Oh, the Montreal Canadiens may be out of the Atlantic Division’s basement thanks to the Buffalo Sabres recent incompetence. But it doesn’t mean they’re still not among the biggest group of underdogs in hockey.
And what comes with that are underrated players who just don’t get enough credit. Yeah, you have guys like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, both of whom’s relevance has grown. But you also have the trio I’m about to outline below.
Now, you may not find these players underrated, but that’s not the point. Instead, most around the NHL universe probably don’t have the highest opinions on any of the three listed below, albeit for different reasons.
Jake Evans
Last week, I talked about how the Canadiens should give Jake Evans more ice time, thanks to his hot first two months. No, Evans hasn’t played at the level of Nick Suzuki or Cole Caufield, but he doesn’t need to if he wants to continue to be an effective player in Quebec.
So far, his 16 points and five goals with the Habs have been all he’s needed to play his role well. Throw in some physical play and potential in the faceoff circle, and it’s becoming clear the Habs have found a player who might end up as a better-than-advertised asset for a team that shouldn’t find themselves struggling much longer.
Patrik Laine
Yeah, I’m calling Patrik Laine an underrated player right now. He’d gone from being one of the NHL’s most relevant names to one of their lesser relevant throughout his tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets following a rather successful stint with the Winnipeg Jets.
Add in the fact he missed a significant portion of the season, and it would be more than understandable if Habs fans were getting antsy here. Thankfully, Laine might have quelled those fears thanks to some epic recent performances.
It’s just a seven-game sample, but Laine already has six goals and seven points in those contests. And this is all coming with just 15:51 of average total ice time, something that should increase if Laine continues on his current trajectory.
Sam Montembeault
One player who I’ve never felt had gotten enough credit for hanging in there with what have been some terrible hockey teams, Sam Montembeault is enjoying an excellent season with what he has to work with.
No, his numbers won’t land him as a Vezina Trophy finalist, thanks to his 2.92 GAA and 0.902 save percentage, but that shouldn’t concern fans. Montembeault still has three shutouts and 13 quality starts on the season, translating to roughly a 0.542 quality starts percentage so far.
Montembeault has further been a lifesaver for the Canadiens this season, given Cayden Primeau’s awful string of performances. If he can continue his success into the new year, the NHL universe should collectively take notice and regard him as one of the league’s better goaltenders.