Previewing the Canadiens' 2022-23 season

Ed. here. Canada's team, the Montréal Canadiens, open their 2022-23 National Hockey League season on October 12th, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. We've had to ask our National Sports (as long as its hockey) Editor, Poor Len Canayen, three times for a prognostication. Here it is.

Tank youse, Hed. Da truth, and da hole truth, is dat I've watched the Habs in three pre-season games this week, and can't find anything positive to say, so I was hoping you wouldn't call on me. The outlook isn't brilliant. Or good. It's grim.

Here's the record. On Tuesday, the Habs lost to New Jersey, 2-1. On Wednesday, the Maple Laffs shut them out, 3-0. Last night, Winnipeg scored with 18 seconds left in regulation time for a 4-3 win -- third loss in three nights for the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

It must be said that the teams on the ice were a  quick mix of one or two veterans and (mostly) AHL players and rookies who are unlikely to be with the big team after the final selection is made. From front to back, here's why the Canadiens will struggle to stay out of the NHL cellar.

Forwards: The Habs were outshot in all three games, and held scoreless in the second. Three of their four goals came from superstar-to-be Cole Caufield (2) and old pro Brendan Gallagher. Kayden Guhle [Who he? Ed.] scored the fourth. Jonathon Drouin didn't play, nor did Nick Suzuki.

Rookies Juraj Slafkovsky (first draft pick in June) and Filip Mesar played but we didn't see enough of them to make any predictions. Management would be smart to let Slafkovsky get some experience in Laval before rushing him into the breach.

Gallagher will have to stay healthy (let us pray) and Drouin will have to get healthy, physically and mentally, for the team to have any real scoring punch. That wouldn't matter if the Habs had a solid defence.

Defence: What keeps de cows in de field? De fence! What don't de Habs got? De fence! With Shea Weber retired, Joel Edmundson, who played only a few games towards the end of last season, was expected to anchor the blue line. Alas, his back is bothering him again and he could wind up on the LTIR. 

The alleged defencemen who played this week are hasbeens (Denis Savard), rookies destined for the AHL, or some who belong in the AHL (maybe) but played with the big team last year, faut de mieux. That wouldn't matter if the Habs had reliable goaltending.

Goaltenders: Jake Allen looked good, allowing just one goal in two partial games, with a save pct of about .925. But remember, when the Canadiens brought him over from St. Louis, he was expected to be the backup goaltender, to relieve Carey Price. Things turned out differently. Price is on the LTIR and I predict he won't play at all this year. Which makes Allen the started. Can he go 50 or 60 games? If not, then what?

For two seasons now, management has been saying [hoping. Ed.] that Cayden Primeau was the heir apparent, the next hot French-Canadian goalie, the future Patrick Roy. He hasn't lived up to expectations, allowing the winning goals in both Tuesday and Thursday's games. 

Last year's backup, Samuel Montembeault, of whom nothing was expected, is showing signs of progress, if you don't count letting one go through the five-hole on the first shot he faced on Wednesday. He'll be OK as a backup to Allen this year, but they both still need a decent defence in front of them.

Let me close with a word of encouragement to young Kevin Poulin -- three out of four goalies are francophones -- who allowed two goals in Wednesday's game, both of which were caused by the inability of the defence to handle the penalty kill. If Allen or Montembeault falters, Poulin, not Primeau, would be the man to be called up.

All in all... what can I say. I predict the Canadiens will miss the playoffs for the second straight season. Lifetime pct .980.