Montreal Canadiens fans should demand to see a younger team as season progresses

The Montreal Canadiens are a 0.500 team in the early phases of the 2024-25 season, but whether it sticks or not remains to be seen. If I were to make a projection, it’s that the Habs could sustain that success, but it’s nowhere near enough to transform into solid contenders in the Atlantic Division or for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. 

For that reason, fans should demand room for more young talent as the 2024-25 campaign wears on, allowing them to play while some of their older assets go elsewhere. This might mean a throwaway year in the eyes of some, but instead of looking at short-term gains, the long game should still be front-and-center in Quebec. 

Here’s a mind-boggling stat for you: Montreal’s top-four points producers so far this season are 24 and under, with Cole Caufield being the oldest. Caufield also leads the team in goals, and he could be in for a career year, and I also won't count out Juraj Slafkovsky. Meanwhile, Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle are a pair of blueliners leading the charge in points among all Habs defensemen early. 

If we get to the middle of the year, let’s say January 2025, and the Canadiens look like they’re kind of, sort of in the playoff hunt, I would still endorse moving older players, even those like Brendan Gallagher and Mike Matheson, despite both still boasting multiple years left on their respective deals. 

Getting younger with an eye for the future must continue for the Canadiens

Doing so could allow the Canadiens to dip into the prospect pools of other teams and perhaps land an NHL-caliber talent or two. While they didn’t move any veterans to get them, it’s similar to what we saw the St. Louis Blues do in the offseason, and one of those players looks like a true steal.

And yes, I get that Philip Broberg was signed to an offer sheet, and this isn’t what would happen during the season for the Canadiens, but that’s not the point. Instead, it’s about making room either for those currently in the pipeline or landing another NHL-caliber talent in a trade. 

Right now, Montreal’s youngest puzzle pieces look poised to enjoy a big 2024-25 season, and if they’re not finished yet, then why not keep getting younger, let them mesh, build chemistry, and charge out of the gate in 2025-26? 

If the youngest players weren’t faring so well at the moment, I wouldn’t bother. But right now, Canadiens fans everywhere should be demanding to see the youngest NHL-ready talent in Montreal, even if it ultimately means moving multiple veterans as the season goes on.