Chris Nilan believes the Canadiens need to add more grit

If the Montreal Canadiens want to be successful, it is going to take all the players buying in, which is something Martin St. Louis seems to have accomplished.

With Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky running things with their skill on the top line, the Habs are in good hands. Then toss in Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine and either Joshua Roy or Alex Newhook, and the Habs offensive has plenty of skill. But as Chris Nilan alluded to on the Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, the Canadiens need some grit.

Michael Pezzetta and Arber Xhekaj bring some grit to the lineup, but aside from them, there isn't much grit in the Habs lineup. Josh Anderson has slowed down his fighting and heavy-hitting ways, which has increased the need for some toughness in the lineup. So, until Luke Tuch and Florian Xhekaj arrive in Montreal, odds are there isn't going to be much toughness in the lineup.

I don't necessarily believe that the Canadiens need to play like the Hanson brothers, from the famous Slapshot movies. But the Habs would benefit from adding some grit to the team, much like the Florida Panthers used for their 2024 Stanley Cup championship run. Guys like Sam Bennett, Jonah Gadjovich and Matthew Tkachuk, were effective because they provided offence, but they wore down the opposition shift after shift.

Many rosters have been configured in an array of ways, and they have ended up winning the Stanley Cup. But one thing that can't be understated is having big, physical players who battle in the trenches and force the opposition to earn every inch of ice. Each of those winning teams has had players who just know how to win when all the chips are on the table.

How do the Canadiens address need for grit?

The problem with addressing these needs is moving certain guys out, like Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia and Josh Anderson. If Anderson can find his game and do the things he was brought to Montreal to do, then that's a different story. But Gallagher's cap hit isn't very desirable, nor is Anderson's - so the likeliest contract to get moved is Armia whose deal expires at season's end.

I would think that putting the pieces in place to make the team competitive would be priority number one. Then letting the core build chemistry and push towards a playoff berth is the second most important element. Once those two steps are in place, however, only then does adding some toughness make sense.

Trading away players now, that will equip the team for the long run, could result in moving a player in a heat of the moment scenario. If anything can be said about Kent Hughes it's that he is a bulldog, but he is methodical and patient, he strikes when it's most fitting. If the Habs need something, Hughes knows about it and will address it.