The 2018/19 season has been much better than expected for the Montreal Canadiens, and if they end up making it to the playoffs, it will mark an excellent campaign. Both Jonathan Drouin, Phillip Danault, Max Domi are having career-seasons, Brendan Gallagher scored 30 goals by the 70-game mark, Shea Weber has become the leader that the team needs, and Carey Price surpassed Jacques Plante as the Canadiens’ all-time wins leader.
A lot of the pride that comes with being a Habs fan this season is that the team was all-but written off at the start of the campaign, with good reason. General manager Marc Bergevin did next to nothing in the offseason, apart from trade captain Max Pacioretty for Tomas Tatar and prospect Nick Suzuki, despite the team’s glaring frailties. To make sure that this season isn’t a mere flash in the pan and is instead a sign of things to come, the Habs need to patch the gaps in the starting lines.
It seems incredibly unlikely that additions can be made to bring Montreal in line with three teams atop the Atlantic Division, but they can certainly solidify a place in the wild card places. They may be the ninth-rated team in the NHL betting odds to win the Eastern Conference at +1600, behind the Columbus Blue Jackets at +1400 and the Toronto Maple Leafs at +700, showing that the experts see them as finishing outside of the wild card places, but with some of the Metropolitan teams set to slide next season, the Habs can add enough pieces to make it to the playoffs next season.
The Montreal Canadiens are looking good on the contracts front, with only Jordan Weal, Nate Thompson, Jordie Benn, Christian Folin, and Antti Niemi becoming UFAs. Mike Reilly, Brett Kulak, Charles Hudon, Artturi Lehkonen, and Joel Armia become RFAs, but the Habs should have plenty of cap space to make some moves and spaces in the right positions to improve.
One of the most glaring needs, which has been a major need for many seasons, is a top-six center. Jesperi Kotkaniemi is on his way, and Danault is certainly performing better than expected as the top line center, but the team is certainly in need of a commanding who’s strong at both ends of the ice and will improve Montreal’s poor powerplay. As it stands, Matt Duchene or Kevin Hayes could be the centers to fill the role from the free agency, but the former is tipped to sign with the Blue Jackets.
Another dire need is at backup goaltender. With Carey Price in the crease, the backup role for the Canadiens isn’t seen as the most pressing area, but as Niemi’s seven goals against in 33 shots has shown, the Habs need a strong backup. They called up Charlie Lindgren towards the end of the season, and the hope is that he’ll be ready to take on the backup role next season.
The final, long-time need is that of a top-four defenseman. Jeff Petry is underrated and Shea Weber continues to be an elite-level defenseman, but Weber desperately needs a linemate of higher quality, and the powerplay could do with another competent blueliner. Jacob Trouba is set to become an RFA while his Jets teammate Tyler Myers may hit the open market; a deal for either Winnipeg blueliner would greatly benefit the Habs, but those deals seem unlikely.
Bergevin certainly has the future in mind and wants to build the team into being a contender, but if the roster stays on the same level coming into next season, it may not contend for the postseason with the Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, and New Jersey Devils all potentially pushing for the wild card places. Metro teams will slide, and some long-needed additions would go a long way towards securing a place in the playoffs while the team continues to develop.