Now that we have reached the halfway point of the Montreal Canadiens season, we can start to really reflect upon what we’ve seen so far. The Canadiens are, as expected, still a team hovering between the middle and bottom of the standings. Many of the young players have shown great promise, but we’ve also seen a fair share of struggles.
It’s been a mixed bag, really, but for the most part, the players who Habs fans want to see play well have, for the most part, lived up to that. But some players really bursted onto the scene, making a larger impact than expected. It goes without saying, but that’s a massive development for the Canadiens as they continue rebuilding.
So, with that in mind, we're going to look at the three biggest surprises for the Canadiens this season. Each one of these players has either broken out or has just played well above expectations.
Just a quick disclaimer. This would exclude Juraj Slafkovsky, not because he hasn’t played well, as he has. But due to the fact he’s a first-overall pick, his development has been expected and rather necessary. Other players have been far more surprising. So, with that out of the way, let’s get into the list.