For a team to consider itself among the best, it has to beat the best. By that standard, the Montreal Canadiens can’t yet claim to be a member of the NHL’s elite.
The Habs are on a nice little roll to start the season, claiming 11 of 12 points and sitting pretty at the top of the league standings, but their competition to this point has been middling at best.
The Sabres and Coyotes are bottom-feeders. The Senators, Bruins, and Flyers are trying to sell the public on their suitability as playoff teams. The Penguins are Stanley Cup champions, but played the Habs without the centre and goaltender that took them there.
The Canadiens’ opponents tonight, the New York Islanders, are another average squad. The team has a top-shelf player in John Tavares and no glaring weakness, but like most of the teams that Montreal has contested so far, the jury is out on their long-term prospects.
How to Watch
Puck drop: 7:00 PM ET
In Canada (English): SN1
In the Canadiens region (French): RDS
In the Islanders region: MSG+
Scorer Kyle Okposo and versatile centre Frans Nielsen each departed in the offseason, leaving the Isles with two big holes in their forward lineup. Garth Snow brought in P.A. Parenteau to make up some of the offensive shortfall, but Parenteau was unceremoniously waived at the end of training camp and played opening night in a Devils jersey.
That leaves big ticket free agent signing Andrew Ladd to pick up the slack. He’ll ride shotgun for Tavares and play opposite Josh Bailey, creating the Islanders one truly dangerous combination. That’s not to say that there’s no talent in the bottom-nine: Ryan Strome, Brock Nelson, and Anders Lee have all scored at the NHL level, and rookie Anthony Beauvillier has the pedigree for it. What remains to be seen is if Jack Capuano can sum those parts into something that can withstand the depth the Canadiens have demonstrated so far.
That depth will have to find a way to solve a defensive corps with some solid veteran influences, including the likes of Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy, and Travis Hamonic. Those names aside, however, New York’s real lynchpin tonight may be Jaroslav Halak.
Al Montoya will start in the Canadiens’ crease this evening, depriving us of an opportunity to resurrect the Price-Halak narrative, but if Montoya can keep up the superlative play he’s managed early this season, he may just turn in a passable impression of the Habs’ superstar keeper anyway.
With the prohibitive favourites for the Atlantic division, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in town tomorrow, it won’t be long before the Habs are forced to submit to the type of test they haven’t had to take yet this season. But if they can challenge Halak, and stop the Islanders bottom-nine from getting to Montoya, they should be in a great position to pick up two more points before the going gets tougher.
