The once proud Montreal Canadiens have fallen on hard times in the NHL.
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The Habs imploded the following season after making it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. Carey Price and Shea Weber mortgaged the rest of their careers for a shot at winning it all. Weber’s foot has all but fallen off, while Price’s rehabilitation has alternated between physical and psychological injuries. With neither player expected to suit up again and Weber’s contract being shipped to the Arizona Coyotes, the Canadiens have been searching for a locker-room presence to replace their leaders.
Sadly, Montreal has posted the worst points percentage over the past few years. With the gaping holes on the backend, there’s little doubt about what needs to be done to help the Habs compete for the upcoming Stanley Cup.
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Find a #1 Goalie
For years, the Canadiens took stability between the pipes for granted. Price was a stalwart throughout his career, capturing the Hart, Vezina, and Jennings Trophies, leading the league in wins twice and accumulating a .917% save percentage. Those days are behind him, and Montreal has not devised a contingency plan since.
Jake Allen was brought in as a 1B goalie in the twilight of Price’s career but has struggled in La Belle Province. The Stanley Cup winner has a 3.23 goals against average in Montreal, with -20.7 goals saved above average. That spurred Sam Montembeault into the starter’s crease, compromising his development in the process.
The biggest factor impeding the Canadiens’ success is the absence of a primary netminder.
Two names come to mind to elevate the Habs’ competitive level while fitting in with the current roster composition. John Gibson is rumored to be on his way out of SoCal. If the Habs are looking in the trade market, the Anaheim Ducks goaltender needs a fresh start and could find a new home.
Alternatively, Laurent Brossoit has made a name for himself recently and deserves a shot in the starter’s crease. The Canadiens could ink the free-agent goalie, relegating Montembeault to a more suitable backup role.
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Acquire a Top Pairing Defenseman
Having an elite defender has been the hallmark of success for many past Stanley Cup-winning teams. The Vegas Golden Knights relied on Alex Pietrangelo, the Colorado Avalanche had Cale Makar, and the Tampa Bay Lightning were propelled by Victor Hedman. Surely, acquiring a D-man of that caliber makes the Habs a contender.
Some talented rearguards are available in this year’s free-agent class, but trading for a top-pairing defenseman could yield the best results for Montreal. The Edmonton Oilers need cap space, and Darnell Nurse is eating up a healthy portion of their salary. Moreover, the acquisition of Mattias Ekholm and the emergence of Evan Bouchard has made Nurse expendable.
At his best, Nurse has been an impact defender. It would take a third team to broker the deal and take a part of the cap hit, but a change of scenery could help Nurse re-kindle his elite form and solve one of the Canadiens’ most prominent issues.
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Sign a Top-Line Center
It’s tough to win in the NHL without a top-line center. Montreal is in dire need of some scoring and consistency down the middle. While they missed out on bringing in Pierre-Luc Dubois after he was dealt to LA in a sign-and-trade with the Kings, there are other options. Quebec native Patrice Bergeron ending his career in Montreal would be a dream, but he’ll likely stay in Boston or retire. Ryan O’Reilly is also a free agent that would add depth but might not give Montreal the scoring punch they need.
A top-line center allows the rest of the depth chart to slot into more natural positions. Immediately, the pressure is taken off Nick Suzuki, who can skate in a supporting role, upgrading the top six.
Combined with the other off-season moves, it would transform the Canadiens into an unsuspecting contender.
