New York Rangers rivals: Montreal Canadiens season preview
The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens rivalry is intense and as both teams are poised to compete for a playoff spot this season, expect for that hatred to be intensified.
For the past two seasons, the New York Rangers and their Montreal Canadien foes have both failed to be postseason contenders. Is this the year where these young, talented teams will meet up again?
Last year was a disappointment for the Habs as they fell just two points out of a playoff spot, but they still put up 96 points which ties the record for the most points by a non-playoff team. And really, Montreal should’ve made the wild card if not for a lackluster performed towards the end of the season, hovering right around .500 in their final 25 games.
Not to say that this past season was a disappointment by any sorts, but with the high expectations coming into the season, being average is just not going to cut it.
Possibly their biggest issue was their failure to succeed on the power play. Not one player recorded over 18 power play points which ultimately resulted in their 13.6% success rate.
There was one huge bright spos for the Habs . First and foremost, their trade for Max Domi in which they gave up Alex Galchenyuk was a ginormous success. Demi made a larger-than-life impact as he led the team in scoring with 73 points. Tomas Tatar was the next man up with 58.
With their off-season additions to get faster and younger which I will address later, watch out for this team to have a serious chance of competing for a top 3 spot in the very tough Atlantic division.
Against the Rangers
The two original six team’s clash on November 6th was one of the wildest, most physical games of the season. It’s going to be remembered for Neal Pionk‘s dazzling coast to coast game winner of course, but we can’t forget about the 18 penalties. In the end, the Rangers came out on top with a 5-3 victory.
Their second meeting in early December went to the Canadiens by a decisive 5-2 margin. Notably, the Rangers defense was terrible, allowing turnover after turnover and the Habs capitalized. In only his second game back from major knee surgery, team captain Shea Weber scored two first period goals and Montreal never looked back.
In the rubber match, the Canadiens would take the season series in large part to a surprise hero, Joel Armia. Armia torched New York as he recorded his first ever career hat-trick.
Arrivals
The Canadiens made a couple off off-season additions, most notably stealing the high-flying American goal scorer Cole Caufield with the 15th overall pick in the NHL entry draft. The 5’7″ 18-year old put up 72 goals and 28 assists with the US National Developmental team this past season… in 64 games. He may not see action in Montreal this season as he has committed to the University of Wisconsin where he will play with Ranger prospect K’Andre Miller.
The Canadiens also grabbed netminder Keith Kinkaid to backup all-star Carey Price. Kinkaid has been on three teams in the past calendar year due to his up and down season. He posted a sub .900 GAA and finished the season with only 15 wins compared to 18 losses. Canadiens head coach Claude Julien and company hope that the 30-year-old New Yorker can keep the team afloat when Price isn’t available.
The Canadiens are also taking a smart chance on 25-year-old forward Riley Barber. Really an AHL presence, he has shown some potential to be an NHL’er. He posted 60 points in 64 games with the Hershey Bears and was a participant in the AHL All-Star game.
Lastly, UFA Ben Chiarot signed a three year contract. Known for his lockdown defense with Winnipeg, Chiarot’s main job will be to protect Carey Price He’s not an offensive force, but if he ends up playing with offensive minded Jeff Petry, watch out for this pairing to be one of the more efficient in the Eastern Conference.
Departures
The Canadiens let go of two key veterans during the off-season: Jordie Benn and Andrew Shaw.
Benn, 32, has played the last three seasons with Montreal and has been a defensive work horse. He finished eighth on the team with a +15 rating, but ultimately the aging D-man decided to revive his career in western Canada with the Vancouver Canucks.
Shaw, 28, had a solid 47 points with a +17 rating in 63 games. Even with these good numbers, he was shipped back to his former team, the Blackhawks, for a second, third, and 7th round draft pick.
Also leaving Montreal were Kenny Agostino, Nicolas Deslauriers and David Schlemko. Don’t expect for any of these three to have major impacts with their new teams.
Top questions facing the Canadiens
Will young gun Nick Suzuki make a serious impact on the NHL roster? Short answer, I believe so. Suzuki, the 13th overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft, has been a superstar in the making. He has been a ridiculous offensive presence in the OHL these past two years having point total nearly double the amounts of games played. As well, he was sensational in the preseason which likely secured his opening night spot. Can Jesperi Kotkaniemi take the next step? As a hockey fan, I really hope so. The former 3rd overall pick is young, fast, and loaded with natural talent. At only 18 years of age, he put up a really solid stat line of 11 goals and 23 assists. We can still remember his highlight-reel toe drag goal..
You should expect him to keep the fans at the Bell Centre on the edge of their seat whenever he touches the puck.
Is Carey Price a top goalie once again? The former Hart Trophy winner will most likely not get back to the level he was when the Canadiens were Stanley Cup contenders. It is just not plausible to expect that much of the 32-year-old. He’s battled injuries throughout the past couple of years but there are some positive signs. After having a career worst season two years ago, he returned back to being a top 10 goaltender finishing top 10 in goals against average and shutouts. He will not be up for a Vezina Trophy nomination, but he has a great chance to be an all-star once again with his technical perfection in the crease and a solid defense.When you can see them?
The original six squads will face off in three evening matches. The Rangers travel to Montreal on November 23rd for their first contest. Mntreal makes their only visit to New York on Friday, December 6. The final meeting between the teams will be on February 27th just after the trade deadline.
Must Read. Role reversal for Andersson and Chytil. light