While it’s only early July, Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has already said he would be comfortable starting the season with the team he has put together. The acquisition of Noah Dobson and Zack Bolduc could be game changers for the Habs, who will be expected to take another step forward this season. The objective shouldn’t be to be in the mix anymore; it should be to qualify for the playoffs. If the roster remains unchanged, here are the lines and pairings I would like to see.
Simply put, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’d like to see the top line remain intact, at least initially. Slafkovsky said it himself; he needs to start playing in October this season, not in January. Therefore, putting him in winning conditions makes sense, but he’ll need to produce. If he doesn’t, Ivan Demidov will be waiting in the wings. Martin St-Louis has told the 21-year-old Slovakian what he needs to do: he needs to move his feet and finish his checks in the opponent’s zone to retrieve the puck and create opportunities for his linemates. As for Suzuki and Caufield, they need to keep going, business as usual for them.
I know Kirby Dach has not been compelling in that role so far, but in a contract year for him and with talented players on both of his wings, there are no more excuses. For the first time since he joined the Canadiens, he will have the benefit of skating with real top-six players on both sides. He will, however, be on a short leash; getting another audition doesn’t mean his spot is confirmed for the year, and the same goes for Laine. Speaking of the Finnish sniper, I know his five-on-five play hasn’t been great, but I would allow him to turn over a new page. Like Dach, if he doesn’t do his job, you can always demote him later, but ideally, you want him in the top six. Not only because he has the talent to be there, but also because his presence on the other lines would denature them. As for Demidov, his mission is to adapt to the North American game and build on the momentum he gained last season.
The newly acquired Bolduc can play a physical game, and he has played center before, so to me, this would be an interesting experiment. The Anderson-Christian Dvorak-Gallagher line last year was one of the best forecheck units in the previous season, and he could fit right in. Of course, he has also proven that he has a scoring touch, so if he gets used to the Habs’ system and outgrows the third line, he’ll be promoted to the second one; internal competition is a good thing. As for Anderson and Gallagher, they had great chemistry last year, and they should be allowed to keep building on it. If the alternate captain slows down, you can always demote him to the fourth line, but I think it’s worth seeing if he can keep his form from last season. Meanwhile, Anderson needs to continue acting like a human wrecking ball and create opportunities in that manner.
The newcomer has been clear: he intends to get a spot in the NHL again, and I’ve no doubt he’ll show up to camp eager to go. I expect his intensity will be much appreciated by Coach Martin St-Louis, who will want to give him at least an audition in that spot. As for Evans, he has demonstrated an ability to adapt to different linemates in the past, and I expect this trend to continue. I don’t expect him to produce as much as he did last year, but I do expect him to be as reliable as he has been. I know, Newhook isn’t a fourth-line player, but I think his presence in the top six could upset the balance and role of the lines. I’d still put him on the second power-play unit; however, his speed is useful for zone entries, and he does have some offensive flair, even if the ability to finish isn’t always there.
The new blueliner was the top defenseman for the New York Islanders, and considering the contract he was signed to, Hughes expects him to keep playing that role, and he won’t complain. A real puck-moving defenseman, his acquisition will ease the pressure on Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson, as he’ll be playing big minutes. Meanwhile, the team needs Guhle to stay healthy and continue being a reliable and safe defenseman who can deliver bone-crushing hits when the opportunity arises.
The sophomore will be expected to have another productive season and will be getting plenty of power-play time as well. With Carrier by his side, he’ll have a good defensive partner who can back him up when needed. Although as the season evolved last year, he made fewer mistakes and picked his spots better, that progression will no doubt continue. Carrier’s arrival the previous season was season-altering, and he was one of the feel-good stories of the year.
It’s not ideal for Matheson, but Hughes was glad that he could now have a puck-moving defenseman on each of his pairings, and given Dobson’s and Hutson’s talent, this is where he may land. Will he be willing to accept the role? Time will tell, but if he does want to stay with this team going forward, he might have to make do with that kind of ice time. That way, he’s less likely to make the turnovers that drove several fans crazy last season. As for Xhekaj, I believe the previous playoffs have demonstrated the importance of size and strength in the postseason, and St. Louis needs to work with him to help him refine the mistakes in his game. He needs to improve at picking his spots for big hits; there’s a way to do that without taking himself out of the play. At 24 years old, it’s time to mature and leave the growing pains behind.
Of course, if a rookie turns up at camp and turns heads, this could change. However, I feel that Owen Beck, Oliver Kapanen, and Florian Xhekaj could still use seasoning in the AHL. I’d be happy to be proven wrong, however. Jayden Struble would be my seventh defenseman, and as for the spare forward, I’d rather it not be one of the guys mentioned above who need ice time to develop, so I’d be tempted to keep someone like Lucas Condotta up in the NHL.
