The Montreal Canadiens of previous seasons were highly dependent on their top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky to have any chance of winning games. While it is still partly true this season, with the trio all having career seasons, for a large portion of the season, the Canadiens were receiving consistent production from their second line. The production has seemingly dried up, and it shows in the results, with the Canadiens having just four wins out of nine games in March.
The drop in production could not have come at a worse time for Montreal. With 14 games remaining, the Canadiens sit in a three-way tie for the third spot in the Atlantic Division with 84 points. The Canadiens' next game is against the New York Islanders, and with the Long Island team sitting on 83 points, a loss could have Montreal on the outside looking in on a potential playoff berth. The Canadiens will need to figure out their secondary scoring issues if they do not want their season to end in April.
Canadiens rookies hit the wall
Montreal’s influx of secondary scoring this season had a lot to do with its two rookie forwards, Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen. Both have had fantastic seasons, with Demidov tied for the lead in rookie scoring with 52 points and Kapanen sitting second in rookie goals with 20. Their production has tailed off in recent weeks, with Demidov recording just five points in his last 10 games and Kapanen having just two goals in the same span. Their drop in productivity is likely a combination of hitting the rookie wall, having never played this many games in a single season in their career, and losing a member of the “Kid Line” with Slafkovsky moving back to the first line alongside Suzuki and Caufield.
Demidov’s career high of games played in a season is 65, which he hit last season with SKA St. Petersburg, while Kapanen’s is 55 with KalPa Kuopio in the 2022-23 season. It is normal for rookies to hit the proverbial wall in their first season, as they have not adjusted to spacing themselves over a long 82-game schedule, but it could not have come at a worse time for the Canadiens. It did not help the two Canadiens youngsters that Slafkovsky was moved off their line, losing a player who can drive his own offence, taking the pressure off the two rookies. It is unlikely that we will see the “Kid Line” reunite this season, based on how well Suzuki, Caufield, and Slafkovsky have been playing since reuniting as a trio. The Canadiens will hope the two rookies find their second wind, as the team will need them in the final push for the playoffs.
Canadiens need more scoring from their bottom-six
Montreal has five players with over 50 points this season (Suzuki, Caufield, Lane Hutson, Slafkovsky, and Demidov), with Noah Dobson just five points away from making it six. After that, though, there is a steep drop off, with Mike Matheson and Kapanen next on the scoring list with 33. The next closest forward after Kapanen is Zachary Bolduc with 26 points. The lack of production from the Canadiens bottom two forward lines, for the most part, went unnoticed when they had two dependable offensive lines. Now, with the second line struggling, the lack of production has become even more evident.
The Canadiens were hoping that scratching Brendan Gallagher against the San Jose Sharks would not only provide him with some necessary rest but, at the same time, send a message to the rest of the team that anyone could be a healthy scratch if they are not performing up to standard. That message looked to have backfired, because after sitting one of the team’s leaders, the Canadiens have lost three out of their last four games. If things do not change for Montreal, the team might have to shake up their lineup again, and if they continue to struggle with secondary scoring, Patrik Laine’s voice will only get louder as he continues to wait for another opportunity to prove he can help the team. The Canadiens' next challenge is the Islanders, and if the team ends up on the losing end once again, panic may start to set in Montreal.