What to know about each of the Buffalo Sabres rivals: Part I
By Sion Fawkes
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are the one team on this list that won’t see the postseason unless some miracle occurs. However, just as the Buffalo Sabres were not too long ago, the Canadiens have a brewing core of young talent, including Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. They are also counting on 2022 first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky to come more into his own following an uninspiring first season.
However, not only does Slafkovsky need to step it up, but Caufield has struggled with injuries. If the Canadiens see a repeat of last season, then they’re likely one year away from even remotely improving. But if we see a better Slafkovsky, a healthy Caufield, and Suzuki taking the next step, then Montreal should at least fare better than they did last season.
Defense, however, is still an issue, and it almost has nowhere to go but up when you look at the fact the Habs had 307 goals allowed, or 3.74 per game. Neither Samuel Montembeault nor Jake Allen looked great in the net, though the former has potential following a season when he logged a 0.538 quality start percentage. But the Canadiens must show up defensively to get the best out of its goaltenders.