The depth of the Montreal Canadiens is impeccable, to say the least. Because of a young, ambitious captain of the team, Nick Suzuki, and the rest who follow the system of the Habs coaching staff. To be precise, the current line formations make it impossible not to bet on this young core of players.
Especially because, as the players are getting older, they are striving for the success the team achieved from last season to the first-round playoffs in the previous campaign. The Habs roster is virtually the same, and thus my folks find it an exciting time to jump on the bandwagon of the Montreal Canadiens.
Explaining the Depth of the Montreal Canadiens' Lineup Formations
The First Projected Line
Nick Suzuki leads the way for centermen and serves as the captain. His leadership as a player on his team complements the rest of the squad well, thanks to the heroics he shows on the ice. Complementing him are the wingers Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky.
This particular line is ideally composed of speed and skill. To balance out the weakness of this line. Slafkovsky must get to the level of his linemates by improving his reach, expanding his gameplay, and increasing his overall effectiveness. However, to elaborate on the depth.
Both Suzuki and Caufield played 82 games healthy, and Slafkovsky played 79 games. Tallying 210 points during last year's regular season. This line was quite dominant in fashion and produced more than expected.
Even though four defensemen on the Habs squad spent more time on the ice than the captain and his fellow linemates. Suzuki averaged 20 minutes on the ice during last season to procure a dominant scoring touch.
Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky recorded 18 minutes per game last season to keep up with the captain of the team. This shows that the first line of the Canadiens is ready to take charge and produce within the limited time assigned by the coaching staff.
The Second Line of the Montreal Canadiens
Kirby Dach at center, with Patrik Laine and Ivan Demidov as the wingers, provides the second line with speed and depth. A move to add a grittier winger or more of a physical presence may give the team a chance to play with more respect.
This line formation gives the Canadiens ample opportunities to score, but at a low chance of winning pucks off the boards and through neutral zone coverage. This aspect of the lineup needs improvement in my opinion, and should be reworked to complement the first line's skill and ability to score. However, with a more physical presence...
The speed is there, and the scoring ability speaks for itself, with the three combined players tallying 57 points last regular season. The need to re-adjust would be the central focus of the team, focusing on and retooling the right players on this line would genuinely help the core excel more.