Canadiens preview- are they on a good path?

[yave1964]

FINAL RECORD 31-45-6 68 points, dead last in division. minus 75 goal differential.

 

ADDITIONS Alex Newhook was the big add from the Avalanche for a first and a fourth. Casey DeSmith was added in the Karlsson to Pens deal but he is reportedly on the block. Gustav Lindstrom came from Detroit for Petry and will compete for the 7D spot.

 

SUBTRACTIONS Mike Hoffman went to San Jose, Drouin left for Colorado. Edmundson, Gurianov and Pitlick are also going to play elsewhere. Paul Byron hung up his skates.

 

ROOKIES Slafkovsky has pressure to perform better next season. Logan Mailloux is hoping for a crack at the blueline. Sean Farrell may fight for a bottom forward spot but the odds are stacked against him.

 

SO LAST IN THE DIVISION, 15TH IN THE CONFERENCE, ARE THEY GOING THE RIGHT WAY? IMHO no, not really. The goaltending of Allen and Montembault is just bad, i know Montembault was okay last year but he is a career minor leaguer, nothing more. 

  The defense is not bad but conversely it is not good. they have no weak link in their top eight or nine potential defenseman but truth is they have no strengths there either. All are just forgettable bodies, at best anyone of the blueliners are a 4D playing above their head.     

  The top line of Suzuki, Dach and Caulfield is quite capable, after that the forwards are a weak and pathetic bunch. I believe they way overpaid for Newhook and he will be doomed to fail as they want 18-20 minutes a night out of him. Other than that the vast majority of their forwards are vanilla at best.

 

  This is a team of lower end average players IF they develop. Getting rid of Hoffman and his contract while adding pics to help facilitate the Karlsson deal was a solid move.Baby steps were taken this offseason, i guess moving them up a notch but that is about it      . They will probably finish last in the division for two years at the least.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

[Math]

Boy... Sometimes I wish I don't live in Montréal's market territory and have to suffer their endless rants about how good they are, how fantastic this franchise is and how perfect they are acting. Especially in September when they all think Montréal will win the Stanley Cup for sure.

 

I understand their position when the players talk in front of the media. Of course every team will tell that the objective is the playoffs, or at least fight as long as possible to be in the playoffs discussion. But this team is far away from claiming a play-off spot. They have made baby steps. However, the goaltending is not good, the defense is meh and they don't have any depth.

 

I'd say they are a bit better than last year, but their problem is that Detroit and Ottawa improved significantly in the same time and even though Boston will decline, the Bruins are still much better. I'm seeing them fight with Buffalo for the last division spot.