Despite the overwhelming hype, Montreal Canadiens defender Lane Hutson was left behind the list of the most overrated Canadiens players on their way to 2024-25. The thinking process was that he should be “far from an honest game of criticism” as a 20-year-old, especially one with only two NHL games in his name at that time on time.
Of course there was the possibility that Hutson would meet the elevated expectations of both Canadiens and analysts, as unlikely as it seemed. He ended extraordinary Winning them by winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie in the competition.
Because of the same token, Ivan Demidov, who is expected to have to deal with the Calder in the same way, was not taken into account for this year’s list, because the Canadiens will go in 2025-26. Here are the three who made it instead, arranged in increasing order of probability that they do not meet increased expectations:
3. Sam Montembeault
This is not the first time that goalkeeper Sam Montembeault made this list. However, it is the first time he made it after he has impressively established himself as an NHL starter (after he had once received it from a distance). And, the honor of him, he has earned that level of legitimacy, at least, after a ranking in the top five of the entire competition in goals that have been saved above (by Moneyypuck.com).
It is when Tsn.ca Analyst Travis Yost Install Montembeault (and Back -Up Jakub Dobes) in the second of five levels, rank each of the 32 teams in the NHL in terms of goal convening, which get renewed expectations. At the end of the day, Montembeault has been very good, but because he has a career .899 Save percentage (sv%; .902 last season), it is difficult to justify every suggestion that he is at the same level when someone like Andrei Vasilevskiy (.917) of the Tampa Bay Lighterning of Jakeslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslasslassellinger
Montembeault has made the face-off team of the Canadian 4 countries. He may not have seen a game action, but he still deserved the honor, despite a politically charged argument of the opposite. He further justified his selection by earning a .928 SV% in his first seven games immediately after the NHL schedule was resumed. Of course, based on his general Stat line, you can probably guess how he did it statistically from that moment, while the Canadiens used him over the play.
Ultimately, Montembeault, with references to be rightly seen as the weak point of the country, did not arrive as something other than the aforementioned starter in which he has developed. Until he develops more consistency and endurance, he simply has to prove more before he can really be considered elite. Until that time, “average” must do. Fortunately, Montembeault should not be a care prize to win everything. “On average” does it historically fine, at least when playing behind above -average teams.
2. Sammy Blais
When the Canadiens Sammy Blais signed this summer as an unlimited free agent, two things became clear:
- General Manager and former player agent Kent Hughes loves signing Former customers.
- The Habs took suggestions that they needed to be bigger to find more success in the Stanley Cup -Play -offs after they have been defeated by Tom Wilson and the Washington Capitals in five games in round 1.
Although that story is demonstrably emphasized to an error, with the Canadiens that have actually surpassed the capitals in the series, there is no mistake by Blais as a 6-foot-2 striker (210 pounds) known as “An aggressive pre -checker who likes to hit. “It is also easy to see him fit as a potential 13th attacker, as Michael Pezzetta did in recent years.
1. Josh Anderson
One reason why the Canadiens do not need blais is Josh Anderson. The 6-foot-3 forward (226 pounds) has a well-deserved reputation to throw its weight and a non-so-earned reputation to contribute an important secondary violation.
While defender Arber Xhekaj gets the honor to help the series to turn against the capitals around (or simply gives the Habs the chance to actually win) thanks to his physicality when inserted in the line-up in game 3, Anderson has also contributed a lot to that 6-3 victory (to reduce the shortage to 2-1). It was just by helping Wilson to control, instead of the aforementioned violation, which has become a bit exaggerated.
Just like Montembeault, Anderson made this list earlier. However, he remained on the way to 2024-25, after he had just suffered a 20-point campaign. It almost suddenly became clear that Anderson was simply not the top-six attacker in which the team tried to transform him since he had taken over before 2020-21. However, there should be nothing suddenly about it, based on the several 40-point season to his name (2018-19 with the Columbus Blue Jackets) and how he has never scored more than 32 since then.
An admitted threat of 20 goals If he has deployed favorably alongside Star Talent, Anderson seized a respectable 15 last season. However, it would be a mistake when:
- He only scored seven more points compared to his generally recognized as terrible 2023-24 and
- He only achieved what he did after the Canadiens seemed to recognize his real niche as a front front front.
Anderson is of course valuable. And it is proof of the overall power of the team that he has to take first place here when he has the potential to become a key trade player for the Canadiens during the remaining two years of his contract. With a cap -hit of $ 5.5 million, however, he would have to contribute more than he and realistic, now at the age of 31.
Related: Most underrated Montreal Canadiens before 2025-26
With that no one should read too much in Anderson’s decent 2024-25. He is not going to transform into a top-six wing player in this phase of his career, especially when the Canadiens have as much depth in advance as they do. It is depth that Anderson naturally contributes, but even more in the third line role that he probably should have always had to play.
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