October 7, 2024
The Montreal Canadiens played their last preseason game on Saturday night, and not a minute too soon. From losing off-season acquisition Patrik Laine to injury, to the coach refusing to play his top line in the final preparation match fearing the same outcome, the preseason was a bit of a shit show.
But the preseason schedule is mercifully over and now final roster decisions await. HuGo should make like Arber Xhekaj and not pull any punches.
In net…
This year there are no real goaltending decisions to make. The three-man rotation was resolved at last year’s deadline and Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau will share the net. Not since Carey Price was healthy and in his prime has the goaltending position looked so confirmed in Montreal.
Yes, I’ve heard the prediction from one local pundit that GM Kent Hughes will need to add a goalie over the course of the season, and I suppose anything is possible. Their interest in Yaroslav Askarov doesn’t mean they’re actively trying to upgrade. Rather, they saw an opportunity and they explored it… within limits.
Monty and Primeau had a good camp, as did Jakub Dobes, who can be called up in the event of an injury. Unless someone seriously falters, some combination of these three will likely get it done while the Canadiens await the arrival of Jacob Fowler. Fowler was the guy they refused to include in an Askarov deal, and that should tell us what they think of him.
The biggest development from this training camp – where the net is concerned, that is – was the discovery that Dobes might be better than we thought. Not exactly the Caramilk Secret.
On the blue line…
With all the talk of competition amongst the defense group, the preseason ended with little of consequence to debate.
Kaiden Guhle returned from an appendectomy and looked like himself. He will (unfortunately) line up on his off side alongside Michael Matheson. I’m managing any expectations of a breakout year for Guhle as long as he’s playing on the right.
If there was ever any thought given to the possibility that Lane Hutson would start the year in Laval, he killed that thought in camp. David Savard is likely very secure in Montreal as long as Hutson is learning the ropes.
Hughes didn’t clear space on D so they could waive Justin Barron, and he was solid enough in camp to get a real look in Montreal. Jayden Struble had an excellent camp and earned his stay with the Canadiens. Xhekaj will need to find a way to patrol the blue line without making the team vulnerable, but he’s secure for now. But let’s not forget that “show me” contract he signed this past summer.
Those are your seven guys.
Logan Mailloux didn’t look out of place, but he also didn’t do enough to convince anyone he’d be out of place in Laval. With David Reinbacher injured, the decision to demote Mailloux is a no brainer. Adam Engstrom looks like a future NHLer, but he will learn the North American ropes away from Montreal.
The decisions here are not complex for HuGo. I suppose they could keep Mailloux around to light a fire under Barron to prove himself, but that feels like creating a decision where there really isn’t one.
Up front..
The forward group has the biggest decisions for HuGo, in my view.
With Laine injured, there is an opening in the top six. The other five spots go to Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook. Martin St. Louis will be tempted to give a veteran an opportunity there, but he should resist. None of them have earned it, if we’re honest.
Oliver Kapanen and Emil Heineman both had strong camps. Neither of them would be hurt by more time in Laval, but only one of them can go there. HuGo would be wise to keep Kapanen for a couple of months to see if he can make the transition, and if the decision were mine he’d get a genuine look with Dach and Newhook.
With the glut of underperforming veterans, the bottom six is basically accounted for. Christian Dvorak and Jake Evans, both in the final year of their current contracts, will line up at centre. Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson have looked good beside Evans, and Joel Armia is likely secure beside Dvorak.
We could assume that Alex Barre-Boulet and Michael Pezzetta are the 13th and 14th forwards, leaving one position to be filled on Dvorak’s left wing. Has Joshua Roy done enough in this camp to be secure there? Heineman might be the easiest decision to demote, but did he not outperform Roy? Roy may get to stay around based on his performance last season, but that approach certainly didn’t help Rafael Harvey-Pinard last year.
A wild card to consider is the rumour that Hughes is looking at options via trade or waiver claim to add toughness to the bottom six. Barre-Boulet had a solid camp, but it feels like HuGo should have been considering the physicality dynamic when they signed him.
Who goes to make room for that physical addition, should it come to fruition? Are guys like Anderson and Pezzetta really going to stick around when their presence should mean the Habs have no need to add physicality?
With opening night approaching, it’s the forward group where the real questions reside. Last year this time, Hughes demoted Armia. Is another veteran at risk of the same fate? Are guys like Pezzetta and Barre-Boulet worth delaying the next step for a young player?
Important decisions await, and HuGo should pull no punches in making them.
Hab At Her 
Hi LoriThe preseas
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