by Shannon Penfound, Staff Writer and Event Coordinator, All Habs Hockey Magazine

WINNIPEG, MB. — It seems like just yesterday we were watching training camp scrimmages and making predictions about how the 2014-2015 NHL season would unfold, and yet here we are, just days away from the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It has been an eventful year, with plenty to celebrate and also a few things to complain about. So, in preparation for the playoffs, let’s take a look at how the Montreal Canadiens fared this season.

Negatives

Defense Issues

It’s no surprise that the Habs’ defensive issues make the list. While the team certainly seems to have quite a surplus of defensemen to choose from, it wasn’t until the trade deadline that fans got a glimpse of a strong addition to the blue line. Jeff Petry has been a wonderful pick-up, netting two goals and three assists in his past five games. Prior to Petry, the Habs had one top pairing in P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov, while the other pairings were certainly questionable at times. Thankfully, youngsters Nathan Beaulieu and Greg Pateryn have more than proved their worth to the team, and we have seen Michel Therrien and the coaching staff lean on these players at certain times throughout the season. Both will be a big part of this team in years to come and many fans hope to see a contract extended Petry’s way this summer.

Offensive Woes

All Habs fans know that left-winger Max Pacioretty is the team ‘goal-scorer.’ With 37 goals this season, 67 points overall, and a deceptively smooth shot, Pacioretty is once again proving why he’s top-line material. Unfortunately, the Canadiens still lack a top-line right-winger to support Pacioretty, something many fans hoped Marc Bergevin would go after prior to the trade deadline. Fans also continue to argue against David Desharnais’ ability as a top-line centre. If the Habs had another top-scorer, or a top-line centre who wasn’t afraid to shoot the puck, perhaps their Shots / Games Played average would be better than 26^th in the league. Tomas Plekanec (24), Brendan Gallagher (24), and Alex Galchenyuk (20) follow Pacioretty in goals for the season.  While their numbers are respectable, the Habs still average a 2.59 goal per game, ranking them at 22nd in the league.

The Blender

If there is one thing the Canadiens’ coaching staff does well, it’s keep the players and the fans on their toes. Each week, heck, even during many games, we see line changes in order to generate some sort of undiscovered ‘spark’ amongst the players. I touched on this problem here already, so I won’t get into too much detail. But the reality is that teams who have set lines actually have a stronger performance throughout a season and into the playoffs.

Positives

Group Dynamics

I’ve written about the importance of maintaining strong group dynamics in team sports and the Montreal Canadiens seem to do this quite well. With the social media team engaging players in fun things like ‘The Duel,’ the fans are able to get an inside look at how the guys interact with one another. The team also faced its share of heartache this season with the loss of three former greats, Jean Beliveau, Elmer Lach, and most recently, Dollard St-Laurent. All three men influenced the game of hockey and the Montreal Canadiens organization in their own ways. The current roster stood together in mourning and showed their support, not only for the families of these wonderful men, but for one another.

Young Blood

I have already touched on Beaulieu and Pateryn showing off their worth to this team, but I also want to take a minute to discuss some of the other players who impressed over the season. Jacob de la Rose may not have a pile of points to show for his 31 games with the club this season, but this defensively-talented forward has consistently shown up to each and every game. His hockey sense and ability to read the play is helping this young player make a name for himself within the fan base. He is only 19 years old.

Did you really think I would leave out the Gally’s? Brendan Gallagher (22) and Alex Galchenyuk (21) have both been regulars on the Canadiens’ bench since the 2012-2013 season. These two contribute to the team in different ways, whether pushing the net and being a constant thorn in the opposition’s side, or breaking opposition’s ankles with some of the most amazing stick-work I have ever seen. Both of the Gally’s have had another outstanding season, further proving how important they are to the team. Gallagher signed a six-year contract in November of 2014 and I think we can expect something similar for Galchenyuk during the offseason.

Carey Price

I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said . Carey Price leads the league in GAA (1.93), SV% (.935), wins (42, tying both Jacques Plante & Ken Dryden for most wins in a season), and shutouts (tied with Marc-Andre Fleury and Braden Holtby at nine). He is the calmest goaltender I have ever seen, somehow managing to keep his composure even in the most stressful of situations. Price is the backbone of this team and I don’t think that anyone could argue against that, particularly this year. More than this, Price is an upstanding influence in the community and always takes the time for his fans. He has, perhaps unknowingly, made himself the face of this Canadiens organization. I, for one, could not be more proud of him and all of his achievements this year.

So with the playoffs quickly approaching, I want to know: what are your highlights from the season? Where does the team need to improve for the future? Most of all, are you ready for an exciting spring? The final drive for 25 begins shortly.