Finally, September. Most kids are back in school. Weather is a little less humid. The leaves are giving hints that they will soon be changing colour. Most importantly, actual and meaningful hockey is just around the corner.
In anticipation and celebration of the upcoming World Cup of Hockey and 2016-2017 NHL season, I present the latest edition of 24 Cups = 24 Thoughts.
1. This past Summer has been one for the books in regards to the Montreal Canadiens. General Manager Marc Bergevin obviously had a plan to change the dynamic of the team and put his stamp on it. Team toughness seems to be the new motto around the Habs as players privately and publicly felt that they were too soft the previous season. That is not a specific knock on the departed P.K. Subban and Lars Eller. However, Bergevin made a point of acquiring players who are known for the toughness AND the ability to contribute in other areas as well.
2. As said countless times, the Canadiens fell apart last season after Carey Price’s second injury. They were able to hold the fort in November when Mike Condon played up to a higher level. To continue to do that over a full season without Price and Brendan Gallagher was simply too much for them to mentally overcome. It was important that Bergevin acquire a dependable veteran backup goalie and the signing of Al Montoya seems to get overshadowed by the Subban/Weber trade and Radulov signing. The battle for Price’s backup will be a storyline to follow throughout training camp. It seems unlikely that the Canadiens would carry three goalies on a roster, be it in Montreal or St. John’s. A trade could just be the most likely scenario as a result of whomever wins the spot.
3. The anticipation of prospect Artturi Lehkonen coming to test his skills against NHL players in training camp is the most that fans have been excited about since a fellow Finnish forward came to Montreal in the mid 1990’s, former captain Saku Koivu. The Canadiens have not been able to draft and develop a Scandinavian player since then (the book on Jacob de la Rose is still out). If Lehkonen is not ready to consistently play in the NHL this season, I hope that fans won’t write him off. He is still young and there is pressure for him to prove that he can play at least 10+ minutes a nightly basis. However, it appears that he has picked up right from where he left off last year in the playoffs as he has already started the season with Frolunda. Fans should be excited about Lehkonen, but let’s not overhype him as well…
4. The World Cup of Hockey training camps open shortly and I’m curious to see how the new incarnation of the tournament works out. The darkhorse that a lot of fans will be cheering for is Team North America as everyone is looking forward to seeing how the kids compete against the superpowers. However, I have a feeling that this format will not be repeated if the World Cup continues to happen. Team USA is not happy about being without the likes of Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews or even Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray on their roster. Canada doesn’t necessarily need him, but Connor McDavid would still likely make their team if there was no Team North America. This is not to mention grievances from European countries like Switzerland and Slovakia who were lumped with others on to Team Europe. The 2016 World Cup of Hockey will likely be remembered as a novelty.
5. The World Cup will likely help some players by getting into NHL shape quicker than usual and so those who may be accustomed to slower starts could fly out of the gate. However, what is most important is how you finish a season and continue into the playoffs. For older players like Andrei Markov and those coming off of injuries like Carey Price, the possible long term effects of playing serious hockey in September will be in the back of many minds.
6. The first two weeks of training camp will be a real opportunity for some youngsters to show what they can do as the Canadiens will be without the services of 6 players:
Canada: Carey Price & Shea Weber
USA: Max Pacioretty
Russia: Andrei Markov & Alexei Emelin
Czech Republic: Tomas Plekanec
I’m most curious to see who will line up in Pacioretty & Plekanec’s spot. Will Nikita Scherbak or Martin Reway get a real opportunity to display their offensive skill? Will David Desharnais become the defacto 2nd line center or will Michael McCarron be given an opportunity to play with skilled players?
7. Fans need to start to get excited about having Shea Weber in Canadiens jersey and stop being focused on how he might age. The Canadiens are in a ‘win now’ mode while their core is still under contract. I wish Subban every bit of luck in Nashville where I think he will absolutely thrive. It is truly unfortunate that it could not work out with Subban in Montreal but it is time to focus on the present.
8. I truly believe that the trade to the Eastern Conference will greatly benefit Shea Weber. Not having to go up against a tough Central division on a regular basis or face the likes of Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose may actually help prolong his career. As well, the travel schedule will be much lighter for fim. A revitalized Weber with perhaps a little something to prove could just be the perfect storm leading to a fantastic season.
9. Another battle to keep an eye out for during training camp is for the 6/7/8 defencemen. Greg Pateryn, Mark Barberio and newcomer Zach Redmond have all displayed flashes of being able to become an everyday NHL defenceman. Last year the Canadiens made the decision to keep 8 defenceman on the roster. Chances are, they will start the 2016-2017 season the same way. Bergevin is fond of saying that you can never have too many defencemen and the injuries that the team suffered on the backend reinforced that notion.
10. One prospect that is not often discussed is 2015 3rd round draft pick Lukas Vejdemo from Sweden. Could this season be a breakout one for him in the SHL? He had a very solid year for a 19 year old rookie playing professional hockey and has a new head coach, Roger Ohlsson who was an assistant with Frolunda (Artturi Lehkonen team) last year. He might still take a little more time than Lehkonen to develop but don’t forget about him over in Europe.
11. The Canadiens bottom six is as we know very crowded. Some younger players may be ready for those NHL minutes but due to their rookie two way contracts will get the short end of the straw to start the season. In this instance, Michael McCarron, Charles Hudon and Jacob De La Rose come to mind. However, they cannot get discouraged if they start the season in St. John’s. They need to stay positive and prove that they belong the first call-up when injuries inevitably happen. Bergevin has been consistent in that he will make room for a player if he deserves it. Staying mentally strong is just as important as playing well on the ice.
12. Jacob De La Rose often seems to be the forgotten player when discussing the Canadiens bottom six. Many have written off after a disappointing sophomore season. It should be remembered though that he came over to North America at the age of 19 to play in the AHL. He just turned 21 this past May. At 6’3” and 205 lbs, he has the size and speed to be an effective 3rd or 4th line player. I believe he is still in the Canadiens future plans and will not follow down the similar path of Michael Bournival who could never recapture his 1st year high level of play.
13. Every move that Bergevin makes this season will be with the Las Vegas expansion draft in the back of his head. Some tough decisions will have to be made and trades may be on the rise at the prospect of losing a player for nothing. Some early candidates that have emerged as the player the Canadiens are most likely to lose include Paul Byron, Alexei Emelin, Mark Barberio and Greg Pateryn.
14. It will be interesting to see if Bergevin tries to get a head start and sign Alex Galchenyuk and Nathan Beaulieu long term. Both players will become restricted free agents with arbitration rights on July 1st, 2017. I would not be surprised if Beaulieu gets a deal signed early in the season but Galchenyuk waits to have a whole year’s production as hopefully the team’s #1 centerman to drive his price up. This will be a storyline to follow.
15. Andrei Markov will be turning 38 years old in December and is in the final year of his contract. While he is often criticized for having lost a step, he still managed to put up 44 points last season. Therrien has to manage his minutes properly from the beginning of the season. There will be a temptation to overplay him but if the Canadiens want to have success in the playoffs, they need a fresh Markov to help them succeed. Let him play on the second or third pairing but with 1st unit powerplay duty with Shea Weber.
16. The Hockey News recently ran a poll on Twitter:
These types of debates ensuing results should be taken with a grain of salt. The majority of fans taking these polls on Twitter never saw Jean Beliveau play. If they are not from Montreal then the fans did not grow up with the education of past greats. Mark Messier is a more relevant name than Beliveau outside of Montreal. He was chosen for a NHL leadership award because sponsors wanted a former player not that far removed from the game. Sure Messier was known as a fierce competitor, but don’t get Vancouver Canucks fans started on his tenure there. On the contrary, there has nary been an ill word spoken about the late Jean Beliveau. He could have been the Governor-General of Canada had he accepted. Beliveau will always be the standard for how a captain and leader should act.
17. All eyes will be on 2016 first round pick Mikhail Sergachev come the rookie camp. He is an exciting player and fans have every right to have high hopes for the young man. I’m looking to see if he’s improved his physique and conditioning since the development camp and how he does against the likes of William Nylander and Mitch Marner at the rookie tournament.
18. I’m anxious to see a healthy Noah Juulsen at the Canadiens rookie and training camps. He had a rough year with injuries and being the last cut of Team Canada last winter. I believe he’ll have a strong bounce back year and still has the potential to be a solid second pair defenceman in the NHL.
19. Former Canadiens Scott Gomez retired from hockey this week. Fans loved to hate on Gomez while he wore the bleu-blanc-rouge but he was very good in that 1st season with the Canadiens, helping to lead the team to the conference finals. His contract and the fact that the Canadiens lost Ryan McDonagh in that trade made him an easy target. Gomez was always a professional throughout the turmoil and it was truly impressive the way that he was able to work his way back into the NHL. I don’t blame him for how things played out in Montreal. That onus is on the former management for bringing him in and letting Saku Koivu walk out the door.
20. Playing the ‘what if’ game is never healthy, but could you imagine what the Canadiens defence core would have looked like with McDonagh and Subban as the top pair? Trevor Timmins hit the nail on the head in that 2007 draft, taking McDonagh, Pacioretty and Subban all in the first two rounds...
21. The acquisition that I’m most excited to see once the hockey season starts is Kirk Muller back behind the Canadiens bench. I’m looking forward to seeing his powerplay strategies and how the two powerplay units will shake out.
22. Listening to the players in all of their off-season interviews, it sounds like they are coming into camp very motivated and with something to prove. They want the mess of 2015-2016 to be forgotten as soon as possible. I will not be surprised if the Canadiens once again start the season strong. Aside from staying healthy, the other key will be consistency and that they bring the same effort for 60 minutes, game in and game out.
23. The Canadiens held their first ever Girls Hockey Camp in conjunction with Les Canadiennes:
It is awesome that the Habs are getting more involved with girls hockey and are teaming up with Les Canadiennes. What an incredible opportunity for these young girls to meet their NHL, CWHL and Olympic heroes.
24. After a hectic Summer, I can’t wait for real hockey to start. Rookie Camp, Training Camp, World Cup, son’s Pre-Novice… So many storylines to look forward to!
Hockey is back!!!
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Cheers & follow along!
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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