Even one position further back, Montreal relies on players who can still develop. Samuel Montembeault (27) and Cayden Primeau (25) have made 144 NHL appearances between them, making them one of the least experienced goalie duos of recent years.
Montreal did not try to take a shortcut to a successful rebuild in the summer, so they are unlikely to make a big splash in the coming season. Only the trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, through which they were able to sign Patrik Laine, was a major intervention in the planned development of the existing squad.
In general, the Canadiens’ offense is likely to be the centerpiece of the new season. This can be seen as a surprise, especially after the disappointing goal threat from the previous season. The development of Juraj Slafkovsky in the second half of the 2023/24 season in particular is the trigger for the turnaround.
Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Slafkovsky, the three best scorers from last season, remained on board. The same goes for Alex Newhook, Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, Joel Armia and Josh Anderson, who all scored over 20 points.
With the signing of Laine and the supposed return of Kirby Dach, who was seriously injured at the beginning of last season and was only able to play two games, Montreal will have the luxury of being able to expect offensive accents from all four lines.
