The Montreal Canadiens have hit a wall. After a strong start to the season, injuries have piled up, momentum has stalled, and the team has struggled to keep pace in a competitive Eastern Conference. With Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine and Kaiden Guhle all sidelined, the Habs are suddenly thin, especially up front. The team’s depth is being tested, and as losses pile up, certain players will have to raise their level if Montreal hopes to stabilize its season.
Samuel Montembeault
It’s impossible to talk about players who need to step up without starting in net. Samuel Montembeault’s season so far has not matched the standard he set last season. He enters this stretch with a 4-5-1 record, a 3.56 goals-against average, and a .858 save percentage, numbers that simply aren’t enough to keep this team afloat, especially when the offence is inconsistent and the defence is missing a key piece like Guhle.
To be clear, Montembeault is not solely responsible for the Canadiens’ struggles. Team defence has been shaky, the turnovers have been costly, and the overall structure has slipped during this slump. But when a team is depleted by injuries and confidence dips, a goaltender can make the biggest difference.
Montembeault has shown in the past that he can raise his game during tough stretches. Last season, he delivered key performances that kept Montreal competitive when they had no business being in games. Right now, the team needs that version of Monty again. A timely save, a calm presence, or a big night in a game where the Habs are outshot could help stop the bleeding.
Juraj Slafkovsky
With so many injuries up front, the Canadiens need offensive contributors to step up, and the spotlight naturally shifts to Juraj Slafkovsky. The 2022 first-overall pick has shown flashes of dominance, but through 19 games this season, he has only six goals and three assists, production that simply isn’t enough for someone drafted to become a franchise cornerstone. Slaf’s inconsistency has been a recurring storyline, and although he’s still just 21, the expectations remain high.
The game against the Columbus Blue Jackets highlighted both the frustration and the potential. Slafkovsky started the night on a line with Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen. What the Canadiens need from him now isn’t necessarily a point-per-game pace, but consistency in puck battles, driving the play, and using his size and skill to impose himself more frequently. With so many veterans missing, Slafkovsky has more opportunity than ever to seize a larger role. If he can elevate his game to the level expected from a first overall pick, it could go a long way toward boosting the Habs’ secondary scoring, which is badly needed.
This stretch is also an important test for Slafkovsky’s development curve. Some players break out when trusted during moments of adversity. The Canadiens are hoping this is one of those moments for Slafkovsky.
Zachary Bolduc
Few players have cooled down as sharply as Zachary Bolduc. After starting the season red-hot with three goals and an assist in his first three games, he’s produced only one goal and one assist since. That kind of drop-off is tough to absorb, especially with the Canadiens missing so many of their usual top-six forwards. The coaching staff clearly sees the potential for Bolduc to contribute, as shown by the decision to put him on a line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield to start the game against Columbus.
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Playing with two of the team’s offensive leaders is an opportunity Bolduc cannot afford to waste. Whether he stays with them or moves elsewhere in the lineup, Montreal needs him to rekindle the scoring touch he showed at the start of the season. Bolduc has the skating, the shot, and the offensive instincts to be a threat, but like Slafkovsky, consistency is what’s missing. If he can bring more pace, win more puck battles, and create more chances off the rush, his offensive numbers should follow.
The Canadiens don’t need Bolduc to carry the offence; they just need him to contribute reliably. Even a small bump in production could help stabilize the scoring lines until key forwards return from injury.
The Canadiens’ early-season adversity has highlighted the fragility of their roster depth, but it also presents opportunity. With stars injured and the team struggling to find stability, this is the moment for players like Montembeault, Slafkovsky, and Bolduc to step forward. If they can elevate their play, Montreal may be able to weather the storm. If not, the next stretch of games could become even more difficult.
