Last year around this time, there were two common predictions in terms of where the Montreal Canadiens would end up in the 2024-25 season standings.
Some predicted that this young, inexperienced team would continue to tank. Others felt that a one-year-older Habs club had a shot at playoff contention.
Then came the NHL draft and above all, THE TRADE, which brought Patrik Laine to Montreal. Hab fans were in a state of euphoria as they positively entertained the potential of achieving playoff contention.
Unfortunately, the giant balloon of hope was immediately burst after one exhibition game in which Laine, and promising right defenceman David Reinbacher, were taken out of the equation.
We’re now well past the generally accurate US Thanksgiving Day predictive tool of guessing how things will likely turn out. From what I can determine, I believe that Habs fans need to brace themselves. Unfortunately, we’re in the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde phase of the Montreal Canadiens’ story arc.
Here’s how things are LIKELY going to play out both this season and over the next three years.
This year, the Canadiens will play some really fantastic games. They may string together a series of wins and make us feel that they’ve finally turned a corner. Then they will play some bona fide stinkers or encounter tight losses due to their lack of firepower and will go on frustrating losing streaks. Am I the amazing Kreskin or what?!
Fans and pundits, especially those on social media, podcasts, and website comments sections will lose their collective minds this season and demand firings and/or major trades.
Thankfully, Montreal’s ownership and management will weather this emotional storm. The season will play itself and this summer, the Canadiens will complete their accumulation of promising draft picks and begin to add some key additions via trades and free agency. The latter will consist of improving the core and/or act as scaffolding until their promising stocked shelf of prospects fully comes online.
Next season, assuming that Montreal’s injury “curse” takes a break and decides to punish more worthy franchises such as Boston, Toronto, and Ottawa, the Canadiens’ promising young core will get that much more experienced. We should therefore see an uptick in points. Relax Bruins, Leafs, and Sens fans, I don’t wish ill on any of my enemies – even Chris Kreider and the retired but never forgotten, Zdeno Chara.
The following season, things should finally get pleasant. We fans will be regularly going to bed proudly dawning our Habs PJs, feeling all so happy about how our heroes performed. The following mornings, we’ll be waking up, strapping on our Habs bathrobes overtop of our Habs PJs (we all do this, right?!) and positively sip our morning coffee(s) with a sense of joie de vivre.
In the years that follow, the 2024-25 season will literally be seen as a blip in time that has been completely forgotten. This is, after all, the nature of human memory and time itself.
Yes, things are currently unstable and unpleasant. Knee-jerk reactions though, such as firing the coach, gutting the core and/or burning our Hab jammies and robes will only provide temporary relief for our frustrations. The unfortunate reality is that we simply have to ride this out.
The Montreal Canadiens are like a crop that needs time to grow. You can’t rush a crop. Yelling at it will not make any difference. Replacing the farmer raising it won’t as well.
The players on this roster need to be exposed to the elements. Experience, which this very young team desperately needs, only happens with time.
Is this fun? Nope. Is this the natural order of things? Yep.
We Habs fans have had to endure over 30 years of mediocrity. One more bad year in order to finally put this franchise on the path to excellence is fine by me.
In the meantime, let’s focus on the potential positive storylines concerning this franchise. For example:
* Montreal’s bevy of developing minor-league prospects.
* The budding young core of defenders and forwards currently on the team’s roster.
* The upcoming 2025 draft where the Habs are once again loaded with quality picks and trade capital.
* The arrival of Russian phenomenon Ivan Demidov next season.
* The gradual and inspirational improvement of Kirby Dach as he recovers from what, in the past, was a career-ending injury. We should be cheering him on and watching him emerge as a better, more confident player.
* The David Reinbacher and Michael Hage stories of grit and determination.
* The growth of coach Martin St. Louis who will learn from his mistakes and thrive in this profession or will otherwise be replaced by his promising understudy Pascal Vincent in Laval. IMHO: Never bet against St. Louis. He has always proven his detractors wrong. His unwavering determination for success will push him to be much better at this very demanding craft. Right now he’s still learning to work out how theory meets practice.
These are but a few positive things to divert our attention towards. We need to ignore the noise of this Jekyll and Hyde season and keep our eyes on the prize.
Post-1993, the Canadiens have never been on a closer trajectory than they have these last 3 years. When in recent memory has Montreal drafted this well? Not since the 70s and 80s. Sooner than later, this frustrating franchise will break through these choppy waters.
So, all of us, myself included, let’s just suck it up, endure the pain, and ride out this mercurial season. Everything’s going to be alright.
