Canadiens Finish Low in Standings, But Season Still a Success
Also, Armia nominated for Masterton Trophy and Primeau proving his worth
Welcome to the THW Montreal Canadiens Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Canadiens writers.
Canadiens 2024 Draft Strategy: Need Over Best Player Available
Montreal Canadiens general manager (GM) Kent Hughes knows the team needs scoring. With the 2024 NHL draft loaded with high-end defencemen expected to be picked in the top 10, the Canadiens are at a point where they have to prioritize need over the best player available (BPA) due to the lack of offence and abundance of defence on the team.
Canadiens Candidates to Play at 2024 World Championship
Although the Montreal Canadiens will not be participating in the 2023-24 NHL playoffs, there is still an opportunity for a few players to gain some playoff format experience, in this case, by participating in the 2024 World Championships (WC), which is being held in Czechia from May 10 to May 26, 2024.
4 Free Agents the Canadiens Should Sign This Offseason
With the 2023-24 NHL season winding down to a close, teams have begun to either clinch a playoff berth or be eliminated from contention entirely. For the Montreal Canadiens, unfortunately, their fate has been sealed with the latter for the third consecutive season. While many players saw significant improvements this season, such as the emergence of Nick Suzuki as a bonafide number-one centre, or the encouraging progression of Juraj Slafkovsky, the team was again pedestrian (29-35-12 as of Sunday, eighth in the Atlantic Division). Expectations have begun to increase from the fanbase, and the team will look to bolster their roster in the off-season with hopes of competing for the playoffs in 2024-25 and beyond.
Don’t forget to check out all of our FREE team Substacks, and sign up for your favourites…or all of them if you want.
You can also upgrade your subscription to a paid THW account and get access to ALL of our Premium content from ALL of our team Substacks for one low price.
Montreal Canadiens 2023-24 Obituary: The Bottom of the Atlantic
They became the second Canadian franchise officially eliminated from playoff contention on Thursday when they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but for the Montreal Canadiens, it was a season of growth and garnering experience.
It’ll be the third consecutive season for the Canadiens that they won’t make a playoff appearance, a feat they haven’t achieved since their run to the Stanley Cup Final during the COVID bubble — when they lost in five games to the same Lightning team.
4 Reasons the Canadiens’ 2023-24 Season Has Been Successful
April 4, 2024 by Blain Potvin
The Montreal Canadiens’ 2023-24 season is nearing a close. Over the first 74 games, they’ve won enough (or lost enough, depending on your point of view) to have the sixth-worst record in the NHL. Yet, being in a rebuild, that’s good news as they will go to the NHL Entry Draft with a very high pick and hold a chance at winning the draft lottery.
Canadiens’ Armia an Expected Masterton Candidate but Unlikely Winner
April 6, 2024 by Ryan Szporer
No, Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia is not going to win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. To his credit, members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PWHA) did select him as the team’s candidate for the 2023-24 award due to how he has admirably re-established himself as an everyday NHLer after a demotion to start the regular season.
Canadiens Proven Justified Keeping Primeau over Allen
April 4, 2024 by Ryan Szporer
All on its own, winning the Molson Cup for a single month doesn’t mean much. Just ask Montreal Canadiens forward Josh Anderson, who won it for December, but has otherwise been mired in a season-long slump. However, in goalie Cayden Primeau’s case, it reinforces how the Habs made the right decision when they gave him a vote of confidence, trading backup Jake Allen instead.
More News and Recent Habs Stories:
Suzuki Leading the Way - Suzuki First Canadiens Player to Score 70 Points Since 2018-19
Habs History - Today in Hockey History: April 5
Bet You Didn’t Know - 5 Canadiens’ Goalies You Didn’t Know Were Habs