As we all know, the Montreal Canadiens have a lot to prove in the upcoming NHL campaign.
The team had one of its worst-ever seasons in the league after they came last in the league for the first time since the 1939–40 NHL season and the first time in the NHL’s expansion era. To make things worse, this all came just 12 months after reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
Everything was awful for the Canadiens last season
Indeed, wherever you looked, everything associated with the Habs made for awful reading for fans, as there were new unwanted records each being set, including the most regulation losses in the season (49) and fewest wins (22), and we can see this reflected in their odds, The Montreal Canadiens’ odds to win the 2022/23 Stanley Cup are +20000 in most sports betting apps, only the ARI Coyotes have worst chances.
Thankfully, that is all in the past – and while it will remain in the history books forever – the Canadiens will now have the opportunity to improve on those poor performances on the ice. Naturally, no one is expecting the team to be able to challenge for the postseason straight away, with it thought that this upcoming campaign is going to be one all about progression and finding an identity at best.
However, there will be fans that will be expecting to see more from a number of the players to currently be on the Habs roster, and in this article, we have picked out three of those stars who are likely to enter the 2022/23 NHL season with a point to prove. Admittedly, it would perhaps be more difficult to find three Habs that do not have a point to prove next season at this moment…
Carey Price
One player that we think could have a point to prove for the Montreal Canadiens is goaltender Carey Price. Some will never doubt his quality in the net and between the sticks, however there are huge questions over his availability and the clear injury proneness that he has.
Some will have questions over whether he can handle the workload of a full season or at least make himself available for the majority of it, while others will actually question whether he wants to finish his career in Montreal or perhaps try and win a Stanley Cup elsewhere.
Let’s face it, the 34-year-old former 5th overall pick in 2005 is not getting any younger, while there are questions that he has of his own about what he wants to do and whether his future lies with the team, or even perhaps in the NHL and professional ice hockey.
There are a lot of questions regarding Price’s status at the moment, and this will not be too helpful to anyone. If he comes back, though, the goaltender will clearly have a huge point to prove to everyone, and perhaps including himself.
Jonathan Drouin
For many, one of the biggest disappointments on the Habs roster in regard to the potential that they have and their inability to fulfill it while on the ice, Jonathan Drouin is one player that will have a lot to prove in the 2022/23 NHL season.
Indeed, there will be many that will be hoping that the poster boy for the franchise in regard to exciting talent and potential will be able to finally come through, although whether any of the Canadiens fans will be betting on it remains dubious at the moment, especially as sports betting through mobiles has become a popular pastime for many Canadians.
As mentioned, it is unlikely fans will be using the Canadian’s best betting apps to wager on team success such as reaching the postseason, but there may be some that will be considering whether or not to back Drouin having the year that everyone has waited for since being acquired.
Entering his sixth year with the franchise following his trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Mikhail Sergachev, many Canadiens will have been excited to place a wager on the now-27-year-old, but many will still perhaps be a little more cautious given nothing has really gone to plan.
The former No. 3 overall pick has suffered from injuries and has been extremely inconsistent, and with the NHL 22/23 season being the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent, the pressure will be on Drouin to finally fulfill the potential everyone knows he has. Indeed, if he were able to achieve that, he would be able to add value to a host of things.
The Canadiens could become competitive in the league, while he could add numbers to his contract, while the Habs could get some value if they decide to trade him before the deadline given the current scenario. However, there will be a lot of doubt, as he will have only just returned from another operation on his wrist this summer, and whether he is able to score 45 or more points once again seems dubious.
Brendan Gallagher
There will have been many Habs fans shouting and screaming at this list for Brendan Gallagher to have been included as a player with a lot to prove, especially as he is on a big contract and has shown very little to justify why he is on it.
Indeed, there is no denying that he works hard on the ice when he plays, but with just 21 goals and 47 points over the course of the last two seasons, it is understandable why so many believe he has a serious point to prove in the upcoming NHL season.
Add in the fact that it would seem that he is being eyed as the man to be a big part of the rebuild in Montreal and a candidate to become the team’s next captain, fans will be looking at him with even more judgemental eyes than ever before and wanting to see him prove his worth to the organization.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned, almost every single player on the Montreal Canadiens roster could be picked out with something to prove in the upcoming NHL 2022/23 season, however there is no denying that the three mentioned above – Carey Price, Jonathan Drouin, and Brendan Gallagher – each have plenty of doubters that they need to convince.