• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens’ Experience at Center a Concern

By Blain Potvin January 6th, 2021

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

The 2020 Playoffs gave the Montreal Canadiens’ young centers an opportunity to develop in the pressure cooker that only elimination hockey can provide. Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and even Jake Evans all demonstrated that they are ready to take on a larger role.

Nick Suzuki Montreal Canadiens
Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Habs general manager Marc Bergevin added some veterans during the offseason, and the good news is that they were added for depth and are not expected to play a role in the top-six. However, relying on youth is unfamiliar in Montreal, and while hope reigns, there is the nagging doubt about their centers’ lack of experience, who are all 22 years old or younger. 

Pressure Is On

Watching the Canadiens’ centers during the playoffs, even in a small sample size of 10 games, excited the fanbase but also forced management to change their plans by accelerating the retool to take advantage of their stars, Carey Price and Shea Weber, while they are still effective. This was confirmed by Bergevin in his press conference on Jan. 3.

“I think they (the players) sent me a message, so (I) did what (I) had to do,”

Marc Bergevin

Their development and forcing Bergevin’s hand is good news. However, spending to the cap and adding players via free agency comes with the expectation to perform.

“We have high expectations internally. We won’t hide that. We have to perform,”

Marc Bergevin
Marc Bergevin Canadiens
Marc Bergevin, Montreal Canadiens, 2018 NHL Draft, Dallas, TX, June 22, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

It will be difficult for the Canadiens’ young centers to meet those lofty expectations. Despite their skills, the four centers expected to start in 2020-21 have a combined eight NHL seasons of experience between them, and five of those seasons belong to the team’s greybeard, 27-year-old Phillip Danault, which makes it vital that each center is surrounded by veterans.

Individual Breakdown

Here’s a look at each of the centers expected to play in, or compete for, a position on the Canadiens’ roster this season .

Phillip Danault

In 2019-20, Danault, the team’s elder statesman, centered the top line with Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher, which was one of the top possession lines in the NHL. Danault also finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting as the league’s top defensive forward.

Danault will be relied on again in 2020-21 to match up against the opposition’s top lines as he has done for the last two seasons. He also has the advantage of leading the in faceoffs with a 54.5% success rate. This is key for a team that relies on possession to create chances and offence based on shot volume without a pure sniper in the lineup.  

Phillip Danault Montreal Canadiens
Phillip Danault, Montreal Canadiens (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

He will be relied upon to take on the difficult minutes every night. On a team that will be rolling all four lines, it’s his ability to matchup versus top forwards that will be his role.

Danault’s defensive skills also make him well-suited for the penalty kill (PK). He will likely be looked at to play 18 minutes a night or more, but this should make it easier for the young centers to grow into their own roles and responsibilities. In a contract year, a successful season will increase his value to the organization or on the open market if he decides not to re-sign.

Nick Suzuki

The 21-year-old progressed quickly in his rookie season with the Canadiens. He began 2019-20 on the fourth line playing right-wing, however, by the end of the playoffs, had become the de-facto top-line center playing against the opposition’s top lines led by Evgeni Malkin and Sean Couturier.

Suzuki cannot afford a sophomore slump if the Canadiens want to meet expectations in 2020-21. He will need to be responsible defensively, especially playing for head coach Claude Julien, while being matched up against the opposition’s top centers. He will also be expected to provide offence and will need to continue to produce at the same rate as he did in the playoffs when he tied for the team lead with seven points in 10 games. Suzuki will also need to improve his faceoff skills; a 46.3% success rate is not acceptable for a top-six center.

Nick Suzuki, Nick Cousins, Ryan Poehling, Paul Byron,
Montreal Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki celebrates with teammates Nick Cousins, Ryan Poehling and Paul Byron (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes)

He will be given every opportunity to improve, including on the power play (PP), a role he earned last season. If Suzuki can drive a line with Jonathan Drouin and Josh Anderson to positive possession stats and if he can generate offence consistently, without being a defensive liability, then he should be able to meet expectations. If not, another young center will hopefully step into his role successfully.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Kotkaniemi had the prototypical sophomore slump, or maybe he was jinxed. He entered the 2018-19 offseason with a knee injury that slowed his training. He then showed up at training camp and suffered a groin injury. Early in the 2019-20 season, he suffered a concussion after a hit from Colorado Avalanche defenceman Nikita Zadorov. Not long after his recovery, he was sent to the Laval Rocket of the AHL, where he was a point-per game-player until he suffered a spleen injury that ended his season, or so we thought.

The NHL hiatus due to the pandemic was beneficial to Kotkaniemi as it gave him time to recover and refocus his training. By the time training camp had opened in July, he was physically and mentally prepared to prove the season had been a fluke. By the end of the playoffs, he led the team in goals with four, as well as in hits and his improved skating and his physicality earned him second-line duties.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Thomas Greiss
Former New York Islander goaltender Thomas Greiss makes a save on Montreal Canadiens center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Mary Altaffer)

Like Suzuki, Kotkaniemi needs to drastically improve on his 42.8% faceoff success rate. He will also need to continue to play at the pace he set in the playoffs. The pressure will also be on him to build on his more physical role, additionally, he will be looking to continue his improvement on his defensive game.

Jake Evans/Ryan Poehling

Jake Evans and Ryan Poehling will battle for the fourth-line center position. Neither has a season of NHL experience as a center to fall back on however, Evans has two seasons in Laval under head coach Joel Bouchard which should have prepared him to compete for an NHL job. Poehling, on the other hand, completed his rookie pro season shuttling between Montreal and Laval.

Montreal Canadiens Ryan Poehling
Montreal Canadiens’ Ryan Poehling (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes)

The question is whether Poehling, the team’s 2017 first-round selection is better suited for the fourth-line or will he be better served playing a larger role in Laval? That is assuming he bests Evans for the job. 

Evans is a bottom-six center who is ready for the NHL. He also has an advantage with a 51.3% faceoff success rate in 13 NHL games last season which was significantly better than Poehling’s 20% in his 12 NHL faceoff attempts. 

Jake Evans Montreal Canadiens
Jake Evans, Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

Both will need veteran help to be effective. With the additions of Micheal Frolik and Corey Perry, there is no shortage of experienced players to help the younger generation. That being said, it won’t be a surprise if Bergevin adds another veteran center to give Julien options down the stretch; a player he can rely on for 10 minutes a game, who can win faceoffs and play on the PK as well.

A lot is riding on this shortened season. The Canadiens and their fans are expecting a playoff appearance, if not a long playoff run; a first-round loss will not be welcome. Their lack of experience down the middle may cause the team to stumble at times. However, the talent of these young centers is exactly what fans have been waiting for and what will fuel the long-term hopes of a fanbase that has asked for center depth for decades.


Sign up for our regular 'Habs Newsletter' for all the latest.

  • Tags
  • Jake Evans
  • Jesperi Kotkaniemi
  • Nick Suzuki
  • Phillip Danault
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 21st 1:27 PM
Column

Today in Hockey History: Jan. 21

Jan 21st 1:00 PM
Column

Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Matthews, Andersen, Thornton & Dud Game

Jan 21st 12:22 PM
Archives

Ottawa Senators Jersey History

Jan 21st 12:10 PM
Boston Bruins

Rumors: Maple Leafs, Flyers, Capitals, Bruins, Senators More

Jan 21st 11:55 AM
Washington Capitals

Capitals COVID Controversy Could Be Symptom of Bigger Issue

Jan 21st 11:53 AM
Archives

Why the Vezina Trophy Deserves Its Name

Jan 21st 11:35 AM
Calgary Flames

Tkachuk Brothers Vie to Be Biggest Pest in the North Division

Jan 21st 10:15 AM
Anaheim Ducks

3 Takeaways From the Ducks Series Against the Wild

Jan 21st 10:05 AM
Column

Prospects News & Rumors: Safonov, Coronato & Sebrango

Jan 21st 9:55 AM
San Jose Sharks

5 Sharks’ Takeaways From Blues Series: Faceoffs, Penalty Kills & More

Editor’s Picks
NHL TV Blackouts & Why They Happen?

NHL TV Blackouts & Why They Happen?

The 1979 NHL – WHA Merger

The 1979 NHL – WHA Merger

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information