After starting the 2015-16 season 9-0-0, no one in the hockey world would have predicted that the Canadiens would finish the campaign with a .500 record and miss the playoffs. Unfortunately for Canadiens fans, that’s exactly what happened.

The Habs started off the season red-hot. Everything was clicking — goal scoring, defensive play and most importantly, Carey Price was healthy and in his MVP form. The Canadiens looked like they had the makings of an early but true contender in the Eastern Conference. However in professional sports, it’s incredible how quickly things can change.

After the Habs had one of the best starts in franchise history, they finished the rest of the season off with some of the worst play in recent Canadiens memory. Players such as Carey Price, Brendan Gallagher, Jeff Petry and Nathan Beaulieu all missed extended periods of time during the season which ultimately sunk their chances of making the playoffs.

Reeling from an embarrassing and disappointing season, the Canadiens made significant offseason moves. Those moves included shipping Norris Trophy-winning defenseman P.K. Subban and forward Lars Eller out of town and adding All-Star defenseman Shea Weber, two-time Stanley Cup Champion Andrew Shaw and KHL MVP winger Alexander Radulov.

Now coming into the 2016-17 campaign after drastic offseason changes, the Canadiens and their fans are expecting a return to the playoffs and potentially competing for the Stanley Cup.

Team 2015-16 Record: 38-38-6 (6th in the Atlantic Division)

Offseason Moves

Key Roster Additions:

Shea Weber – D

Alexander Radulov – RW

Andrew Shaw- RW

Key Roster Losses:

P.K. Subban – D

Lars Eller – C/LW

Tom Gilbert – D

Key Organization Changes:

The 2015-16 season hadn’t even come to a close yet and Canadiens fans were already punching coach Michel Therrien’s ticket out-of-town. Therrien was on the hot seat for most of the year and during the team’s epic collapse many wanted a scapegoat, a person to answer for the regression of the hockey team.

Surprisingly, though, at the year-end press conference, Geoff Molson, Marc Bergevin and yes, Michel Therrien sat in front of reporters in unity while sharing the news that coach Therrien was indeed staying on as Habs’ head coach.

In an effort to add experience to Michel Therrien’s coaching staff, the Habs inked Kirk Muller as Associate Coach later in the offseason. Muller will act as a buffer between Therrien and the players and will bring some valuable coaching experience to the group. The move could also be looked as a safe-guard should the Habs falter to start the 2016-17 season poorly. The presence of Muller should keep Michel Therrien on his toes.

The Canadiens also extended the contract of their Director of Amateur Scouting, Trevor Timmins. Timmins has been a constant within the Canadiens’ scouting ranks and has provided quality players in past drafts. In other scouting news, the Canadiens announced that former NHL goaltender Sean Burke has been brought into the fold as a West region professional scout.

Apart from the significant player departures that occurred during the off-season, there was also a significant front office departure. COO and Executive VP Kevin Gilmore left the Habs to pursue other opportunities. Gilmore was crucial to many successes off the ice such as a new French Broadcasting Agreement with RDS, the Canadiens documentary series “24 CH”, Club 1909 which is an avenue for fans to connect with the team on a day-to-day basis and the transaction that led to the real estate development of the Tour des Canadiens I and II in downtown Montreal.

Forwards:

Projected Lines:

LW C RW Max Pacioretty Alex Galchenyuk Alexander Radulov Sven Andrighetto/Artturi Lehkonen Tomas Pleckanec Brendan Gallagher Daniel Carr David Desharnais Andrew Shaw Torrey Mitchell Phillip Danault Paul Byron

Extras: Stefan Matteau, Brian Flynn, Bobby Farnham

Max Pacioretty

For Max Pacioretty, his first season as captain of the Montreal Canadiens left much to be desired. Although he registered another 30-goal campaign, the team struggles both on and off the ice kept a dark cloud over him and the rest of his teammates throughout the season. In his second campaign as captain, look for Pacioretty, with the help of a former captain in Shea Weber, to take hold of the dressing room and lead the Habs up the standings.

Alex Galchenyuk

After scoring 30 goals in the 2015-16, Alex Galchenyuk needs to prove that he can continue to grow. In each of his first four NHL seasons, Galchenyuk has shown steady improvements while increasing his point totals each season. By moving to top line center last season, Galchenyuk took his game to the next level and showed the ability to handle one of the most difficult positions on a hockey team. This coming season, he will have to show that his play toward the end of last season was no fluke and that he’s ready to step up to the challenge of being a number one NHL center.

Alexander Radulov

When the Montreal Canadiens made “character” changes to their roster this off-season, no one expected that they would add a player with a checkered past. However, on July 1, the Canadiens added one of the most polarizing free agents available in Alexander Radulov. Many NHL fans remember Radulov in Nashville when he was missing curfew in the playoffs and causing locker room issues. In spite of past events, the Canadiens believe that Radulov has turned over a new leaf and the elite goal scorer is motivated to prove that the Habs made the right decision.

Defense:

Projected Pairings:

LD RD Nathan Beaulieu Shea Weber Andrei Markov Jeff Petry Alexei Emelin Greg Pateryn

Extras: Mark Barberio, Zach Redmond

Mikhail Sergachev

It is yet to be seen whether or not Sergachev will have an impact on this year’s version of the Montreal Canadiens but it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on. Sergachev fell to the Canadiens at pick nine in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Edmonton jumped on the chance to take Jesse Puljujärvi with the fourth overall pick, which cleared the path for Sergachev to fall into Marc Bergevin’s lap. The big defenseman came into rookie camp and dominated. As a result he has put himself on the radar of Canadiens’ management as a possibility to make the team as an 18-year old. It will be difficult for Sergachev to make the opening night roster, but the Canadiens do have the luxury of having Sergachev for nine games before making that decision. Sergachev is going to do his best to make the decision hard to send him back to Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League.

The big defenseman came into rookie camp and dominated. As a result, he has put himself on the radar of Canadiens’ management as a possibility to make the team as an 18-year old. It will be difficult for Sergachev to make the opening night roster, but the Canadiens do have the luxury of having Sergachev for nine games before making that decision. Sergachev is going to do his best to make the decision hard to send him back to Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League.

Jeff Petry

After suffering an injury last season, Petry’s prolonged absence contributed to the Canadiens’ collapse. This season, with many moving parts to start the season on the defensive side, a healthy Jeff Petry is crucial. When in the lineup, Petry is a steady, reliable defenseman that Michel Therrien can throw out onto the ice in any situation. A top four that includes Weber, Petry, Markov and Beaulieu could be one of the more reliable groups in the league.

Andrei Markov

At age 37, Andrei Markov projects to be in the top four defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens. With the revamped defense core and Markov’s age, the Canadiens will have to find ways to rest Markov in order to have him fresh for the playoffs. Markov will already have games under his belt as he will suit up for team Russia at the World Cup in Toronto. Playing in the World Cup could be beneficial for Markov but it could also be harmful down the road for the aging veteran.

Goaltending:

The Canadiens’ goaltending situation already looks better this year than it did in 2015-16. Former MVP Carey Price is set to take back the crease after now second year goalie Mike Condon tried to hold the fort down last year. With a healthy Price, and a competition for the back-up position between Condon and free agent acquisition Al Montoya, the Canadiens should return to one of the best goaltending situations in the National Hockey League. Goaltending coach Stephane Waite also returns for the 2016-17 season.

Breakout Player: Nathan Beaulieu

With the departure of P.K. Subban, the development of Nathan Beaulieu becomes all that more important for the Canadiens. With the same style of play as Subban, Beaulieu will have added responsibilities to bring an offensive role to the Canadiens’ defense core. With an up-and-down campaign last season, the Habs hope Beaulieu builds on the positives and works on the negatives as he could be slotted into the number two defenseman position alongside Shea Weber to start the season.

Player with Most to Prove: Shea Weber

When P.K. Subban was traded for Shea Weber, it was a surprise that the city of Montreal didn’t go up in flames. Of course the trade shook the hockey world — P.K. Subban was not only one of the faces of the Montreal Canadiens but he was a fan favorite. However, Habs fans let anger get in the way of welcoming one of the best defenseman in the league. Weber was put into an impossible position with fans when he was given the call he was going to Montreal for their sweetheart, P.K. Subban. Although it’s entirely not fair to Weber, he will have the most to prove to the Canadiens’ fans. Weber isn’t going to make an end to end rush with a spin-o-rama, but he’s going to contribute heavily to the success of the Montreal Canadiens moving forward and it won’t take long for Habs fans fall in love with him when he dishes out his first thunderous bodycheck on a Boston Bruins player.

Although it’s entirely not fair to Weber, he will have the most to prove to the Canadiens’ fans. Weber isn’t going to make an end-to-end rush with a spin-o-Rama finish, but he’s going to contribute heavily to the success of the Montreal Canadiens moving forward and it won’t take long for Habs fans fall in love with him when he dishes out his first thunderous bodycheck on a Boston Bruins player.

First Players in the ‘Call-Up’ Line:

If Artturi Lehkonen doesn’t make the team in training camp he is sure to be first in line for a call up. Along with Lehkonen, Charles Hudon and Jacob De La Rose will also get considerable consideration during the season if the Habs decide to bring up one of the young guns. On the defensive side, two names to keep an eye on would be the first round pick Mikhail Sergachev and free agent pick-up, Zach Redmond. Sergachev could be sent down to Windsor of the OHL if he doesn’t make the team out of camp, so Redmond could be the first player in line if that scenario plays out.

Season Outlook:

Whether you are a fan of the Canadiens or just covering them, last season was tough to watch. A team with so much potential that included an MVP, a Norris Trophy winning defenseman and a new captain, fell flat. This season, after a makeover that included a swap of Subban and Weber, the acquisition of Andrew Shaw and the signing of Alexander Radulov, the Canadiens with a healthy Carey Price should get back on track. I expect them to be competitive all year and challenge for the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference title.

Team 2016-17 Record Prediction: 48-30-4 (2nd in the Atlantic Division)

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