During the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens didn't have the depth needed to match up with the Lightning. It was one of the reasons they had a first-round exit, losing four of five games. With the development of some younger players, the Canadiens won't have that concern this season.
During the offseason, the Canadiens didn't really address the scoring depth outside of Zachary Bolduc, and the pressure was on some of the younger players like Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky to help shoulder some of the scoring for this team.
The good news is that it is exactly what they got this season, and now is the first team in the NHL to have five or more players to surpass the 40-point mark this season. Nick Suzuki is leading the way for the team as he has 54 points, but is only 15th in the league.
After Suzuki, the expectation was for Cole Caufield to be right there, and he certainly is with 48 points, but it is actually Lane Huston who is second with 50. The second-year defenseman has been exceptional as he is averaging more than a point per game and should easily surpass his 66-point total from last season.
Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky will be the difference makers for the Montreal Canadiens
The other two players, who already had 40 or more points, were probably the biggest unknowns for the Canadiens in terms of whether or not they could take the next step in their careers. Juraj Slafkovsky has had back-to-back 50-point seasons, but it felt like he was just scratching the surface for the former first-overall pick.
He has certainly shown more of what people have expected this season with 40 points and a significant jump in goals, as he is only one goal short of his career-best of 20. The Canadiens having another scoring threat, especially on the second line, makes this offense much more formidable for opposing teams to try to stop.
As for Demidov, this is essentially his rookie season, having played only two games the year prior, and he has made an immediate impact with 11 goals and 32 assists, which is the third-best total on the team.
When considering this isn't even including players like Noah Dobson, Alexandre Texier (who recently got an extension due to his recent play), and returning players like Jake Evans, Kirby Dach, and Patrik Laine, the Canadiens are going to be a tough out come playoff time as teams struggle to match the depth this team has.