. But when you’re dealing with a rebuilding group, some players are just going to struggle through rough stretches.
Sometimes, you see them coming, but I’ll admit this much: the following three players I’ve listed below were not anywhere near my radar when the season began back in October. Let’s talk about them and what’s been giving this trio such a rough time so far as we charge into mid-December in what has been another down year for the Habs.
Juraj Slafkovsky
Ugh, man, if there was one player I was hoping to avoid putting on a list like this, it was Juraj Slafkovsky. I was so glad to see him earn a contract extension following what I thought was a breakout season, but it’s been so-so at best for Slafkovsky so far in 2024-25.
Yeah, he’s missed a few games, but I was looking for more than 15 points and two goals, the latter of which has given him a measly 6.5 shooting percentage. At least he’s putting up nearly a half assist per game, more than indicating Slafkovsky has been a sound playmaker.
He’s also been physical, with 67 hits this season, and the nature of his play when the Habs don’t have the puck shows he can be one of the more complete skaters out there. But still, it’s time to get going in the goal-scoring department and at least get that shooting percentage up to 10.0.
Alex Newhook
Alex Newhook is another player I was more than optimistic about, only to find that he, too, has been nothing more than a disappointing act. Newhook played in just 55 games for the Habs last season, but 15 goals and 34 points in those contests told me 2024-25 would be a breakout season.
But that’s been far from the case, as he’s given the Canadiens just six points through 28 games. Yeah, they’ve all been goals, and his shooting percentage is a solid 17.6. But right now, he’s playing a solid 15 minutes per game and is roughly on pace for somewhere between 18 and 20 points.
He also hasn’t been the most reliable player this season in the faceoff circle, winning just 45.5 percent of his draws. All of that said, it’s been a struggle for Newhook to get anything going as we cross the one-third mark of the season.
Cayden Primeau
Let’s give a few cheers to Sam Montembeault, whose epic season so far could at least land him in the discussion for the Vezina Trophy. It won’t happen since his numbers are roughly above average apart from his three shutouts, but either way, Cayden Primeau has been the exact opposite.
Part of me thought Montembeault and Primeau would make for the ideal one-two combo in the net, but the latter hasn’t done anything to remotely justify such wishful thinking. Right now, he’s looking more like organizational depth talent than he is a serious candidate to even be a No. 2 goaltender, but with Montembeault as the clear-cut No. 1, Primeau won’t get much ice time as it is.
Currently, he’s got an 0.844 save percentage, a 4.45 GAA, and just one quality start. So, yeah, it’s looking beyond bad for the 25-year-old as of mid-December.