Rebuilding the Montreal Canadiens

[ryan008]

The date is July 1st, 2021 and free agency has just begun. The Montreal Canadiens once a storied franchise have fallen down to the bottom of the National Hockey League Standings finishing with records of 28-46-8 (4th last) in 2019/2020 and 25-50-7 in 2020/21 (3rd last) and have just dismissed their long time GM Marc Bergevin.

For years the Canadiens have been langishing in a holding pattern between competing and rebuilding and it just hasn't produced the desired results. The decision was made to bring in GM Ryan Stewart to finally do what is necessary, to tear the team down to the studs and rebuild through the draft. The Canadines have a couple of good looking young players that they have drafted in the past 3 years that shoud form the core of the team for yrars to come.

So lets meet the 2021/2022 Montreal Canadiens as they sit on the opening day of Free Agency (July 1st, 2021).

[ryan008]

Meet the Canadiens

Goaltenders

Montreal Canadiens Rostered Goalies

Carey Price - 33 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 62 GP 18-37 3.43 GAA .904 SV%
Cap Hit: $10,500,000
Acquired: Drafted 1st round 5th Overall (Tri-City, WHL) by Montreal in 2005.
Comment: Price is the longest serving Hab and is still beloved by the masses in Montreal. His stats have suffered over the last few seasons but a lot of that is due to the fact that the teams in front of him haven't been good at all. He is under contract for 5 more years and isn't likely to go anywhere. He is all over the record books for the Canadiens and I'm hoping that he can break a few more in the next few seasons.

Charlie Lindgren - 27 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 26 GP 7-13-1 2.84 GAA .928 SV%
Cap Hit: $890,000
Acquired: Signed by Montreal as an undrafted free agent in 2006.
Comment: Lindgren is a capable backup. He is going to see some pressure from some of the younger Canadiens goalie prospects in Laval and still in Junior.

Laval Rocket Goalies

Cayden Primeau - 21 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 38 GP 17-16-2 3.02 GAA .910 SV% (Laval)
Cap Hit: $0
Acquired: Drafted by Montreal in the 7th round 199th Overall in 2017 (North Eastern University).
Comment: Primeau is the goalie of the future in Montreal. He will likely push for the backup job this season and could eventually un-seat Price as the starting goalie. He is still just 21 years old so having him getting starter minutes in Laval might be better than getting into just 20 games in Montreal.

Tyler Wall - 23 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 42 GP 20-19 2.98 GAA .911 SV% (Laval)
Cap Hit: $0
Acquired: Drafted by the New York Rangers in the 6th round 174th overall in 2016 (U Mass Lowell). Signed by the Canadiens in 2019/20.
Comment: Wall and Primeau split duties in Laval this past season and he also put up decent numbers. Wall probably isn't going to be a regular at the NHL level but there is still time for him to work his way into a capable backup. At any rate he is slated to be once again split time with Primeau in Laval.

Prospects

Maxim Motorygin - 18 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 43 GP 28-11 2.17 GAA .931 SV% (MHK Dynamo Moscow)
Cap Hit: $0
Acquired: Drafted by Montreal in the 3rd round 83rd ovearall (MHK Dynamo Moscow) in 2021.
Comment: Motorygin is a 6'0" goalie hailing from Russia who has put up some good numbers in Russia's top league. He served as the backup on the Russian U20 team at this past years World Junior Championships, but he didn't get into any games. My scouts really like him and we are hoping to bring him over to North American after his contract in the KHL expires at the end of this season. He should at a minimum be a good backup at the NHL level.

Semyon Sharabarain - 18 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 34 GP24-10 2.14 GAA .929 SV% (MHK Novomoskovsk JR)
Cap Hit: $0
Acquired: Drafted by Montreal in the 6th round 158th ovearall (MHK Novomoskovsk JR) in 2020.
Comment: Sharabarain is another 5'11" Russian born goalie who the Canadiens drafted in the 2020 Entry Draft. He had some good numbers in the Russian Jr leagues. He should make the jump to the KHL this season and my scouts will be watching him closely to see how he does against much older competition. He is reluctant to move over to North America right now and would prefer to stay in Russia. Right now he scouts as a potential backup at the NHL level but we may never see him if he decides to stay in the KHL.

Up Next: Canadiens Defenceman Preview

[ryan008]

Meet the Canadiens

Defence

Montreal Canadiens Rostered Defence

Victor Mete - 23 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 74 GP 7 G 22 A -22 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $4,020,000
Acquired: Drafted 4th Round 100th Overall (Owen Sound, OHL) by Montreal in 2016.
Comment: Mete is not a big bruising defenceman by any stretch, standing just 5’9” but he has emerged as a very good puck-mover who has improved offensively every year. He will likely slot in as our #2 pairing guy this season.

Shea Weber - 35 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 79 GP 11 G 21 A -36 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $7,857,122
Acquired: Drafted 2nd Round 49th Overall by Nashville in 2003.
Comment: Weber is our Captain and our top pairing guy. He has lost a step or two and its showing in his stats. I think a change in tactics this year will benefit him greatly. He still has a rocket for a shot and is a weapon on the power play. Weber is going to be surrounded by a very young core of defenceman and will be looked to for leadership and as a mentor for the kids as they mature.

Cale Fleury - 22 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 72 GP 9 G 13 A -11 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $870,000
Acquired: Drafted 3rd Round 87th Overall (Kootenay, WHL) by Montreal in 2013.
Comment: Fleury had a bit of a breakout season for the Habs last year playing in all but two of the Canadiens games. He is a steady presence both offensively and defensively. Not a top 4 guy I don’t think but he can move up and down the d-core comfortably. He will likely be on the 3rd pairing this season.

Josh Brook - 22 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 32 GP 6 G 7 A +3 (Laval)
Cap Hit: $795,000
Acquired: Drafted 2nd Round 56th Overall (Moose Jaw, WHL) by Montreal in 2014.
Comment: Brook is our top defensive prospect and he will crack the top 6 this year for sure. He is a playmaker who skates very well and should be a great asset on the power play. He is not overly physical and that seems to be the biggest knock on him from my scouting core.

LD Ben Chairot - 30 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 64 GP 5 G 9 A -13 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $3,500,000
Acquired: Drafted 4th Round 120th Overall by Atlanta in 2009. Signed by Montreal as a free agent in 2019.
Comment: The only other grizzled vet on the blue line. Chairot was brought in to make the Habs defence a lot harder to play against and he has filled that role admirably. He is a hardnose good checking stay-at-home defenseman who will allow some of the other more offensively gifted D men to take a few more risks. A free agent at the end of the season its unlikely that he will be resigned.

Brett Kulak - 27 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 62 GP 1 G 15 A -16 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $1,850,000
Acquired: Drafted 4th Round 105th Overall (Vancouver, WHL) by Calgary in 2012.
Comment: There is nothing sexy about Kulak’s game but he does a lot of things right. He is a #6/7 defensive defenseman and nothing more. He is durable and reliable and will continue to fill that roll for Montreal heading into this season. If he does end up sliding down the depth chart he could be stashed in Laval as an injury replacement.

Xavier Ouelette - 27 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 67 GP 4 G 20 A -7 (Laval)
Cap Hit: $740,000
Acquired: Drafted 2nd Round 48th Overall by Detroit in 2011.
Comment: Ouelette had a good season in Laval last year and looks ready to compete for at least the #6/7 slot in the lineup this season. Not super flashy he is a reliable offensive defenceman who passes well and can skate. He isn’t overly physical but can handle himself in the corners.

[ryan008]

Meet the Canadiens

Forwards

Montreal Canadiens Rostered Forwards

LW Jonathan Drouin - 26 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 81 GP 21 G 34 A -22 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $5,500,000
Acquired: Drafted 1st Round 3rd Overall by Tampa Bay in 2013.
Comment: Drouin has never really lived up to his lofty draft status in Tampa or in Montreal but is still a serviceable player. He was amongst the Canadiens leaders in points and games played and at just 26 years old is still in his prime. He is penciled in as the top line LW and the #1 power play unit. He is also a pretty valuable trade chip and could find himself on the trade block to bring in some more assets for the rebuild.

C Max Domi - 26 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 81 GP 8 G 26 A -21 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $4,950,000
Acquired: Drafted 1st Round 12th Overall (London, OHL) by Phoenix in 2013.
Comment: Domi’s offensive output has declined considerably over the last few seasons culminating with just 8 goals in 81 games last year. He was relegated to 3rd line duties for most of the season and that might have been a contributing factor. Depending on how the off season goes he may move back up into the #2 center role or he could find himself on the trade block as a fresh start may be beneficial to both parties.

RW Nick Suzuki - 21 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 80 GP 11 G 35 A -8 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $863,333
Acquired: Drafted 1st Round 13th Overall by Las Vegas in 2018.
Comment: Suzuki is the first of a pair of the Habs biggest young guns that has already cracked the roster. He surged up the lineup eventually settling in as the top line RW and he was very good in that role. He should be a top point producer for the Canadiens for many years to come, and at just 21 could still have some potential inside that he hasn’t tapped into yet.

LW/RW Artturi Lehkonen - 25 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 73 GP 13 G 20 A -6 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $2,400,000
Acquired: Drafted 2nd Round 55th Overall by Montreal in 2013.
Comment: Lehkonen is a jack of all trades for the Canadiens. He can play up and down the lineup and can chip in offensively as well. I really like him as a 3rd line winger who is able to kill penalties and can fill in on the top two lines when needed.

C Jesperi Kotkaniemi - 20 Years Old
[B]2020/21 Stats:[/B79 GP 17 G 13 A -18 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $925,000
Acquired: Drafted 1st Round 3rd Overall by Montreal in 2018.
Comment: The second young gun on the Habs roster. He is the heir apparent to the top line C spot and will get the bulk of the playing time there and on the power play this year. I have high hopes that he and Suzuki can be a force for many years to come. I consider the two as the core of the team moving forward and the goal will be to surround them with players that can complement them nicely.

RW/LW Jesse Ylonen - 21 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 41 GP 11 G 20 A -1 (Laval)
Cap Hit: $700,000
Acquired: Drafted 2nd Round 35th Overall by Montreal in 2018.
Comment: Ylonen is a speedy Finnish winger who profiles as a setup guy and who should get pile up a lot of assists. He had a good season in Laval last year, it was his first taste of professional hockey scoring 31 points in 41 games. He will likely start as the 2nd line winger and his versatility (being able to play both the left and right side) will make him a valuable part of the second line.
C/LW Ryan Poehling - 22 Years Old
2020/21 Stats: 76 GP 5 G 10 A -11 (Montreal)
Cap Hit: $990,000
Acquired: Drafted 1st Round 25th Overall by Montreal in 2017.
Comment: Poehling hasn’t lived up to the expectations as a goal scorer that were placed on him when he was selected in the 1st round by the Canadiens back in 2017. He is however morphing into a very good 3rd line center who can kill penalties and is responsible defensively. He has made some great strides in his ability to win faceoffs and will be looked at to win key draws in key situations.

Overall Comments:

The forward group is going to need a lot of work this off season as there are a number of holes that need to be filled. There are some younger prospects in Laval that will vie for jobs but I would rather let them have proper development time before russing them to the NHL. I expect to be a very busy GM this off season in both free agency and trades as we look to plug some of these openings.

Up Next: Canadiens Prospect Pool

[ryan008]

Meet the Future Canadiens

Prospects

Top 10 Prospects

LW Tim Stutzle - 19 Years Old – 6’0” 196 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 32 GP 17 G 28 A 45 PTS +15 (HC Orli Znojmo, EBEL)
Acquired: 1st Round 4th Overall in 2019/20 by Montreal .
Comment: Stutzle is a dynamic winger who skates well and has a hard accurate shot. The 4th overall pick in the 2020 draft projects as a power forward who will score a lot of goals at the NHL level. The 19 year old has committed to play in the NCAA this year and will play for New Hampshire. My scouts have him as a top line LW and after a year or two playing US College hockey he should be ready to at least make the jump to Laval, if not right to the National Hockey Leauge.

C Theo Rochette - 19 Years Old – 5’11” 180 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 1 GP 0 G 0 A 0 PTS (Quebec Remparts, QMJHL)
Acquired: 2nd Round Pick 34th Overall in 2020 by Montreal (Quebec, QMJHL).
Comment: Rochette had some bad luck last season. In the Remparts first game of the season he suffered a fractured larynx and missed the entire season. He scouts as a dynamic offensive play maker who can also finish when necessary. This year will be a big one as he is back to 100% healthy and were hoping from big things from him in a full season in the QMJHL.

C Cole Caufield - 20 Years Old – 5’8” 189 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 36 GP 21 G 21 A 42 PTS -6 (Wisconsin, NCAA Div 1)
Acquired: 1st Round Pick 15th Overall in 2019 by Montreal (Wisconsin, NCAA Div 1).
Comment: Caufield projects as a highly skilled elite sniper who should be an elite offensive force. He helped Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2020/21 World Junior Championships. We offered him an entry level contract this year and hope to have him make the jump from the NCAA to playing professionally in Laval where we can monitor his training and development more closely.

RW Dylan Guenther - 18 Years Old – 6’1” 207 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 59 GP 21 G 33 A 54 PTS +12 (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL)
Acquired: 1st Round Pick 1st Overall in 2021 by Montreal (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL).
Comment: Easily the best move made by former GM Marc Bergevin was dealing fan favorite F Brendan Gallagher, F Joel Armia and a 2020 2nd round pick to the Los Angeles Kings for their 1st round pick in 2021. The Kings ended up at the bottom of the standings and won the draft lottery giving the Habs the #1 overall pick in this past draft. Guenther is a pure shooter with a laser of a shot. He was a pivotal member of the Oil Kings Western Hockey League Championship winning team in 2021.

LD Luke Hughes - 17 Years Old – 6’0” 188 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 57 GP 9 G 25 A 34 PTS 0 +/- (US NDPT U18)
Acquired: 1st Round Pick 3rd Overall in 2021 by Montreal (US NDPT U18).
Comment: Hughes was Montreal’s own 1st round pick in the last NHL entry draft and was the top rated defenseman available in the draft. A mobile, rushing offensive style defenseman he profiles a lot like current Canadiens defenseman Victor Mette. He skates well and moves the puck well, he should fit in as a top pairing defenseman and a staple on the power play. Hughes will play for the University of Michigan in the NCAA this year.

LW/RW Daniil Gutik - 19 Years Old – 6’4” 179 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 42 GP 15 G 20 A 35 PTS 0 +/- (Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Acquired: 4th Round Pick 97th Overall in 2020 by Montreal (Loko Yaroslavl, MHL).
Comment: Gutilk is built to be a power forward at the NHL level. He is big and strong and loves hitting. He isn’t the best skater at the moment but is improving. He has decent offensive skills as well. I would project him as a good 3rd line defensive forward who can move up in the lineup should the need arise. He just signed a 3 year extension in the KHL so it will be a while before you see him over in North America.

C/RW Theodor Niederbach - 19 Years Old – 6’0” 172 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 34 GP 13 G 19 A 32 PTS +2 (Frolunda HC J20, SJ20)
Acquired: 3rd Round Pick 93rd Overall in 2020 by Montreal (Frolunda HC J20, SJ20).
Comment: Niederbach helped Sweden to a silver medal at the 2021 World Junior Championships, the 19 year old is a good skater who profiles as a playmaker. He also isn’t afraid to get in front of the net and will go to the tough areas. My scouts see him as a good 3rd line center and should be a good option on the penalty kill. This will likely be his last year playing in Sweden and we will look to bring him over to North American to play in Laval for next year.

C/LW Jan Mysak - 19 Years Old – 6’0” 185 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 62 GP 41 G 64 A 105 PTS +32 (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL)
Acquired: 2nd Round Pick 47th Overall in 2020 by Montreal (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL).
Comment: My personal favorite prospect. He has been an offensive force in the OHL. He is a pure sniper and oozes offensive potential. Defensively he has some work to do, but his skating and offensive talents far out weigh his defensive issues. He will spend one more year in the Ontario Hockey League and then we will look to sign him to his entry level contract so he can continue to develop in the AHL with Laval.

RW Zion Nybeck - 19 Years Old – 5’11” 204 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 33 GP 10 G 5 A 15 PTS +10 (HV71, SHL)
Acquired: 2nd Round Pick 43rd Overall in 2020 by Los Angeles (HV71, SHL). Traded to Montreal in 2020.
Comment: Nybek was picked up in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings and spend the 2020/21 season playing in the top league in Sweden and was an impressive +10. My scouts believe he has the future potential of a Paul Byron type, a bottom 6 forward who is responsible defensively and can kill penalties. He is an accomplished player on the International stage winning multiple medals with Sweden at the U18 and World Junior Championships. My scouts will be watching him closely as he returns for a full season in Sweden’s top league this year. We will likely look to move him over to North American next season with him starting in Laval.

RW/C/LW Roni Hirvonen - 19 Years Old – 5’11” 183 LBS
2020/21 Stats: 47 GP 2 G 10 A 12 PTS -12 (Assat Pori, SML)
Acquired: 5th Round Pick 127th Overall in 2020 by Montreal (Assat Pori, SML).
Comment: Hirvonen, plays all 3 forward positions very well. He has a below average shot and is a pass first playmaker. Not likely gifted enough offensively to play in the top 6 he is probably better suited for a 3rd/4th line role. He is another well decorated International player for Finland winning a gold medal at the World Juniors in 2020 and taking home a pair of silvers. His rights will expire after this season so we will have another year of him playing in Finland’s top league against much older competition to see if we want to bring him over to North America.

Up Next: Free Agency Preview

[ryan008]

2021 Free Agents & Off Season Plan

Free Agents

There is one big and unexpected name in the free agent pool this season and that is the "Great 8" Alex Ovechkin who could not come to an agreement with the Washington Capitals and now at 35 and coming off a 52 goal season finds himself as the top free agent available. This years free agent class isn't particularly deep but there are some good players available and for a team like Montreal that has a lot of holes to fill there are some attractive targets.

2021 Free Agents by Ryan Stewart, on Flickr

Canadiens Off Season Wish List

Heading into his first off season at the helm of the Canadians GM Ryan Stewart gas an ambitious plan to fill the numerous holes, particularly among the forward group in Montreal.

1. 2nd Line LW.
WIth a top line of Drouin - Kotkaniemi-Suzuki the second line as it sits right now of LW - Max Domi - Jesse Ylonen has a gaping hole on the left side. If we can't address that spot this off season Artturi Lehkonen will likely be tagged with filling that spot. I like him on the 3rd line more so this is priority #1 to fill that spot.

2. 3rd Line RW.

I have Lehkonen - Danault - ? as the current 3rd line. I'm looking for a versatile winger who skates well and is responsible defensively. I have Paul Byron penciled in for a spot on the 4th line and he could move up if I'm not able to fill that hole.

3. 4th Line/Depth.

I have a number of kids that are making the jump from junior hockey this year and have just signed their first pro-contracts. Most notably C Jacob Oloffsson, LW Cole Fonstad and Joni Ikonen who I would much rather have getting full time min in Laval rather than rushing them to Montreal and having them languish on the 3rd/4th lines.

4. Overhaul the Scouting Department

This is going to be a very busy offseason in the Canadiens scouting department. I plan on adding at a minimum 50 scouts to the current staff of 15. We are going to utilize our financial flexibility that is not cap related to become the largest and most robust scouting deparment in the NHL. The goal is to have eyes on every corner of the globe and were going to hire people with expertise in the particular areas that they will be assigned to.

Up Next: Off-Season Recap

[CWD2000]

I just finished the 2024/2025 season and just finished a 3peat for the Habs.