Will the changes that the Montreal Canadiens made in the offseason be enough to help them return to the playoffs in 2016-17?
The Montreal Canadiens’ 2015-16 season is arguably the worst in franchise history. Their 50 percent point percentage in 2015-16 is their 18th worst as a franchise. However, this goes beyond statistics. The Canadiens began their season by winning their first nine games and 14 of their first 20.
Their decline coincided with the injury of 2014-15 Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price. As an elite goalie, Price hid a lot of Montreal’s flaws. Price made a quick return, but later re-injured his groin, causing him to miss the rest of the season.
The Canadiens fell apart without Price. It was an epic failure and one that was met with swift changes. But were those changes positive or negative? The front office better hope that they wind up being positive or even more changes could be coming.
Offseason Review
Here’s a quick review of what the Canadiens have done this offseason.
Additions: D Shea Weber (Predators), F Alex Radulov (KHL), F Andrew Shaw (Blackhawks), G Al Montoya (Panthers), D Zach Redmond (Avalanche),
Departures: C Lars Eller (Capitals), D Tom Gilbert (Kings), D P.K. Subban (Predators)
Retained: F Daniel Carr, F Philip Danault
Each of the Canadiens’ offseason changes have a common thread, as Montreal addressed concerns from last season. Wanting to add more leadership to their locker room, the Canadiens traded two draft picks at the 2016 NHL Draft for Andrew Shaw. Shaw is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and Montreal will be keeping him around for the next six seasons. They traded Lars Eller to the Capitals to replenish their two second round picks that they gave up for Shaw.
Someone had to be the scapegoat for last season’s debacle. That person? P.K. Subban. Montreal swapped star defensemen with the Nashville Predators by sending Subban to the Predators in exchange for Shea Weber.
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Montreal is taking a gamble by relying on Alex Radulov, but it is a gamble that could pay off big time. Radulov is one of the best forwards in the world, but he does have legitimate character concerns. He is an elite goal scorer who should provide Montreal’s offense with more scoring.
Part of the problem last season was that the Montreal Canadiens didn’t have a backup plan for Price. Adding Al Montoya should change that. Montoya also allows Montreal to rest Price as much as they need to. The Canadiens will replace Gilbert in their lineup with Redmond, who put up solid possession numbers on a terrible possession team.
Player Spotlight: Carey Price
The Montreal Canadiens’ downward spiral began once their goaltender Carey Price got injured. That is not a coincidence. For better or for worse, the Canadiens’ best player is their starting goaltender. Price has the ability to keep the Canadiens in contention despite being a team with flaws.
Despite being outshot by 128 shots in 2014-15, the Canadiens finished the regular season as the Atlantic Division champions. That was all due to Price, who saved 93.3 percent of the shots he faced. For what it’s worth, the Canadiens outshot their opponents last season, so perhaps that trend continues.
The Canadiens need Price more than ever. Weber is aging and is no longer an elite shot suppressor. Moreover, the Canadiens don’t have a Roman Josi to pair Weber with. Weber needs to be with a defenseman who can move the puck. Very few Canadiens fit that description. Without Subban, Montreal could struggle mightily to move the puck effectively out of the defensive zone. It’ll be up to Price to cover up those flaws with his outstanding play.
Price is coming off a significant groin injury. The Canadiens will proceed cautiously with Price, likely giving more rest than in previous years. If anyone tries to tell you that the reason the Habs are better this season is due to Shea Weber, they are mistaken. Weber is still quite good, but he’s no Carey Price.
2016-17 Outlook
No one is relying more on Price than Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien. Price’s injury might be the lone reason Therrien wasn’t fired last season. The Montreal Canadiens will be a team of extremes in 2016-17 with not much middle ground. Of course, it all depends on Price.
If Price is healthy, Therrien will look brilliant and Weber might finally win a Norris Trophy. The Canadiens will return to the playoffs, though they likely aren’t beating the Washington Capitals or Pittsburgh Penguins. Montreal will look like geniuses for trading for Weber, who should thrive in their power play.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, imagine if Price isn’t his old self or he suffers another injury. If last season was a nightmare for Montreal, the 2016-17 season would be Hades. It likely ends with Therrien fired as their head coach and Patrick Roy replacing Therrien (and potentially Bergevin too). And that would just be the beginning of the changes.
Regardless of which scenario plays out, the Montreal Canadiens will be an entertaining team to watch in 2016-17. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen.