I’ve been told that some readers were a bit harsh on my grades, but you can hardly expect high grades and passing grades when the team is 25th in the standings. Of course, players who were injured too early in the season (hello Kirby Dach) and those who haven’t played enough games (Joshua Roy, Emil Heineman) will not be graded. However, they may be mentioned if their absence had a direct impact on other players’ grades.
Nick Suzuki (42 G, 12 G, 23 A, 35 PTS, -10) B+
The captain leads the team in points, as always, really, and is on pace to gather 68 if he plays each and every contest until the end of the season, which he has done in the last two years. This would be a new career-high for him and quite a solid output, considering the Robin to his Batman (Caufield) has had issues finding the back of the net this season. Furthermore, Kirby Dach’s absence and, later on, Newhook’s have meant the captain line is the main focus of any opponent’s attention, which is far from an ideal situation. Finally, the fact he plays in all situations and is an absolute workhorse when it comes to time on ice is invaluable to the team. However, he needs to learn to shoot more and stop invariably looking for Caufield on the power play.
Cole Caufield (42 GP, 12 G, 17 A, 29 PTS, -10) C+
Just like Suzuki, the absence of other top-six players in the lineup has led to close scrutiny from opponents and can, in part, explain why he’s having issues finding the back of the net, especially at even strength. How can a difference of six little points put him one full letter below Suzuki? Well, simply put, Caufield is and is paid as a sniper. He’s paid to score goals, and he’s not doing it much this season. When his season ended after 46 games last year, he was on pace to get 46 goals in a full 82-game season. This year, he’s currently looking at a pace of 23 on the season, which is simply not enough. Whatever is having this impact on him, he needs to sort out whether it’s a confidence issue or a technical one. It has to be fixed.
Juraj Slafkovsky (42 GP, 4 G, 11 A, 15 PTS, -7) B
Prior to the start of the season, I had written that I thought 35 points would be a reasonable expectation for the young Slovak. Right now, he’s on pace for 30 on the year and to me, that’s acceptable. The improvements in Slafkovsky’s game have been a joy to watch, and he looks like a different player on the ice. He keeps his head up; he’s able to take the necessary time to make decisions; he’s now using that big frame of his in the right way and likes to finish his checks. Now that he’s on the first line, he gets more minutes per game, and he’s become a driving force on the line. The best thing, though? He was far from having reached his ceiling.
Sean Monahan (42 GP, 11 G, 13 A, 24 PTS, -8) B
The centerman had an excellent start to the season, but he’s lost a bit of pace since then. Thankfully, he has managed to stay early and feature in every game so far, which is a big plus considering the Habs’ brass have given him their word that he would be traded before the trade deadline. As a veteran presence and an example to follow, Monahan has certainly delivered, especially since he’s willing to do whatever is asked of him with no questions asked.
Brendan Gallagher (42 GP, 7 G, 7 A, 14 PTS, -19) C-
The once prolific scorer currently has the worst plus/minus rating on the team, and while that can sometimes be a misleading stat, in this case, I feel like it’s a pretty good indicator. Forget about how much he should be producing with his big salary; he’s no longer capable of delivering that kind of offensive input; what he can do, though, is lead the way when it comes to work ethic and dedication. It’s also a big deal that he’s been dressed for every game so far, considering his injury history.
Alex Newhook (23 GP, 7G, 6 A, 13 PTS, -5) N/A
While he hasn’t played enough games to get a grade, I feel it’s worth mentioning that he was finding his rhythm when he was taken out of the line-up by an ankle injury for three months. If he keeps developing, he’ll be a fixture on Montreal’s top six next season.
Josh Anderson (41 GP, 7 G, 6 A, 13 PTS, -10) D
Oh, how the power horse has struggled this season. His first goal of the season took nearly two months to come, and at times, he didn’t even look like a shell of his former self. For a few games, the Habs got the former Anderson back, but prior to going down to injury, he missed three breakaway chances in two games and was once again struggling. To say there’s room for improvement would be quite an understatement and if Hughes had planned to try and trade him at the deadline, his value is probably as low as it’s ever been.
Jake Evans (42 GP, 2 G, 10 A, 12 PTS, +3) C+
If anyone is in the “wrong chair” as head coach Marty St-Louis would say, it’s Jake Evens since injuries decimated the Canadiens’ center line. If fans are quick to condemn Evans and moan about his lack of offensive output, they fail to appreciate his defensive game and how much dedication he takes charge of this “boring side of the game,” to quote St-Louis again.
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Christian Dvorak (25 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS, -5) C-
Not much to say here… Dvorak was never going to be a big points producer, and with all the injuries, he found himself in the wrong role and one for which he couldn’t meet expectations. For Habs’ fans, he will always be the guy Bergevin traded for in a panic after losing both Danault and Kotkaniemi in the same disastrous offseason.
Tanner Pearson (27 GP, 4 G, 4 A, 8 PTS, -5) C
Pearson came to town as the return for goaltender Casey DeSmith, and expectations weren’t all that high for him. He’s a veteran forward on an expiring deal who wanted to prove he could still play after a couple of hand surgeries. He did it for 25 games, but then at the start of December, he sustained another upper-body injury, which rules him out for 6 weeks. If Hughes manages to trade him for anything before the deadline, it will be a welcome bonus.
Mike Pezzetta (31 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 PTS, +3) C+
Pezzetta’s not an impact player (unless you consider the impact of his body checks, of course), but when you call on him, he’s ready. He doesn’t get a ton of ice time, but when he gets on the ice, he won’t hurt you generally. With Xhekaj down in Laval, Pezzetta is the only de facto “tough guy” on the team, but he’s learned to keep his temper in check and to pick his moments.
Jesse Ylonen (35 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS, 0) C-
Offensively, he was a lot more productive in the AHL. Granted, he’s not getting a ton of ice time, but when he was given a chance to shine with better linemates on offensive-minded lines, he failed to impress. If he could go down to Laval without clearing waivers, I’m not sure he would still be with the team.
Joel Armia (26 GP, 6 G, 0 A, 6 PTS, -6) D+
At the start of the season, he was finally waived after years of underperforming and giving an uneven effort when he gave one. The move seemed to whip him into shape, and he produced right away in the AHL. When injuries led to his call-up, he performed better than he had for a few seasons, but now, we have the same enigmatic Armia back. He can score when he wants to, but he can also take very silly, selfish penalties… With another year at $3.4 M, it would be really surprising if Hughes managed to trade him, but one can always hope.
There you have it, my grades for all of the Canadiens’ players who have played at least 25 games in the first half of this season. Needless to say, there is room for improvement, but I can’t help wondering how these grades would have changed had Dach not been injured so early in the season…guess we’ll see next season.