After a few years of stockpiling young talent and high draft picks, the Montreal Canadiens’ youth movement is alive and well.
In fact, according to figures from Elite Prospects, the Habs will enter the 2024-25 season as the NHL’s second-youngest team, with an average age of 25.54. Only the Buffalo Sabres (25.38) boast a younger squad ahead of the upcoming NHL campaign.
Elite Prospects
Additionally, Montreal’s 24-man roster, which features an average height of 6-foot-1, has a total of just 6,357 games of NHL experience under their collective belt.
In contrast, experience-heavy teams like the Edmonton Oilers (average age 30.04) and Pittsburgh Penguins (29.52) are built around seasoned players, making them the oldest squads in the league.
The Canadiens’ young pieces aren’t just complementary, though. They are the core. Captain Nick Suzuki (25) and Cole Caufield (23) are already franchise cornerstones, both leading the team offensively upon signing long-term contracts.
Meanwhile, Juraj SlafkovskĂ˝ (20), the Canadiens’ first overall pick in 2022, continues to develop alongside forwards Alex Newhook (23) and Kirby Dach (23), who are both expected to play pivotal roles this season.
On the blue line, the youth movement is just as strong. Kaiden Guhle (22) has emerged as a standout, with support from promising young defencemen like Arber Xhekaj (23), Jayden Struble (23), Justin Barron (22), and Lane Hutson (20).
As the oldest players on the team, Brendan Gallagher (32) and David Savard (33) will continue to provide some much-needed veteran presence in the locker room.
The Canadiens will kick off their 2024-25 campaign at home on October 9 when they face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs.