The Montreal Canadiens have lots of talent throughout their roster, made up of younger players either trying to break into the NHL or trying to stick around. This will create a ton of competition in training camp to get the best out of every player, which can only be seen as a good thing.
Despite players having already been moved, there may or may not be more trades to come to clear more space. Whether that happens or not, there are still many players who will get a long look during the preseason as they vie for a roster spot. The Canadiens have to prepare themselves for players who weren’t on their radar to make the team out of training camp to surprise and impress, while others will fall short of expectations. For a team that is still trying to find its identity and build a successful group, the Habs will benefit from these types of preseason battles.
Three preseason battles will be discussed, and what decisions the Canadiens could come to when choosing the extras at each position for the roster. On most nights, the team will dress 12 forwards, six defencemen, and two goalies, but teams can hold up to 23 men on their roster. How many extras do the Canadiens hold at each position, and who will earn those spots?
Canadiens’ Forward Battles
The Canadiens will have at least one extra forward on the roster, and more likely two. Three is a bit of a stretch since there are lots of young defencemen vying for a spot on the team, and having an extra at forward and on defence is logical in case of last-minute injuries or illness.
The team has at least nine NHL regulars at forward this season, including captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Josh Anderson, Kirby Dach, Sean Monahan, Alex Newhook, Brendan Gallagher, Christian Dvorak, and Jake Evans. Then there are those who are likely to make the team, like Juraj Slafkovsky, Joel Armia, and Rafael Harvey-Pinard. That’s 12 spots, but if there will be 1-2 open spots up for grabs, who will take them?
Five players have the best chance to earn a spot, and they all played at least one NHL game last season. Michael Pezzetta is the most obvious and easy player to keep in the press box and slot in when toughness is needed. His role is a fourth-liner at best, and he won’t shock anyone offensively. He averaged under 10 minutes per game last season, but due to injuries, he played 63 games. Don’t expect him to repeat that, but he does have a good chance to make the team, although he would be an easy player to call up and send down this season.
Jesse Ylonen, like Harvey-Pinard, took advantage of his opportunity last season. He earned some time on the top line thanks to injuries and produced offensively at a decent rate. It’s not likely he gets any top-six time, but he could steal a bottom-six spot and make the team out of camp. I’m betting on him to make the big club, as he’s eligible for waivers now, and it would be a shame for the Canadiens to lose him.
Lias Andersson, 24, isn’t being picked up on waivers anymore, as he’s been given a lot of chances on different teams and hasn’t impressed. The former high first-round pick hasn’t shown enough yet, but there is still some time, and he will be given a fair shot in Montreal. But time is running out for him to be an everyday NHLer. The room on the Canadiens’ roster provides him with a strong opportunity, something he wouldn’t likely get nearly anywhere else. He has the potential to outplay other prospects vying for a spot, but we will see if he does.
Sean Farrell and Owen Beck only played one game for the Canadiens last season. While Farrell can seamlessly go back to the American Hockey League (AHL) if he gets sent down in training camp, Beck has to head back to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In that case, if he impresses, he might stick around for a few games to see what he can prove in regular-season games.
I expect the Habs to carry two extra forwards on the roster, and my picks are Ylonen and Beck, but Pezzetta will find his way up within the first couple of weeks.
Which Canadiens Defender Wins the Preseason Battle?
The look of the Canadiens’ defence will be determined by Jeff Petry and whether he is moved before the season. For argument’s sake, we will assume he is moved, which opens up a top-four spot. Players who are securely on the roster are Michael Matheson, David Savard, and Kaiden Guhle, followed by Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj, and Justin Barron. While Guhle, Harris, Xhekaj, and Barron are young, waiver exempt and had strong showings last season, Harris led them in games played with 65. Injuries didn’t help properly judge all of these defenders, but I expect more from each of them. These options nearly encompass the entire Canadiens’ NHL defence core they could be starting the season with.
With such a young group, keeping seven on the roster makes sense so that an older player with more experience can work with them in practice and get in some games if someone struggles. There’s a very slight chance David Reinbacher will come to the NHL, so Johnathan Kovacevic and Chris Wideman will be the ones battling for the seventh spot.
Kovacevic has the upper hand. Wideman only played 46 games last season and mainly served as a body on the ice. Kovacevic got into 77 games and averaged 17:25 per game. While Wideman would be lucky to earn a spot on the team due to his age and talent level, I could see Kovacevic challenging for a spot in the lineup every night, and not just a spot on the team. He’s a bit older than the young core on defence, and I don’t think he’ll be around forever in the Montreal system. Despite that, he’s a useful member of the team for now.
Goaltending Battle is Tricky
The Canadiens have four goaltenders who could realistically make the team out of training camp, which means there’s a slight chance that they will start the season with three goalies on the roster. That, of course, makes things difficult because that would reduce the number of extra forwards and defencemen they can keep on the roster. If there is a position that will be cut short and not hold any extras on the NHL roster, it will be goaltending, as barely any teams hold three goaltenders.
While the Canadiens aren’t expected to make the playoffs with a young team in transition and average goaltending, they might hold onto three goalies for the first little while. Sam Montembeault has a spot on the team. After that, there is the aging and overpaid Jake Allen, the newly acquired Casey DeSmith, and rookie Cayden Primeau.
Many believe DeSmith will be traded before the season, me included, but his career numbers as a backup have been impressive. He could fetch something of value and make a decision a bit easier for management. DeSmith may have also been acquired for some insurance since Primeau, the Canadiens’ up-and-coming goalie, must clear waivers if he doesn’t make the team and could easily be picked up. If that happens, the Canadiens would still have three goalies and a player who can be sent up and down without any likeliness of being picked up off of waivers due to age and contract.
Related: 3 Potential Trade Destinations for Canadiens’ Casey DeSmith
I won’t be shocked if Allen starts the season in the AHL, but his veteran presence is a positive to have in the NHL. I think the Canadiens will take a long look at their goaltending during the preseason and make their decision on the last possible day, so there’s a good chance that Primeau clears waivers if he’s sent down, and the Canadiens will have a better understanding of what they’re entering the season with.
Montreal will hold 23 players on their roster to begin the season, and I think it will be with 14 forwards, seven defencemen, and two goaltenders. It will be very entertaining to watch in training camp to see who takes those spots.
