There's a lot to like on the Montreal Canadiens' NHL roster, and much more talent on the way in a loaded prospect pipeline. Is this the season they take a step up? Here's everything you need to know about the the Canadiens heading into the 2019-20 NHL season:
The big question: Is this a playoff team?
The Montreal Canadiens are a confusing team, or in the more poetic French, an "équipe déroutante." They were one of the best even strength offensive teams in the NHL last season, finishing fifth in 5-on-5 goals (188), and a middle of the pack defensive team (15th). Their power play shot blanks, finishing 30th at a 13.2 percent conversion rate. One imagines they could have found three more standings points to make the playoffs had it not. There's some real talent up front here: Max Domi, Tomas Tatar, Brendan Gallagher, Jonathan Drouin (maybe), Phillip Danault and the delightful trio of Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia. So they should put some pucks in the net. Carey Price and an improved defense should bring down a good, not great, goals-against average (2.88). There's a lot to like here, particularly under coach Claude Julien; the question is whether or not it's their time yet.
Offseason comings and goings, cap situation
We'll start with the biggest offseason move that ended up not being one: The five-year and $42.2 million offer sheet signed by Sebastian Aho only to be matched by the Carolina Hurricanes. He was exactly what the Canadiens needed -- an elite offensive center -- but the offer was never getting it done.
Moving past that, the Habs shed some veteran salaries in trading Andrew Shaw to Chicago and bidding adieu to Jordie Benn, while making a nice signing in Winnipeg defenseman Ben Chiarot for three years and $10.5 million. Montreal has over $6 million in cap space with which to play. They also have Shea Weber (age 34, $7,857,143 average annual value) and Price (age 32, $10.5 million AAV) signed through 2026.
Bold prediction
Drouin is traded well before the deadline, because whenever GM Marc Bergevin starts babbling about rumors coming from "somebody in his basement in Toronto," one can safely assume he's shopped this player to 30 teams in the last week.
Breakout candidate: Phillip Danault
One could argue that his 53-point season, playing primarily with Gallagher and Tatar, was breakout enough. But there's more upside to be had here offensively, while his defensive reputation is going to continue to grow after finishing seventh in Selke Trophy voting last season.
Biggest strength
Carey Price. While I might feel he's a tad overrated when compared to his reputation and his salary cap hit, he's still very much a top 10 goaltender (ninth in goals saved above average last season) that will get you 60-plus starts when he's healthy. Those guys simply aren't commonplace in the modern NHL.
Biggest weakness
The middle. There's a reason Bergevin made his pushes for John Tavares, Matt Duchene and Aho, and a reason why Drouin was desperately shifted to center for a spell. Danault is good. Domi can't be relied on to hit 72 points again. Based on the end of last season and this preseason, the talented 19-year-old Kotkaniemi isn't ready to level up yet. In a conference where the other teams are absolutely loaded at center, the Canadiens ... aren't.
Canadiens in NHL Rank
35. Carey Price, G
Future Power Ranking: 16
A loaded prospect pool (No. 6) is the jewel here, with the cap/contracts situation (No. 16), NHL roster (No. 22) and owner/GM/coach (No. 24) lagging behind.
Prospect perspective
11. Cole Caufield, RW
14. Nick Suzuki, C/W
41. Ryan Poehling, C
Honorable mention. Alexander Romanov, D
Fantasy facts to know
You are forgiven if you don't remember what a healthy Shea Weber stat line looks like; it's been a couple years. As a reminder, it's 15 to 20 goals, 30 assists and handsome contributions in the periphery categories. In case you're worried that being two years removed from a healthy season might lower those expectations, don't be. Weber's 58 games last season prorate right into his wheelhouse.
Can Weber's healthy presence from the get-go make this power play better exist? Keith Yandle had more power-play assists last season than the Montreal Canadiens team had power-play goals. Max Domi and Jonathan Drouin would notably improve their fantasy success by managing a power play that could occasionally put the puck in the net.
You wonder sometimes if Phillip Danault is oil and Max Domi is water. They are first and second among Canadiens forwards for ice time last season, but they played just 7:22 total on the ice together at even strength. Not per game; total. And it's just another 7:18 together on the power play. If we've learned anything from the Penguins' occasional dabbling with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin skating together over the last 10 years, it's that sometimes you need to roll out your stars together to see what happens. -- Sean Allen