The Jeff Petry saga may be over, but another is just beginning for the Montreal Canadiens in the form of the 2023-24 season. Had Petry stayed to start the season, it probably would have comprised a top storyline for Habs fans to follow, like the many other twists and turns that await them. However, the focus now shifts to other potential plot points.
Related: To Boo Montreal Canadiens Defenseman Jeff Petry or Not
One thing fans should wrap their minds around as quickly as possible is the playoffs probably aren’t in the cards. The Canadiens are still in rebuilding mode, but they’re definitely expected to improve in the standings, which has ramifications starting with No. 5 on this list of the top Canadiens storylines heading into the 2023-24 season:
5. Trade Deadline Watch
Petry clearly wasn’t the first domino to fall, to which his initial reacquisition will attest. He also won’t be the last, as general manager Kent Hughes tries to further shape his roster and lose contracts signed by his predecessor. For example, the trade to acquire Petry was more so a way of him getting rid of Mike Hoffman’s contract to open up space up front for the team’s younger players. Trading Petry again? Ditto, but on defense.
It will be a recurring theme for the next few seasons at least, as bad contracts to Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and others remain. There are also the players Hughes can flip in the shorter term, like the recently re-signed Sean Monahan. However, if the Canadiens ultimately do improve in the standings to the hypothetical point they find themselves in playoff contention at the deadline, will they be able to pull the trigger?
It really shouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that the Canadiens at least find themselves in that position, where they’re not sure how to approach the deadline. After all, they were in the mix in last season’s early stages, before the injury bug hit. And, if they’re not sure how to approach the deadline, no one else can be sure either.
4. Canadiens Health Check
It’s admittedly odd to have to talk about the Canadiens’ chances of staying healthy this season, especially as a major storyline. However, after two seasons of horrible, record-setting bad luck on the injury front, it’s an undeniable area of intrigue.
The Canadiens’ health is also something on which the team’s above-mentioned approach to the trade deadline hinges, along with its arguable hopes of competing for a playoff spot. Remember, Monahan had been seen as season-long trade bait, until his injury suffered in December ultimately got in the way. On that note, in a roundabout way, the team’s overall health will also have a hand in how the next few storylines pan out, at least indirectly.
3. Development of Dach at Center
With Monahan on the shelf, Kirby Dach shifted to center, the position he had been acquired to play. Monahan’s initial acquisition last offseason (after Dach’s) ended up giving the Canadiens a chance to insulate Dach and play him on the wing on the top line instead, that is until Monahan got injured.
Monahan’s injury was a blessing in disguise in that regard, his inability to transform into another first-round pick as a result notwithstanding. Dach blossomed at center, showing levels of promise at the position he hadn’t in his few years with the Chicago Blackhawks after having gotten drafted.
So, the decision to re-sign Monahan? It’s curious, in that it potentially puts a roadblock in Dach’s continued development at center in the form of Monahan himself, especially seeing as Dach played so well on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. He’s arguably the only legitimate option to complement those two this coming season.
The one thing Dach has going for him is how Monahan is signed for a single season. The latter clearly doesn’t have a long-term future with the Canadiens. However, the newly acquired Alex Newhook gives them another young option down the middle, muddying the waters of how they see Dach moving forward. He’ll obviously stay one, but whether it’s at wing or at center, no one really knows at this point.
2. Development of Slafkovsky… Period
One year into his NHL career, Juraj Slafkovsky remains a focal point of fan attention. Justifiably so in the sense he was the team’s first, first-overall pick in decades. However, with David Reinbacher having since been drafted by the Habs, under similarly controversial circumstances no less, you’d think there would be enough attention to go around.
In Reinbacher’s case, there’s a degree of resignation he’ll play in Switzerland in 2023-24. Plus, he was taken fifth overall (instead of first). So, there’s definitely less pressure on the Canadiens to fast track his NHL debut. In Slafkovsky’s case, that can of worms has already been opened to less-than-impressive results.
The Canadiens kept him up the entirety of his rookie season, during which he scored four goals and 10 points in 39 games, before getting sidelined with an injury in January. It was an inauspicious start to his career, which the Habs arguably didn’t help, playing him as little as they did (a 30th-ranked 12:13 per game).
So, all eyes will be on Slafkovsky or rather what the Canadiens do with him. He could move up the lineup. He could in theory move all the way down to the American Hockey League. Whatever they do, everyone seems to be on board with the notion there can’t be a repeat of last season.
1. Montembeault’s Play in Net
In contrast, the Canadiens and their fans would probably welcome goalie Sam Montembeault playing much like he did last season. True, his stats line doesn’t read all that impressively at 16-19-3 with a 3.42 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. However, it doesn’t really do justice to how well he played, whereas analytics like goals saved above expected, which places him among the league leaders, do.
Realistically, Montembeault’s usurped the No. 1 job from Jake Allen. However, there are no guarantees he does. Furthermore, if he does, there are no guarantees his play next season keep him atop the pecking order. On top of all that, if he does stay the No. 1, it won’t necessarily be a reflection of his play, but the lack of quality competition in net in the organization. Allen himself is hardly a long-term solution. The Canadiens need to determine how much of one Montembeault is… and quickly as he’s a pending unrestricted free agent.
As a result, Montembeault will face a shocking level of scrutiny he hasn’t yet, as expectations have been fairly low up to now. For example, before getting claimed off waivers by the Canadiens a few seasons ago, he was a third-string goalie. Even when he was thrust to the top of the depth chart due to the aforementioned injury crisis in 2021-22, his play, which was admittedly impacted by a wrist injury, didn’t warrant much of a second glance.
It was only in 2022-23 when he started turning heads with regularity. This coming 2023-24 season will go a long way towards determining a) whether last season was a fluke, b) if he has higher to go, c) if he’s worth re-signing and d) for how long and how much. It’s a lot and probably worth a piece all on its own. One way or another, this won’t be the last you’ll be hearing about Montembeault in 2023-24 on these pages… or just about everywhere else in Montreal.