Ranking the top 4 Montreal Canadiens off-season acquisitions (so far)

Aug 15 2022, 3:43 pm

Since hosting the NHL Entry Draft back in July, the Montreal Canadiens have made a handful of roster-altering moves.

With the recent departure of veteran figures such as Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, and Ben Chiarot along with young assets like Alexander Romanov and Ryan Poehling, General Manager Kent Hughes appears to be rebuilding the team’s identity. And he’s probably not done yet.

Another trade is likely to occur before the pre-season starts. In the meantime, we figured it was time to rank and assess four of the team’s most important recent acquisitions.

4) Evgenii Dadonov

While he was acquired through a mutual cap dump trade between the Habs and Vegas Golden Knights, Evgenii Dadonov is expected to regularly suit up for Montreal this year.

The 33-year-old Russian forward, who recorded 43 points in 78 games in the 2021-22 season, may still have some gas in the tank. Dadonov was at his best during the 2017-2018 season as a member of the Florida Panthers. That year he netted 28 goals and 65 points over 74 games.

If things go well for him, he has the capacity to be a pleasant surprise for both fans and management.

3) Mike Matheson

While he was an important enough part of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ defensive core, Mike Matheson will have even bigger skates to fill when he makes his debut in Montreal.

The Quebec native, who had 22 points last year, will find himself playing top minutes with the Habs as the season approaches since the left-handed defenceman is the only major blue-line acquisition from this off-season. As for departures, everyone except David Savard, Justin Barron, Joel Edmundson, and Chris Wideman are gone.

Many wonder whether the Canadiens will make one more trade or signing in order to spruce up the D-core before the puck drops.

2) Kirby Dach

Shortly after making the first overall selection at the draft, the Canadiens shook things up again by announcing not one, but two major trades.

The Habs first sent defencemanĀ Alexander Romanov and the 98th overall pick at this yearā€™s draftĀ to the New York Islanders for the 13th overall pick. They followed this by trading the 13th and 66th overall picks to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for centreman Kirby Dach.

While he was selected third overall in the 2019 draft, the 21-year-old has not yet lived up to his offensive potential, scoring 19 goals and 40 points over 152 NHL games. After paying a heavy price to acquire him, the Canadiens are hoping that the skilled 6’4″ centre can finally turn his game around and flourish under head coach Martin St. Louis.

If there’s chemistry there, Dach can excel.

1) Juraj Slafkovsky

Many Canadiens fans were surprised when the team selected Juraj Slafkovsky over Shane Wright at this year’s draft, but upon taking a closer look at the young Slovakian’s resume, the skeptics are finally coming around.

The 18-year-old was named MVP at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, leading the tournament with seven goals in seven games, helping his country net a bronze medal. He also played for Slovakia at the 2022 World Championship, leading all under-20 scorers with nine points (three goals, six assists) in eight games. In August, he became the youngest player to win the Slovakian Player of the Year award.

NHL Hall-of-Famer and fellow countryman Marian Hossa also had kinds words for the prospect. “He is ready to start the season with the best players in the world. Throughout the season, he will learn and improve. I donā€™t see a problem in his game,” said Hossa. “In my opinion, he will catch on immediately.ā€

If he’s right, Montreal may just have a bonafide superstar on their hands.

Al SciolaAl Sciola

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