Now that most of the big (relatively speaking) names are off the free agency board, Bleacher Report has released its latest NHL Power Rankings, and some may be surprised to find the Montreal Canadiens in third place. The only teams ahead of the Habs are the Stanley Cup Champions Carolina Hurricanes and perennial contenders Colorado Avalanche.
While the article acknowledges that it might not have looked like Montreal has been very busy this offseason, it goes on to praise the two impact signings Kent Hughes has made: the contract extensions of Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes. It adds that the two players are vital to their core and that signing extensions early to keep offer sheets at bay is huge. There’s little doubt that Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek would agree.
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The fact that the Sainte-Flanelle failed to sign a free agent in what was a largely underwhelming crop of players shouldn’t be seen as a failure on the part of the Canadiens, even if Hughes has failed to make an impact signing on the free market since his arrival at the helm.
Even if it’s not a very exciting approach, betting on organic growth has served the Habs well since the start of the Hughes, Jeff Gorton and Martin St-Louis era in Montreal. One of the best examples of that, without a doubt, is the progress in Nick Suzuki’s game. Not only has the pivot established himself as a real first-line center, putting an end to years of debate amongst pundits, but he’s improved across the board. In the last five years, his point production has gone from 61 to 66 to 77 to 89 to 101, and he’s also gained respect across all markets as a top defensive forward, as evidenced by his Frank J. Selke win.
His linemates have also experienced similar growth; Cole Caufield’s production has improved from 43 points to 64 (projected over 82 games since he put up 36 points in 46 games because of a shoulder injury), then to 65, 70, and 88. This past year, he even scored 51 goals, becoming the first Hab to reach the 50-goal mark since Stephane Richer. Caufield’s growth isn’t just about the numbers, though; it’s about the fact that he’s become a much more threatening player from everywhere in the offensive zone. The league cannot just worry about taking away the one-timer from the flank option; the sniper has other plays in his playbook.
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As for Juraj Slafkovsky, he has gone from 51 points to 73 points, but he’s also started playing a much grittier game. He has accepted that he can best serve his team by bringing speed and physicality to the top line and retrieving the puck in deep and feeding it to his linemates. Even better, he’s wised up to the fact that once that’s done, his work isn’t over; he’s learned to then get to the busy areas and pick up the “garbage goals” on the doorstep, scoring 30 goals in a season for the first time in his career.
Lane Hutson has gone from a fantastic 66-point rookie season to an even more impressive 78-point sophomore year. The blueliner has doubled his goal production, going from six to 12 thanks to increased confidence in his own shot. He tested goaltenders over 30 more times this past season, and his shooting percentage has gone from 6.7% to 9.7%. With the work he has put in ahead of practices, working on his shot for ages with Adam Nicholas and Ivan Demidov, it’s hardly surprising.
Speaking of the young Russian, his first season in the NHL was a resounding success, and he did so while playing alongside two players who aren’t top-six players on a Cup-contending team. If Montreal can get some reinforcement on its second line ahead of the season, Demidov’s production could explode. Even if they don’t, having a year of NHL hockey under his belt will only make him more effective, and that should result in increased production as well.
Given how young the Canadiens are and the upward trajectory of their best players, it’s hardly surprising that the Habs brass feels content to bet on their continued progression. Besides, while the salary cap is forecast to rise in the foreseeable future, that growth won’t last forever, and sooner or later, teams throwing big contracts to free agents will run out of cap space. The Canadiens will be right there with both cap space and money to spend, since Hughes has managed to sign his core to team-friendly deals and has even found a way not to pay Kirby Dach $4 million, even if that was the qualifying offer he was due.
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By then, the Habs are also hoping that their winning record and culture will have made Montreal a destination of choice for free agents. Make no mistake, the Canadiens are not inactive; they’re just playing the long game, and the rest of the league knows it, even if it’s not always evident to fans.
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