They say the NHL is a copycat league. So, the Montreal Canadiens can probably stand to take some notes, looking at the final four teams of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
True, it wasn’t that long ago the Habs were where the Colorado Avalanche, for example, are right now, having punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final. However, one look at their respective rosters will reveal huge differences in the make-ups of each team.
Ultimately, the Canadiens’ success last playoffs, while earned, was very much unsustainable. Look no further for proof than how they were led on defense by the now-“retired” Shea Weber and from the net out by Carey Price, whose future is shrouded in uncertainty. Truth be told, Price could retire shortly himself.
After falling from the Final all the way to last place in the entire league in 2021-22, the Canadiens are rebuilding. They clearly have some of the right pieces in place, but are also likely at least a few years away from contending again. Here are key takeaways from each semi-finalist from which general manager Kent Hughes (and executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton) can take inspiration:
Edmonton Oilers – Draft Connor McDavid
It obviously helps to have one of the best players on the planet (if not the absolute best) in Connor McDavid (who literally scored the same amount of points these playoffs than Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews has in his entire postseason career). However, the Oilers are much more than a single player.
Including McDavid, they’ve got seven homegrown top-10 picks on the roster: Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jesse Puljujarvi, Darnell Nurse, Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg. That’s not even…
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