The 2024 preseason has been eventful, to say the least. Star players are dropping like flies and prospects are making waves and threatening to force their way into the league. For the Montreal Canadiens, both of those are true. For the fans, there is also the added entertainment of watching as the Atlantic Division is beginning to shape itself up to be the most competitive, but to add to the entertainment value, also becoming one where each team is building multiple rivalries.
Related: Is the Canadiens’ Goal of Playoff Contention Realistic?
The Canadiens entered training camp with a lineup that seemed to be pretty much set. However, injuries and performances of some of the youth have shuffled the deck.
Canadiens’ Roster Opening Up
The roster had an opening this summer as Rafael Harvey-Pinard went down with a fractured leg. This opened the door for a depth position on the roster, but now, there is a gaping hole near the top as the Canadiens announced that forward Patrik Laine would miss 2-3 months because of an injury to his left knee, but he doesn’t require surgery. He had a collision with a career minor league player, and it led to Laine’s leg bending in an unnatural way.
The expectation from the fan base on social media was to see him out anywhere from six months to the entire season. This news that he will only be out for three months, and the better news that he will not require surgery, leads the fans to breathe a massive sigh of relief. Now, because he isn’t going to be out all season, that will impact the approach that general manager (GM) Kent Hughes will take in finding a replacement on the roster.
Instead of claiming someone off waivers or rushing to make a trade, Hughes will look internally. A trade now would be made from a position of weakness, as rival GMs know this is a replacement for the lost offence from Laine. To prevent overpaying for a proven NHL player, his injury opens a spot on the wing on the second line. There is no question that the top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky will remain a unit for the start of the season. So, the question now is, who steps up? Depending on the answer, there could be a domino effect as a player moves up the lineup.
The Replacement Canadiens
The “next man up” mentality with the Canadiens is on full display, again, as Montreal starts the season with significant injuries to key players. It’s not just deja vu, it’s history repeating itself. For the last three years, the Canadiens have been at or near the top of the list when it comes to man-games lost. While this is becoming tiresome for the fans, it opens the door to the youth. It is also tiresome for NHL owners as well as they have been discussing the possibility of playing fewer preseason games, minimizing the opportunity for injury to their stars.
With the need to fill a top-six role being temporary, the pressure is off the players to try and do too much. They can focus on playing their game and playing to their strengths.
“For us, it’s an opportunity to see what is coming. We’re going to try things out. We aren’t looking for all the answers on Day One, but are looking for some answers”
No, Ivan Demidov is not an answer, or part of any solution here. It is only a need for a few months, not an entire season. But even if it were a long-term issue, paying heavy fees for his release is short-sighted. Demidov is better served to complete the season in Russia and focus on his own development while working on adding more strength in preparation for North American hockey. There is no need to throw the team’s top prospect to the wolves.
The first player who could benefit is Joel Armia. He was in and out of the top six all last season after his call-up from the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Laval Rocket. He is coming off of a season in which he set a career-high in goals (17). He is also in the final season of a four-year deal that pays him $3.5 million per year. He is motivated to perform and provide a consistent solid performance as he is playing for a new contract. Doing that right up until the new year would not only help the team on the ice, it will help them off of it as well as his trade value increases.
Joshua Roy is a returning player but is still classified as a rookie as he only played 23 games last season where he scored four goals and nine points. His AHL stats were better with 13 goals and 32 points in 41 games. It isn’t hard to state that he will never be the sniper the team has wanted, but that doesn’t mean he won’t provide them with excellent play. The two-way winger has shown over and over again his versatility in being able to tailor his game to fit those of his linemates. It was showcased in the 2023 World Junior Championship with Connor Bedard and on occasion last season as he moved up and down the lineup. This preseason, he has played a complete game. He has the chance to emerge as a viable top-six forward and prove to be a key depth player whose grit and energy can help the team win games, even without being on the scoresheet nightly.
The hope now is that the team, using the assets on hand, can piece enough wins together to stay “in the mix” for the playoffs when Laine returns. Strong performances from Armia and the youth mentioned will help the team stay in arms reach of that last spot, and could make for some very interesting decisions upon the return of the 26-year-old sniper.
