Post by Montreal Canadiens on Jul 5, 2022 11:14:12 GMT -6
MONTREAL SEASON REVIEW
Montreal’s inaugural season in the PFHL was really three seasons within a season. The team started out by winning only 3 games out of their first 21 games. GM Todd Snider knew he needed to change the composition of this team if he wanted this team to succeed.
His first trade was to move D-Seth Jones to the NYI in exchange for All-Star Devon Toews. All Toews managed to do was lead all defenseman in goals (26), finish 5th in points for defenceman, block 142 shots along the way and be a key penalty killer and yet still wasn’t awarded a Norris nomination.
He also sent out popular F- Blake Wheeler on January 16, 2022, for a haul of 1st round picks and young prospects that he would need to make future trades.
That leads us to our second season with-in a season. Montreal began gaining more and more confidence and started to gel and on February 23 Montreal made another important trade. GM Snider would send pair of young D men in Jokiharju, Jones, young center Ryan Suzuki and a 2nd round pick and acquire Mark Scheifele. Scheifele would take over the number 1 center position allowing Nick Suzuki to become a second line center and take the burden off the young centerman. Suzuki would go on to score 33 goals in the season and at one point was a minus 27 improving that to finish with a minus 5 overall. Scheifele would finish the season with 94 points just missing the 50-goal mark with 48.
The trade that seem to spark the team happened a couple weeks later. The Canadiens were able to pry goalie Carey Price away from Arizona. They sent two 1st (acquired in Wheeler trade), along with under achieving Nolan Patrick, a prospect and goalie David Riitch back to Arizona. It was a gamble as Price was set to become a free agent. Price signed a one-year extension after talking with GM Snider and they will discuss future years this coming year. This brings us two our third season with-in a season. On March 24 Montreal won its first back-to-back games. Price went on and amazing 16-4-2, .917 Sv % and 2.57 GAA for the rest of the season and the team managed to go 20-10-3 in last 33 games being one of the best teams over that stretch.
This team looks poised to take the next step and be competitive all season next year. They have 10 forwards, 6 defenceman and Price locked in for roughly 65 million next year. They have a few holes to fill with plenty of cap space.
Montreal shored up its defence at seasons end acquiring veterans Kris Letang and Tyler Myers to go along with Toews, Ryan Graves, Marcus Pettersson and resigned Josh Manson. They might go out and get a 7th defenceman or veterans Chris Wideman or Jake Kulevich could be options there.
Price is locked in as #1 goalie, rumors have it Martin Jones could be traded or bought out to allow Dan Vladar to backup Price and get some experience.
Up front Canadiens will look for another top 6 winger in the off-season. Scheifele and Suzuki are listed as 1 -2 centers. Matthew Tkachuk, rookie of the year candidate Cole Caufield and surprising 21 goal scorer (in only 67 games) Evgeny Svechnikov will man 3 of the 4 winger positions. Can prospect Lucas Raymond make the jump to top 6 this year or will GM Snider look to fill the hole via free agency or trade? The bottom 6 is where Montreal will look to shore up the most. Presently, the Canadiens have Luke Kunin who can play wing or center as an anchor on the third line. They will look to resign RFA Wade Allison (the only RFA and UFA they will resign in both Pro and Farm) , and have young Max Jones, Michael Pezzetta and veteran Steve Chaisson is signed as well. The latter 3 could be on the move in hopes of improving the bottom 6.
The upcoming draft has the Canadiens with 6 picks in the first 77 draft slots. Number 7 overall, #32, #34, #37 #67 and #77. Will GM Snider find a trading partner and move those picks to get his top line winger? Will he be able to package a couple high picks to move up even higher in the draft or will he simply use the picks to stock the prospect pool of the Canadians?
One last question before we go. Who will coach the Canadiens next year? Dominque Ducharme was signed to a one-year deal. Will Montreal resign him or is there a fresh face waiting to take over the team and lead them to the next step?
Things are looking BRIGHT in Montreal!!!!
Montreal’s inaugural season in the PFHL was really three seasons within a season. The team started out by winning only 3 games out of their first 21 games. GM Todd Snider knew he needed to change the composition of this team if he wanted this team to succeed.
His first trade was to move D-Seth Jones to the NYI in exchange for All-Star Devon Toews. All Toews managed to do was lead all defenseman in goals (26), finish 5th in points for defenceman, block 142 shots along the way and be a key penalty killer and yet still wasn’t awarded a Norris nomination.
He also sent out popular F- Blake Wheeler on January 16, 2022, for a haul of 1st round picks and young prospects that he would need to make future trades.
That leads us to our second season with-in a season. Montreal began gaining more and more confidence and started to gel and on February 23 Montreal made another important trade. GM Snider would send pair of young D men in Jokiharju, Jones, young center Ryan Suzuki and a 2nd round pick and acquire Mark Scheifele. Scheifele would take over the number 1 center position allowing Nick Suzuki to become a second line center and take the burden off the young centerman. Suzuki would go on to score 33 goals in the season and at one point was a minus 27 improving that to finish with a minus 5 overall. Scheifele would finish the season with 94 points just missing the 50-goal mark with 48.
The trade that seem to spark the team happened a couple weeks later. The Canadiens were able to pry goalie Carey Price away from Arizona. They sent two 1st (acquired in Wheeler trade), along with under achieving Nolan Patrick, a prospect and goalie David Riitch back to Arizona. It was a gamble as Price was set to become a free agent. Price signed a one-year extension after talking with GM Snider and they will discuss future years this coming year. This brings us two our third season with-in a season. On March 24 Montreal won its first back-to-back games. Price went on and amazing 16-4-2, .917 Sv % and 2.57 GAA for the rest of the season and the team managed to go 20-10-3 in last 33 games being one of the best teams over that stretch.
This team looks poised to take the next step and be competitive all season next year. They have 10 forwards, 6 defenceman and Price locked in for roughly 65 million next year. They have a few holes to fill with plenty of cap space.
Montreal shored up its defence at seasons end acquiring veterans Kris Letang and Tyler Myers to go along with Toews, Ryan Graves, Marcus Pettersson and resigned Josh Manson. They might go out and get a 7th defenceman or veterans Chris Wideman or Jake Kulevich could be options there.
Price is locked in as #1 goalie, rumors have it Martin Jones could be traded or bought out to allow Dan Vladar to backup Price and get some experience.
Up front Canadiens will look for another top 6 winger in the off-season. Scheifele and Suzuki are listed as 1 -2 centers. Matthew Tkachuk, rookie of the year candidate Cole Caufield and surprising 21 goal scorer (in only 67 games) Evgeny Svechnikov will man 3 of the 4 winger positions. Can prospect Lucas Raymond make the jump to top 6 this year or will GM Snider look to fill the hole via free agency or trade? The bottom 6 is where Montreal will look to shore up the most. Presently, the Canadiens have Luke Kunin who can play wing or center as an anchor on the third line. They will look to resign RFA Wade Allison (the only RFA and UFA they will resign in both Pro and Farm) , and have young Max Jones, Michael Pezzetta and veteran Steve Chaisson is signed as well. The latter 3 could be on the move in hopes of improving the bottom 6.
The upcoming draft has the Canadiens with 6 picks in the first 77 draft slots. Number 7 overall, #32, #34, #37 #67 and #77. Will GM Snider find a trading partner and move those picks to get his top line winger? Will he be able to package a couple high picks to move up even higher in the draft or will he simply use the picks to stock the prospect pool of the Canadians?
One last question before we go. Who will coach the Canadiens next year? Dominque Ducharme was signed to a one-year deal. Will Montreal resign him or is there a fresh face waiting to take over the team and lead them to the next step?
Things are looking BRIGHT in Montreal!!!!
