NHL 2020/2021 Season Preview - Montreal Canadiens

Habs are tougher and meaner this time around, but not yet ready to challenge

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North Division

Odds: Point totals 67.5, to make playoffs -210, to win division +460, Stanley Cup +2600

Simulation results: 7th in the North with 52 points

The first surprise in the simulations results is the Canadiens to sink to the bottom of the North with Ottawa. The oddsmakers are evaluating the Habs as a surefire playoff team and have Winnipeg and Vancouver lower placed. We don’t see it that way at all and Montreal do not look any better than they have in the past couple of seasons – different maybe.

Last Season

Not much was expected of Montreal before the season and they did not deliver much. They made it to the playoffs due to the expansion of the teams to 12 and managed to beat the listless Penguins, which might be the reason of the inflated expectations to this season. The young players took a step up, but only Nick Suzuki actually broke through and it was veteran Tomas Tatar who led the team in scoring. All in all it was a mediocre season at best from the Habs and they should perform very similarly.

Changes to 2021 and the divisional matchups

No major changes, but added some grit with Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson and Joel Edmundson, which was needed. The team did well in the extraordinary playoffs last season, so they are expected to do well in extraordinary environment this season as well. But the team is not in any way remarkably better and the top Canadian teams look much more competitive.

Roster and lineups

The veteran leaders Carey Price and Shea Weber are getting older but still elite. Good balance in the defense defensively and it’s likely that Montreal is a tough team to score against once again. But they are lacking some puck moving skills and offensive talent in the defense.

Small and fast has been Canadiens trademark in the offense, but now they brought in a couple of big boys as well. Brendan Gallagher and Philip Danault would fit in any offense in the NHL, but are not exactly star caliber players. Thomas Tatar took his game next level last season and scored almost a point per game – and then disappeared in the playoffs. The Canadiens offense looks like its filled with great middle six players, but once again the gamebreakers are missing. Youngsters Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi should take a leap forward this season.

Season predictions

In the simulations the Canadiens have hard time in the North division. There will probably be a lot of heated battles and renewed rivalries, and despite a bunch of gritty players, Montreal is not exactly a big bad, toothless playoff team. But they are out to prove us and many others wrong.

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