This might be the most important off-season for this iteration of the Montreal Canadiens. Individual players, and the team itself made massive steps forward. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2021, and despite being knocked off by the Washington Capitals, it shows that the future is bright.
But now the question is: How ready is the team? Do you start to move prospects and draft picks now, mortgaging the future for today? Or do we still stock up the cupboards?
The Montreal Canadiens have been run since 2022 by Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes. That is a decent sample size to determine their modus operandi and hopefully be able to predict what is going to happen this off-season.
The general philosophy behind the Montreal Canadiens this time around is to buy low and buy young. The Montreal Canadiens this year was the youngest team to ever make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and that was by design.
The 2020 playoff run was the last hurrah of the Marc Bergevin Montreal Canadiens
The two faces of the francise, Shea Weber and Carey Price would only play one game between them after that Final run, and within a year or two Tyler Toffoli, Jeff Petry, Ben Chiarot, Corey Perry, Joel Edmundson, Jonathan Drouin and Phillip Danault were all gone.
Toffoli was flipped for Emile Heineman, who became a good part of the bottom six this year, along with a draft pick that was used to select Filip Mesar. Chiarot was moved for some draft picks, one of which was used to get Alex Newhook from the Avalanche.
Because the Montreal Canadiens are one of the youngest teams in the entire league, there aren't many older players to be moved. The 31-year-old Mike Matheson is an option, but that would leave basically no experience on the back-end, especially after the retirement of David Savard.
But the Montreal Canadiens aren't afraid to weaponize their draft picks as well. Kirby Dach was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks using two draft picks. To be fair, Dach has had injury issues and one of the picks was used to pick Frank Nazar III, who had a pretty good year for the Blackhawks.
This year, the Montreal Canadiens are flush with draft picks
They have two first rounders, two second rounders, three third rounders, two fourth rounders, and one of each in the later rounds. That is a wealth of draft picks, and I think it would be quite surprising to see them use all of those draft picks.
That means that the Canadiens have a grand total of 12 draft picks in the upcoming draft. The last two years, Gorton and Hughes have made 10 and nine picks, respectively, while moving multiple draft picks prior to the draft. So there's a good chance that multiple picks will be moved either for a player, or to move up in the draft.
The other thing is that Gorton and Hughes have been extremely aware of the age of the players coming in. Kirby Dach is 24 years old, Alex Newhook is 24, and even Patrik Laine is only 27 years old. These all fit really neatly into the Canadiens competing window, and were coming off of down year(s).
A big name on the market is Sam Bennett, a player that is playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year and will probably command a contract north of $10 million, especially after leading the playoffs in goals. He will also be 29 by the time he signs that contract.
Does that sound like the type of player that the Canadiens have historically gone after? A very physical, older player, who would definitely make the team better today. And many fans may not be the most receptive to him after his treatment of opponents' goalies throughout the playoffs.
And probably the biggest name in free agency this year is Mitch Marner. He fits the timeline a bit more, having just turned 28, and having a game that should translate well to the later stages of his career.
But Marner is coming off of a $10,901,333 contract, and could probably get a number right around there, as most NHL teams will be vying for his services. And he does deserve it, despite what the playoffs and the Toronto Maple Leafs media will tell you.
This year was statistically Marner's best year. He finished with 27 goals, 75 assists and 102 points. That is a career high for assists and points. Just six players scored 100+ points, and Marner landed at the end of the year fifth overall in points and third in assists. Not exactly buying low.
There is a player that does fit the bill of buying low, and fits really well within the window of competing for the Montreal Canadiens, and I know there are a lot of people that won't like.
In 2019, the Anaheim Ducks selected Trevor Zegras ninth overall
Zegras had two solid NHL seasons scoring 23 goals in both, and 61 and 65 points. Pretty good for a young, high quality prospect on a pretty poor Anaheim Ducks team.
But then his third full season was marred with injuries and inconsistent play. 31 games, six goals, 15 points, and a massive step back. And the next season was extremely similar, 57 games, 12 goals, 32 points.
All things seem to be pointing to a messy divorce between the Ducks and Zegras. He might not make it to the 2025-26 season, and if he does, his contract is up next season, and Zegras could try to test the waters with another team.
Zegras is young at 24 years old, has a high draft pedigree, and is an extremely skilled hockey player. There is a reason that he was drafted in the top 10, and that potential could still be reached.
And with his contract up next year, acquiring Zegras would be extremely low risk. After his last two seasons, his worth is at an all-time low, and if it doesn't work out, Zegras could just walk next year.
He fits a lot better to the philosophy of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton than a Sam Bennett or a Mitch Marner. But perhaps the last two seasons were too poor for Zegras. Perhaps this is the year the Canadiens decide to push towards a more win-now attitude after last year's success. Only time will tell.
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