Canadiens training camp review: Pressure is on to live up to high expectations

BROSSARD, Que. – With the signing of Arber Czekay at the 11th hour, the group is officially back together, ready to begin training camp, and seemingly ready to emerge from the rebuild and move forward toward Stanley Cup contention.

While the Montreal Canadiens may still have a few miles to go along the way, general manager Kent Hughes’ masterful manipulation of the salary cap, again demonstrated by signing Cekaj ​​for just $1.5 million and then buying four of Alex Newhook’s career-best years for just $22.2 million, allowed them to arrive on short notice. He has a core at a bargain price, and given the depth of the front, back and net, he still has some wiggle room and plenty of incentive to add.

So, buckle up because this ride is about to get a whole lot more exciting.

Of course, there are some teams willing to throw a spanner in the works, especially in the Atlantic Division, which will be a brutal test this season.

The Florida Panthers are back after a short hiatus of dominating the league, and they could be even better than ever during back-to-back championship seasons from 2023 to 2025. The Tampa Bay Lightning kept their window of contention open while the Buffalo Sabers opened theirs a crack. And the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins have what it takes to turn this division on its head.

Last year we all underestimated the Sabers’ ability to break the NHL’s longest playoff drought, and now, for obvious reasons, we’re doing the same to the Detroit Red Wings (here I’m looking at you, Dylan Larkin). But perhaps we shouldn’t forget that their senior squad have achieved victories in each of the last three seasons and knocked on the door in two of them.

I think the Canadiens are not overlooking them.

However, the Red Wings are obviously not the biggest threat to the Canadiens this season. Makes a mirror.

What if they look into it and realize the bar is set too high to be cleared?

Ultimately, the Canadiens finish the season with 106 points and compete in the Eastern Conference Finals. Their captain Nick Suzuki scored 101 points and won the Selke Trophy as the league’s top forward. His linemate, Cole Caufield, became the first player in the organization to score 50 goals since Stefan Richer did it in 1990. And the pressure on them and their teammates to continue this impressive act is so palpable that when owner Jeff Molson was asked at the annual golf tournament on Monday about his expectations for the season, he dodged the question as if he were dodging a hip test from Shekai.

“I don’t have to use the word ‘expectation,’” Molson began. “For me to use the word ‘expectation’ in relation to the team, I don’t think it’s the right word.

“We are proud of them, they did well last year and I have no doubt they will come back and try to do even better this year.”

When Canadiens president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton came out 10 minutes later and refused to define what a successful season for the team would look like before saying, “The guys want to be good, they know we have a good team, they know we’re moving in the right direction and we’re trying not to put any pressure on it,” it certainly spoke to his concerns about the simmering frenzy in the market.

The Canadiens undoubtedly deserved it. They’ve put one foot in front of the other for each of the last four seasons of this rebuild.

But this move is a huge leap, and we’ll find out in the coming months whether the Canadiens are truly ready to make it without stumbling.

Salary cap size: $2,783,924 (according to PuckPedia.com)
GM: Kent Hughes
Head coach: Martin St. Louis
Assistant coaches: Derek Lalonde, Stephane Robidas
Unsigned players: Nobody
Key additions: Chris Kreider
Key deductions: Patrik Laine, Brendan Gallagher, Joe Veleno

What will we learn in the preseason?

1. Where does Arber Csekay fit in?

Don’t be surprised if that happens when everyone is healthy, with the back five of Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Cayden Guhle and Alex Carrier leading the way in the pecking order, and Czekay and Jayden Struble being pushed by prime-time-ready players like Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher.

Of course, Goulet’s potential short-term absence could overshadow that possibility for now. But if the Canadiens intend to give Czekai some kind of starting spot at some point this season, testing it out in camp seems like a good idea.

Testing this out actually seems necessary, because being able to use Czekay and his brother Florian together as a nuclear deterrent for the Tkachuks as Florida closes in – or for the Lightning, Sens, Bruins and Leafs, who are all more muscular than they have been in the recent past – is something this team should be able to do.

2. How goalkeepers get loose

Hughes was unequivocal: he was happy with a starting camp with three goalies, but he had no intention of keeping three at the start of the season.

That’s good news for Jakub Dobes, who is in little danger of losing his starting job in a camp that will last less than two weeks and consist of just three preseason games (two of them with split rosters).

Less clear is what that means for Jacob Fowler, who remains eligible to return to the American Hockey League without having to clear waivers.

Not that he intended to do it.

Fowler is a big part of the Canadiens’ future, but he could also be a big part of their present if given the opportunity. And given his performance over the last year, we wouldn’t be surprised if he jumped up and grabbed it.

Although, again, the 21-year-old has limited runway for this in a short camp.

Will Samuel Montembeault have enough time to show that he’ll be more like the guy who finished in the top five in the NHL in goals saved above expected two years ago, rather than the guy who seemingly couldn’t stop most of the shots expected of him last year? Will another team see enough of him in a limited sample to trade him for the final year of his $3.15 million contract?

If not, could Montembeault be waived and left in the AHL in favor of Fowler?

Hughes’ answer to this question ensures that these questions will be answered soon.

3. Who was left without a chair?

Remember that overflow I mentioned? That one as a forward makes you wonder if all the starters on the main roster will finish it with the Canadiens.

Hey, depth encourages internal competition, and that’s all good.

But using him a little to free up more space for a general manager who is still looking for a premium up front is not only better, but apparently necessary.

If Hughes doesn’t take a step or two soon, he will definitely do so before he eventually adds. And he could end up deducting more than one player, especially with some young players currently vying for spots and other youngsters due to arrive later in the season (here’s looking at you, Michael Hage).

If no top-six forwards are added before the international break, Chris Kreider will start the season tied with Suzuki and Caufield.

Why? Because Juraj Slafkovski can play alongside Ivan Demidov and one of Oliver Kapanen or Alex Newhook and Kreider, playing with Troy Terry and Leo Carlson on the Anaheim Ducks last season, he proved that he still has the ability to succeed and the all-around game to succeed in that role.

It helps that coach Martin St. Louis already knows what he has with Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkowski. Whenever he wants to reunite them, he will be sure that it will happen.

But starting Kreider with Suzuki and Caufield, as well as Slafkovski with Demidov and others, could offer the Canadiens better offensive balance. Think also about the trickle down effect for the other two lines because they are full of talent, experience and versatility to enjoy weaker matchups.

Forwards
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Chris Kreider
Juraj Slafkovsky – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
Zachary Bolduck – Jake Evans – Alex Newhook
Alexandre Texier – Philip Danault – Josh Anderson
Kirby Duch, Florian Czekai

Defense
Lane Hutson – Noah Dobson
Mike Matheson – Alex Carrier
Jayden Struble – Arber Czekai

* Kayden Goulet (assuming he doesn’t start the season on time, this will be one of Adam Engstrom or David Reinbacher)

Goalkeepers
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler