Canadiens' biggest reasons for hope during 2024-25 season
12/17/2024 01:09 AM
The Montreal Canadiens have not had the greatest start in 2024-25. Montreal hoped to be more competitive on the ice. And they made moves to achieve that goal. For instance, the Canadiens traded for Patrik Laine in a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately, it has not worked out by any stretch of the imagination.
Laine has played well in his first handful of games with the Habs. However, the Habs overall have had a less-than-ideal season. At this time, the Canadiens have played to an 11-16-3 record, good for just 25 points. To be fair, they are only three points back of the Detroit Red Wings in sixth place. In any event, it’s still a brutal start to the year.
The Canadiens have been ripped for regression as a result of this performance. But Montreal has something to look forward to. There is a light at the end of the tunnel for the most storied franchise in hockey history. And with this in mind, here are two of the biggest reasons for hope in 2024-25.
Cole Caufield is emerging as an elite scorer
There are a few bright spots within the Canadiens lineup, to be fair. Nick Suzuki, for instance, is on pace to score a point per game through his first 30 games. However, Cole Caufield is a name worth mentioning given his current goal-scoring prowess.
Caufield leads the Canadiens with 17 goals in 30 games at this time. The 23-year-old is one of two players on Montreal with more than 10 goals — the other being Suzuki with 11. Caufield’s current pace puts him on track for 45 goals in 2024-25.
Caufield’s emergence is not exactly surprising. It wasn’t too long ago that he had 26 goals in 46 games with the Canadiens. Unfortunately, an injury ended Caufield’s season short of the 50-game mark. In 2023-24, he played a full 82 games while only managing 28 goals on the year.
Caufield’s 2023-24 performance was a bit of a letdown in some respects. However, he is finally showing that his performance in 2022-23 was no fluke. The Canadiens star is emerging as an elite goal scorer in front of our eyes. Montreal has promising playmakers in their lineup right now. If Caufield keeps it up, he could be one of the game’s best snipers for years to come.
Sam Montembeault may be a solid No. 1
Sam Montembeault signed a contract extension with the Canadiens not too long ago. The Quebec native had played well for Montreal and seemed destined to receive a shot at being the team’s primary goaltender. That opportunity came when the Habs traded Jake Allen to the New Jersey Devils last season.
Montembeault has not had the greatest time in the NHL to be fair. But there is reason to suggest that he could become a true No. 1 goalie down the line. Montembeault’s .900 save percentage isn’t impressive on its own. However, he is only slightly playing below average according some advanced metrics. Moreover, he has saved 6.12 goals above expected, according to Evolving Hockey.
To put this in context, his 6.12 GSAx is good for 14th in the league among goalies with at least 500 minutes of total ice time this year. This puts him above some rather elite goaltenders, as well. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Linus Ullmark, and Adin Hill are some of the names who have a lower GSAx than Montembeault.
Does this mean the Quebec native is destined to become elite? Not necessarily. It does suggest, however, that he has the tools to play at a high level. It’s hard to find a consistent starting goaltender in the NHL. As the Canadiens improve in front of him, Montembeault could certainly lead his team toward playoff contention.
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