The Montreal Canadiens spent the entirety of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the sidelines, a cruel twist of fate just two years removed from a memorable run that crashed and burned in the Final. Through their disappointments and shortcomings, the team landed not one but two top-five picks in the NHL Entry Draft. After taking Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in 2022, they’ll hit the podium at pick number five this year.
The team that won it all, the Vegas Golden Knights, also faced tough times ahead of their historic Stanley Cup win in their sixth year in the league. They saw their hopes dashed in the Final of their inaugural season and missed the playoffs one year after suffering an elimination against the Canadiens in the Western Conference Final.
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As the city of Las Vegas celebrates its triumphant victory over the Florida Panthers, the Canadiens could stand to learn a thing or two. There are plenty of valuable lessons from this year’s Stanley Cup winners, here are three that the team should hold close to heart as they head into the 2023-24 season.
Canadiens Need Consistency Across Four Lines
Lesson number one is about emphasizing how important rolling four lines are. During the regular season, it’s perfectly normal for teams to rely on their top stars to carry the brunt of the offense. Throw that directly into the waste bin come playoff time, as that narrative completely changes at the drop of the puck in game one. The open ice that players grow accustomed to in the regular season suddenly closes up, the checks hit harder than they used to, and penalties occur less frequently.
The Golden Knights consistently iced a complete, four-line system that gave their team an optimal chance to win each night. Some nights, Jonathan Marchessault lit the limp on a few occasions, while Vegas squeaked out wins on other nights thanks to the collective efforts of players like Chandler Stephenson and William Carrier. Every game, different faces stepped up and provided quality efforts that pushed Vegas over the hump.
The Canadiens are building a similar system with the emergence of star players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, while role players in Michael Pezzetta and Jake Evans help push the needle in the right direction. There is still some work ahead of them, along with some luck riding on future game-changers like Slafkovsky and whoever they select with their fifth overall pick. If all goes according to plan, the Canadiens could be closer to this result than one may expect.
Kent Hughes Has Opportunity To Wheel And Deal
Looking at the roster the Golden Knights iced six years ago to today, it’s not hard to realize how much their landscape has changed and evolved in a short time. The team that took turns taking laps with the Stanley Cup raised over their heads, just six of them were a part of the day one roster six years ago. Marchessault, Carrier, Reilly Smith, William Karlsson, Shea Theodore, and Brayden McNabb, the original six are referred to as “The Golden Misfits,” and five of them took to the ice for the opening faceoff of Game 5.
The team’s changes weren’t met without raised eyebrows, as general manager Kelly McCrimmon’s cutthroat style faced criticism for being harsh and cruel at times. Allegiance was a thing of the past, the Golden Knights needed players that could win, and if someone could fetch a ransom that improved them even further towards their end goal, they’d be gone before you could blink twice.
Habs fans saw a similar approach in year one of the Hughes and Jeff Gorton experience. They quickly ripped the bandaid off by trading defenseman Alexander Romanov to the New York Islanders one year after a season that elevated him to fan-favorite status. They flipped that return in a package to acquire forward Kirby Dach, strengthening the team up front at the cost of a subtraction on the backend. Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling became trade fodder to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a younger and cheaper option on defense in Mike Matheson.
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Although their moves have been tame compared to the Golden Knights’ quickfire approach, there is potential this offseason for big moves. Pierre-Luc Dubois is a name constantly on the minds of Habs fans, and just how much will it take to acquire his services? If the Winnipeg Jets receive a wealthy return, the Canadiens may see more familiar faces gone before the start of next season.
It’s Time To Bolster Canadiens’ Goaltending Depth
Adin Hill may have become the Golden Knights’ hero between the pipes, but he wasn’t the name relied upon at the start of the playoffs. That honor goes to Laurent Brossoit, who suffered an injury in the second round against the Edmonton Oilers. The confidence in the team never wavered, as the goaltender they acquired from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round selection was more than ready to shoulder the burden.
In total, Vegas iced five goaltenders during the 2022-23 season, including Logan Thompson (37 games), Jonathan Quick (10 games), and Jiri Patera (two games). Reminiscent of their first season in the league, when they shared the crease with five goaltenders, the Golden Knights once again utilized their depth at the goaltending position while bringing in more assets via small-risk trade management.
This appears to be an area of concern for the Canadiens as they focus on the draft. Samuel Montembeault and Jake Allen are under contract, while Cayden Primeau and Jakub Dobes remain under contract for two more seasons. The 31st pick, originally belonging to the Panthers, could become intriguing to use on a goaltender. Perhaps a signing in the offseason will bring in a veteran to help Primeau’s development in the American Hockey League (AHL). Then again, there is a thought that Allen’s time could be drawing to a close, signaling a trade out of Montreal to allow Primeau to earn a backup role with the big club.
Montreal is in an exciting part of its build toward a brighter future, and the Golden Knights’ style could be worth looking into and studying what they did right. They’ll have some decisions to make as far as their restricted free agents go, as well as clearing up some cap space, but comparing where they’re at this moment to two seasons ago, most are starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
