Written by Steven Ellis, AllHabs.net
OAKVILLE, ON.– It’s not a secret. Montreal has struggled.
Whether it be injuries, inconsistency, or lack of communication, the Montreal Canadiens have had a tough season so far. After 15 games, Montreal was only able to win six times, totaling 14 points.
But could success be far off for the NHL’s most storied franchise?
Scott Gomez returns on Saturday to face the Nashville Predators from an injury that cost him 11 games . Okay, I know, Gomez is as effective as a fourth liner. And that’s where he will likely line-up to start the game if practise is any indication.
In my opinion that’s where Gomez belongs, and he will be matched with Petteri Nokelainen and Michael Blunden. Yes, he has played terrible for Montreal, and Gomez is unlikely to see the 40 point plateau this season.
With a player who tallied 38 points on the fourth line, does it mean that Montreal has forward depth? Or does it show that Gomez has lost his status as a second line center? Either way, he’s back, and will create more offense than Blunden can with the coaching staff limiting his ice-time to below one minute in some games.
At the other end of the ice, the defense have pulled it together. They started off looking like a bunch of peewee players chasing, or ignoring the puck. But there has been a big improvement during their winning streak.
In my opinion, Raphael Diaz has shown that he is ready to handle hockey at the NHL-level and operate with a level of poise you’d expect from someone who has played in the league for years. Some thought that Alexei Emelin would be the sixth defenseman in Montreal. Even though Diaz hasn’t had any outstanding performances so far, he has played better then Emelin and will likely stay with the team until Andrei Markov and Chris Campoli return.
Speaking of those two, Montreal would have been much higher in the standings if they weren’t sitting at home playing NHL 12. 
Campoli was brought in to bring some back end insurance because of the injury to Markov, but it only took one game until Campoli was sidelined for several months. That same day, Jeff Woywitka was claimed on waivers by the Rangers. All of a sudden, Montreal lost some important help in its own zone.
Campoli signed for $1.75 million, so the mobile defenseman wasn’t too much of a risk. He will only make the blue line better when he returns.
Markov, once the best player on the Canadiens, hasn’t played more then 45 games the the last three seasons (2008-2011). On November 13, 2010, Markov went down awkwardly into the boards after a knee-to-knee hit with Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal.
Markov underwent surgery December 8 and would miss the remainder of the season. Almost a year later, Markov has still yet to return to action, and may never be the same once he returns. Nobody knows how well he will play when he returns, but if he could return to his old form, he can be an All-Star worthy defenseman.
The rest of the defensive core has been solid as well. Yannick Weber has contributed crucial goals on the power play, and he’s improved tremendously in his own end. Jaroslav Spacek came to camp in excellent shape and he’s quickly proven that the Canadiens benefit more from his presence than his absence — particularly for shot blocking.
Josh Gorges doesn’t score often – 10 goals in 425 regular-season and play-off games, but the last two goals he has scored have been game winners. A fan favourite for his flashy moves rushing the puck up ice and his ability to get in your face, P.K. Subban has been guilty of some glaring defensive gaffes as the Canadiens struggled to win games, but at only 22 years old, he still has time to learn from his mistakes. Hal Gill has been Hal Gill, a big shutdown defenseman. Montreal has a strong defensive core, and once the two injured defensemen come back, they will be even better.
Montreal dominates their competition when it comes to shots almost every game, but the offense isn’t always there. The team has seen some strong performances from Tomas Plekanec, Max Pacioretty, Brian Gionta and David Desharnais so far, but are still looking for production from Michael Cammalleri and Erik Cole. Cammalleri isn’t able to produce the point totals he could with the LA Kings and Calgary Flames. Mind you, Cammalleri played with Jarome Iginla when he had 82 points with the Calgary Flames in 2008–’09. He has shown potential, but for now Cammalleri is out with a lower-body injury.
Carey Price is no question the best player on the team, and one of the best goalies in the league. He hasn’t played particularly bad this season, but so far he hasn’t proved he is a Vezina candidate. The season is still young, and there is no question he will be a top contender when the games start to matter. A few rests here and there will make sure he isn’t too fatigued once Montreal makes the playoffs. There is no doubt the goaltenders will get the job done.
So, Habs fans, don’t fret. Yes, Ottawa and Toronto are both ahead of the Canadiens, but take a look at the standings. The Habs are only one point behind the ninth place Devils, so it’s not like they are the only bad team in the league. In my opinion, Montreal is one more strong offensive threat away from being a serious contender in the spring time.
The team needs more out of guys like Gomez, Cammalleri, Cole and Subban. Montreal could always target someone Alex Semin, a highly skilled winger who has excelled with Alex Ovechkin and Nik Backstrom. He could bring so much out of Cole and Cammy, and help put pucks in the net.
What would it take to get him? Who knows?
Good times are ahead for Montreal. Be excited.
Follow me on twitter, @StevenEllisNHL.
