After a poor 2017-18 season that saw them finish 28th in the NHL, expectations were low for the Montreal Canadiens, but they turned in an impressive campaign in which they made a serious playoff push until the very end. Ultimately, they fell just short, taking 4th place in the Atlantic and two points shy of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the last wildcard spot.

Additions: Keith Kinkaid, Ben Chiarot, Nick Cousins, Nick Suzuki, Cale Fleury

Subtractions: Antti Niemi, Andrew Shaw, Jordie Benn

Forwards:

The Canadiens swung for the fences in the offseason with an offer sheet to Sebastian Aho and a serious pursuit of Matt Duchene, but neither were successful. They will return largely the same forward group, while prospects like Ryan Poehling and Nick Suzuki will look to crack the lineup.

Defense:

Just like the forwards, the defense corp is mostly unchanged, save from the departure of Jordie Benn and the addition of Ben Chiarot. The left side of the defense is still a weakness for Montreal, but having Shea Weber in the lineup from opening night will be a big boost for the club after the captain missed the first two months of last season.

Goalies:

As long as he’s healthy, Carey Price should continue his usual elite play in net for the Canadiens. Last year’s backup, Antti Niemi, was arguably the worst goaltender in the NHL and it’s easy to think that better performance from him could’ve made the difference in their playoff hopes. Marc Bergevin hopes that Keith Kinkaid can provide a more reliable presence behind Price, but Kinkaid hasn’t played a game since he was traded to Columbus at the deadline.

The Point Prediction:

After striking out in free agency, the Canadiens will look for internal growth and some prospects graduating to continue their upward trajectory. We believe Montreal has enough talent to claim the top wildcard spot in a tough Atlantic division and return to the playoffs after a 2-year absence.

 

(Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)