Can the Montreal Canadiens take the next step and make the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2023-24?

Frank Seravalli was joined by Mike McKenna to discuss the future for the Montreal Canadiens on the latest episode of Daily Faceoff Live.

Frank Seravalli: Let’s take a look at our offseason series where we take a look at one team every day that is in full offseason mode, we’ve got 28 of them at this point with only four remaining, the Montreal Canadiens are up today. What has struck me about the tenure of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton as general manager and president of hockey operations is the series of small victories that they’ve been able to string together.

You make five or eight or 10 smart moves, they all of a sudden add up to much bigger moves at the end of it. But when you look at the Montreal Canadiens and where they finished. The obvious coaching success with Marty St. Louis running things on the bench and the positive direction that they’re heading in into the future. What stands out for you as their top priority heading into this offseason?

Mike McKenna: They still have a belief that they can contend for the Stanley Cup playoffs next year. I don’t doubt that because a lot of it will come down to health. You’ve got Caufield, Dach, Slafkovsky who need to be in the lineup more next season. For me I think they’re going to have to shore up down the middle a little bit. Sean Monahan, that ship has probably sailed. They need a little bit of depth upfront to supplement some of the younger players.

What’s interesting though is that at first glance I think they need a defenseman, a veteran defenseman to help out the three entry-level guys in Guhle, Barron, and Xhekaj. I don’t think that should happen now that I’ve spoken to some of the young players. We cannot trade away some of the veteran guys and we probably don’t need to add either.

Bottom line is I think there are still growing pains that these younger players are going to be learning on the job. But Matheson, Edmundson, and Savard play a huge part in that mix and Wideman will probably slide in this year as the 6-7th defenseman depending on health. So, that kind of surprised me but I think they need help up front Frank, more than they would on the backend even though it’s thin there in terms of experience.

Frank Seravalli: It’s funny you say that because I look at their forward group and I say they’re not far off from competing. I don’t think they’re a playoff team next season, I think they’ve just got too much work to do, personally I’d like to see some more depth on that backend, quality depth. I still think you’re missing the true leader in that group. Like who is your number one, who are you counting on to be the one person that separates you on defence.

And then for me the other big question is on the goaltending front, Carey Price held down the fort for so long in Montreal. Jake Allen is under contract for two more years and certainly someone that can help bridge that gap. But he’s definitely not the long-term solution already at 32 years old. Who’s going to be that guy that can really steady you in net?

Mike McKenna: I expect them to draft high when it comes to goaltending this year. Allen will be a stop-gap, I think Montembeault at 26 has improved, this is probably a year where he needs to play 50 games and show if he can actually be a number one or not. But they have to develop from within, I don’t think Cayden Primeau has shown that he’s ready for it so I would expect them to draft high at the goaltender position.

You can watch the rest of the episode here…