With the calendar switching over to 2024, the NHL All-Star break is fast approaching, and then the trade deadline. As the 2023-24 season has rolled along, the Montreal Canadiens have provided entertainment and excitement to the fans with a team that is just a few points out of a playoff position.
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However, they are also only a few points away from the bottom five in the league, proving that parity is a reality in the NHL. There will be questions about lineup changes, trades, and more. Here is a look at a few of the most pressing questions going into 2024.
Question 1: Who Will Be Selected to the All-Star Game?
The first, and perhaps the most fun question that fans all await an answer, who will represent Montreal at the NHL All-Star Game being held in Toronto this January. There is really only one option for that role: Nick Suzuki.
Some would argue for Mike Matheson, who sits second in team scoring (behind only Suzuki) with six goals and 27 points in 36 games, placing him 11th overall in scoring for defensemen as of Jan. 2. This puts him on pace for a career-high in goals and points, scoring at a 60-plus point pace while averaging over 25 minutes per game as the team’s clear number one defender. P.K. Subban was the last Canadiens defenseman to reach this plateau.
The NHL All-Star Weekend will see some changes to the format on the ice as the league will return to a draft format, which could make for some entertaining outcomes. But this is a look at the Canadiens representation. Beginning with the first and most likely option, Suzuki. He is in a leadership role as the team captain, which takes a lot of effort in Montreal. He hasn’t missed a game since entering the NHL, at least not one that wasn’t due to a league shutdown.
Suzuki has 11 goals and 32 points in 36 games, giving the team lead in both categories. He has led the team in points for the three seasons in a row. If the league or the fans select Suzuki as the All-Star, it would mark the third straight season he plays in the All-Star Game. As this event will be hosted in his hometown, it would add some sentimental significance as well.
Question 2: When Will Xhekaj Return to the NHL?
There were some upset fans when the Canadiens announced that Arber Xhekaj was assigned to the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He is a fan favorite due to his physical style, which has also earned him the respect of his teammates and NHL peers due to his intimidating presence. Xhekaj was sent to the AHL after returning from an upper-body injury. During the 22-year-old defenseman’s absence, Jayden Struble has been able to step in and provide steady defensive play, allowing management time to focus on developing some aspects of Xhekaj’s play.
“They aren’t concerned with my offensive game, what they want is for me to develop my defensive game. They want to see me become a solid defenseman.”
–Arber Xhekaj
While he does have some offence to his game with a blistering shot and a good first pass, he hasn’t really been that bad defensively, either. As his advanced possession stats show, he has been a leader on the Canadiens roster in expected goals for per 60 minutes played. Refining and developing his game can only help him and Montreal moving forward. In the meantime, Laval has been winning since his arrival. Currently paired with Logan Mailloux in Laval, “the Bash Brothers” have taken on top four minutes and played in all situations. He has been able to do what he was sent to Laval to do, and that is to improve his game.
So, when will he get recalled? As long as the Canadiens defensemen remain healthy and playing well, which they have, as Montreal’s defense is second in the league in goals by defensemen, Xhekaj will remain in Laval. Additionally, the Rocket are now back in the playoff hunt after a dismal start to the season that saw them in the AHL’s cellar. All that said, the chances of an injury, trade or a need for Struble to return to Laval should be something that will happen soon, likely by the end of the NHL’s All-Star break.
Question 3: Who Will Be the First to Get Traded?
While Montreal has been far more competitive this season, they are still in a rebuild and will be trading away NHL assets for picks, prospects, or young roster players. With several veteran forwards, an embarrassment of riches on defense and three goaltenders on the roster, it is not easy to predict the first trade to get made by general manager (GM) Kent Hughes before the 2024 NHL Trade deadline (TDL).
For some, the answer may be Sean Monahan. For Hughes, Monahan is his best chance at acquiring a first-round pick or a prospect of equal value. He is also a stabilizing force in a weak forward group. That is why patience will be key, and a deal will happen closer to the TDL after other moves are made. It may be a defenseman, as Hughes has several good, young defenders that can replace a veteran or be trade bait themselves.
However, it is going to be a goaltender that will be the first to go. Whether Samuel Montembeault is ready to be the full-time starter or not, the three-goalie system in Montreal can’t continue much longer, especially with several NHL teams now in search of veteran help in net, making Jake Allen the ideal trade candidate. The value of a goaltender on the open market has never been very high, but Hughes won’t move until he gets the value he demands in return. With so many teams in need of a goalie, the pressure on those teams to make a move will force their hand, likely before the All-Star break.
Coming into the 2023-24 season, there were many questions already being asked, and now, heading into 2024, there are even more. The team has several options on defense, which is a good problem to have, making the Metro Train well-used between downtown Montreal and Laval. There is more good news as decisions for an All-Star representative are tougher to make as there is more than just one worthy player. Finally, while we don’t have the answer to who gets traded first or to any of the other questions yet, we are in store for a wild ride in the second half of this season.