The Canadiens Are The Sleeper in the Eastern Conference

The 2024 offseason has all but wrapped up and fans are starting to look forward to the 2024-25 NHL season. All the big moves were made and rosters, with the expectation of a rare late signing, are set.

Plenty of rebuilding teams are looking to leap to contention and the one to keep an eye on is one of the most historic. The Montreal Canadiens have missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons yet they will take the league by surprise next season. Here’s why.

The Core is Locked & Loaded

The young players on the Canadiens are starting to enter the prime of their careers. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Kirby Dach are dynamic young forwards who will carry the top six. Then there’s the superstar in the making.

Juraj Slafkovsky was the number one overall pick in the 2022 draft. He scored 20 goals and 30 assists in his first full season in the NHL. The Canadiens are betting on him to be great for the long run as they signed him to an eight-year extension this offseason. So far, that bet looks poised to age well as he’s becoming one of the elite forwards in the NHL.

The four forwards make it easy for the Canadiens to build a contender around. More importantly, these skaters are the ones who will lead this team to contention. They can carry the Canadiens when needed and they will.

The star power is enough to lead this team. It also helps that the rest of the Canadiens roster is coming into form as well, starting with the defensive unit.

Canadiens Defense is Young & Strong

The Canadiens have enough talent on their defense that they moved Jonathan Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils in a trade this offseason and they were unfazed by it. This unit is deep and has plenty of youth to carry it as well.

Arber Xhekaj and Jordan Harris are 24 years old and leaders of the unit. Kaiden Guhle is an emerging star and at 21, ready to add a burst and youthful presence to the lineup. Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux are the top prospects and they are ready to join the NHL roster this season.

The forward unit has all the stars yet the defense might be what fuels the Canadiens this season. They struggled in previous seasons but the younger skaters have the reps under their belt to succeed. Now, they are ready to take the league by storm.

The Atlantic Division Isn’t So Dominant Anymore

Last season proved that there’s a slow race, almost like watching crabs trying to move forward, for the wild card spots. There are some superteams in the Atlantic Division, notably, the reigning Cup champion Florida Panthers, the Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs but after that, it’s up for grabs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been great for a while and they are a playoff team until proven otherwise. However, the Canadiens have a better roster from the top down, and heading into this season, they are the more complete team.

Then there’s the trio of rebuilding teams. The Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators have put together promising young rosters but they all have noticeable flaws. It’s not out of the realm for the Canadiens to pass all three teams.

The Obstacles in the Canadiens Way

Goaltending remains a question mark and has been since Carey Price left the team. Price was one of the best goaltenders in the NHL and since his departure, the Canadiens have scrambled to find a replacement. As of now, they have Samuel Mountembeault and Cayden Primeau splitting starts but it’s questionable if that will be enough.

The depth also remains an issue. They have great skaters in their top six just starting to hit their stride but the third and fourth lines down provide a lot of offense. In an 82-game season, that will weigh on them

The Canadiens are far from a perfect team and aren’t on the shortlist of Stanley Cup contenders. That said, they are a team that can easily go from a bottom feeder to the top of the standings.