Based on the regular season, the Montréal Canadiens perhaps didn’t deserve to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, but that didn’t matter when Artturi Lehkonen’s overtime winner slotted home on June 24.

Of course, the Habs’ schedule didn’t conclude with a Cinderella story ending, with the Tampa Bay Lightning stamping their authority to repeat as champions. Still, the Canadiens became the first Canadian team to reach the last stage of the playoffs since the Vancouver Canuck in 2011, and it was quite some ride.

Now, attentions turn to the upcoming campaign and how Marc Bergevin will ensure that this wasn’t just a flash in the pan. To do that, it’s essential that the GM reviews exactly what brought the Habs a mere three wins away from Lord Stanley and finds pieces that won’t just patch holes, but provide value down the line.

From so far to come so close

It’s now been 28 years since Canada last brought the Stanley Cup home, with the flying Habs being only the sixth team from the Great White North to come within four games since the franchise hoisted the trophy in 1993. While Carey Price blamed himself for the loss, Shea Weber rightly stated that the Lightning are a great team and were better in the series.

Still, that shouldn’t take away from what was an incredible effort from a team written off before a puck was dropped in the postseason. With a 24-21-11 record, the Habs had the least points of any team to get in, but the tight-knit roster grabbed the opportunity with both hands. First fell the Toronto Maple Leafs, and then the Winnipeg Jets, and finally, the Vegas Golden Knights.

The super-hot glove of Carey Price, stalwart team defending, and a bit of luck all contributed to them making a record 35^th appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. Unlike others who would make it to the Finals, however, Montréal are already being written off, for the most part, to go again next year.

 

Not much room for improvement right now

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While there are some truly menacing and potential contenders in Canada, the Montréal Canadiens enjoyed a fairly easygoing 2021 campaign. The 2021/22 season, however, will see them thrown back into the mix with tyrants like the Boston Bruins and Lightning, as well as the Florida Panthers, who have finally realised their potential.

That said, after last season’s antics, the NHL odds are certainly giving the Habs a nod at success again. Naturally, they see the Lightning, Golden Knights, and Colorado Avalanche as the favourites from +500 to +600, but just four places back are the Habs at +2000 to go all the way, with only the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes ahead. At the very least, Montréal’s rated in the Eastern Conference’s top seven teams.

Relying on last season happening again this year would be foolish, so Bergevin has a lot of work to do to at least improve the team. For the most part, the problems centre on the seven UFA skaters, certain RFA re-signings, and all with a mere $14.6 million in cap space. This could increase to around $17 million if the Seattle Kraken grab the obvious choice in the expansion draft, but that’s still not a lot to play with for a team with many needs and free agents.

The two key needs that the Habs have to address are the need for another puck-moving defenseman and a point-scoring left wing. If the funds appear, there’s players like Gabriel Landeskog, Alex Ovechkin, and Taylor Hall who certainly fit the bill. Still, given the state of the team and the potential funds available, Alec Martinez presents himself as the best primary target in the free agency.

Most of the improvement that will hopefully be seen this season will come from those already on the roster. If the likes of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Alexander Romanov can all take a forward step this year, the team will improve, with even more well-touted prospects developing lower down.

The Habs shouldn’t expect to run all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals this season, but they can certainly remain a wild card should they make it to the playoffs when regular order resumes in the NHL.