Regardless of how you feel about the sports betting landscape, there's no doubting their accuracy when setting lines. Ceasers, DraftKings, and BetMGM set the Montreal Canadiens points total at an average of 75.7 points, which puts them fifth behind the San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks, and Chicago Blackhawks. The companies aren't going on a limb with these predictions, as it's the same five teams that finished bottom-five last season. However, I'm not sure the Habs will be in that position again next season.
Ceasars, Draftkings, and BET MGM have Montreal finishing with an average of 75.7 points
— Costa Rontzocos (@Rontzeeez) August 12, 2024
Only Chicago(73.3), Anaheim(70.7), Columbus(68.7), and San Jose(63)
Let me know below👇#HabsTalk pic.twitter.com/U6YHCNIkhD
Projecting the Canadiens to be a bottom-five team is an easy thing to do. They haven't changed much from last season unless Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux can find spots on the team. The forward group still has some holes, and some people don't believe Sam Montembeault is a capable starting goaltender.
How will you feel if the Canadiens are bottom-five again this season? On one hand, they could add to their building top-nine forward group with a player like Roger McQueen or Porter Martone to add size and physicality. They could ensure their defense core in five years is the best in the NHL by taking Matthew Schaefer, who Scott Wheeler of The Athletic recently ranked as his fifth-best prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft.
On the other hand, another year as a bottom-five team could mean that Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky didn't elevate their games on the first line. It could also mean that prospects like Joshua Roy or any of their defense didn't step up and take a bigger role than the players on the roster. It'd also be nice to see Sam Montembeault show that he can be a winning goaltender in the interim while they wait to see how good Jacob Fowler will be.
It's hard for fans to decide when a rebuild should end. Most fans are happy with what the Canadiens have done and are excited for the future. However, the time has come to start wondering if you're done with the rebuild and want the Canadiens to become more than a draft lottery team in 2024-25.