Sitting at the bottom of the NHL standings, the Montreal Canadiens are not a particularly good team right now.
That said, a handful of Habs players are quietly standing out among the league’s advanced stats leaders.
Let us explain.
NHL Edge, the league’s advanced stats directory, recently released data for the first quarter of the 2024-25 season, and some surprising names from the Canadiens are near the top in a few specific metrics.
Take Josh Anderson, for example. He’s averaging an impressive 15.2 speed bursts above 20 mph per 60 minutes. That’s just two and a half fewer than Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who regularly flies from end to end.
But Anderson is not the only Canadiens forward in the top 20. Rookie Emil Heineman has been turning heads in the forechecking department, too. According to NHL Edge, Heineman averages 1.8 speed bursts above 22 mph per 60 minutes. Anderson is right behind him at 1.7, with McDavid topping that category at a ridiculous 3.6.
NHL Edge (@JFreshHockey/X)
Over on defence, two Canadiens blueliners appear among the top 20 fastest in the league.
Mike Matheson, a notoriously smooth skater, ranks seventh on the “Top Speed” leaderboard with a recorded velocity of 23.2 mph. Jacob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes holds the No. 1 spot at 24.2 mph.
Meanwhile, potential Calder Trophy candidate Lane Hutson is averaging 22.4 speed bursts above 18 mph per 60 minutes, good for eighth in the league among defencemen.
NHL Edge (@JFreshHockey/X)
So, how do the Habs look as a team on the league-wide speed charts?
With 38 22+ mph bursts recorded this season, the Habs are miles ahead of the league average of 23.6, putting them in the 93rd percentile.
Unfortunately for Montreal, hockey is not a race. And as recent games have shown, they’ll need to improve in other departments if they want to add to their win column.
Coming off two straight road losses, the Habs will be back in action on Tuesday with a home game against the New York Islanders.