It’s onerous to name a fiftieth win an enormous milestone. Nevertheless, Montreal Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault simply missed out final season, standing at No. 49 heading into 2024-25. So, it’s at the very least on his private to-do listing, however, coincidentally, the one victory he wants to achieve the half-century mark would additionally tie him with Jake Allen on the crew’s all-time listing (41).
As Montembeault successfully beat out the since-traded Allen for the No. 1 job, that must really feel good. Nevertheless, extra considerably, if he merely ties his win complete of 16 from final season, he’ll tie Jaroslav Halak at No. 21 on the crew’s all-time listing (56). Nevertheless, poised to set new profession highs because the crew’s undisputed No. 1, Montembeault might hit 18 (or extra) to tie (cross) Cristobal Huet and etch his identify into the crew’s Prime 20 all-time goalies (by way of wins).
Even so, Montembeault simply misses out on rating on this listing of the highest milestones inside attain of particular person Canadiens this coming season. Listed here are the highest 5… Canadiens, however not essentially milestones; A number of Habs are in line for multiple:
5. Brendan Gallagher (233th purpose, 457th level)
Based mostly purely on his profession totals, you wouldn’t assume Brendan Gallagher is approaching a major milestone. He’s at 218 objectives and 426 factors in 752 video games. Nevertheless, by advantage of the actual fact he’s performed all these video games with the Canadiens, he’s on the verge of passing a number of greats.
The much less notable of the bunch is 800 video games, which he wants 48 to achieve. After an entire season for all intents and functions final season, that’s out of the blue a sensible plateau for the admittedly oft-injured ahead. Had been he to hit 801 although, Gallagher would tie Jean-Man Talbot for twentieth all-time.
Gallagher can also be on the verge of breaking into the Prime 20 by way of objectives scored. At the moment at No. 22, he want three to tie Man Carbonneau (21), 5 to tie Pete Mahovlich (20), seven to tie Stephane Richer (19) and eight to tie Max Pacioretty (18). Since he scored 16 objectives final season, Gallagher might conceivably go as excessive as Tomas Plekanec (No. 17 with 233).
Equally, after a 31-point season, Gallagher might probably go as excessive as No. 28 on the all-time listing. At the moment at No. 31, he would cross Doug Harvey (447), Max Pacioretty (448) and Pierre Mondou (456) alongside the best way.
4. Nick Suzuki (298th level)
Of notice, Gallagher is at 44 profession power-play objectives at No. 30 all-time. Whereas it’s doable he strikes up considerably, it’s extra lifelike that Nick Suzuki (No. 36 with 38) passes him in a bid to hit 50 in his profession, after scoring 12 in 2023-24. Had been Suzuki to hit the 50-power-play-goal plateau, he’d cross Vincent Damphousse with 49 (No. 22).
Suzuki can also be simply 5 factors away from 100 on the person benefit, tied with Frank Mahovlich at No. 38. If he have been to hit the century mark, he’d additionally cross Yvon Lambert, Ryan Walter, Martin Rucinsky (97) and Pierre Mondou (98) alongside the best way.
Suzuki can also be few away from coming into the crew’s Prime 50 by way of objectives scored (complete). He wants simply eight to tie Johnny Gagnon (116) for the honour. Identical factor for complete factors. One other 11 and he ties Rucinsky at No. 50 with 297. Nevertheless, he continues to chase some extent per sport after scoring a career-high 77 in 82 contests final season. If he does, he might transfer all the best way into the Prime 40, with J.C. Tremblay presently sitting there with 363 factors.
Not for nothing, however Suzuki, the crew’s resident ironman with 373 profession video games performed (straight), can also be at No. 101 on the crew’s all-time listing in that class. So, a shoo-in to maneuver up there he ought to realistically keep wholesome sufficient to vie for the 82 factors (knock on wooden).
3. Mike Matheson (twentieth purpose, one centesimal level with Canadiens)
Milestones are tough. A easy 100 can typically be extra important than a a number of of the determine, the logic being that the primary 100 is tougher to get? In any case, defenseman Mike Matheson hit the century mark by way of factors a very long time in the past, however, having joined the Canadiens forward of the 2022-23 season, he’s on the cusp of reaching the whole as a Hab.
Matheson is presently at No. 37 amongst Canadiens defensemen (96 factors). Leo Lamoureux (98) is the one defenseman standing between him and 100 factors with the crew. Nevertheless, coming off a 62-point season, Matheson most likely has his sights larger up the listing. Current-“retiree” and Hockey Corridor-of-Famer Shea Weber ranks twentieth with 146, which might require simply 50 extra to achieve.
Matheson additionally wants only a single purpose to hit 20 as a member of the Canadiens. That will transfer him into the Prime 40 (defensemen) and tie him Mathieu Dandenault and Lyle Odelein for No. 39 in historical past, whereas a repeat of final season, throughout which he scored 11, would push him into the Prime 30 (with 30).
2. Juraj Slafkovsky, Jake Evans, Kirby Dach (one centesimal level)
By that very same logic, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jake Evans and Kirby Dach rank larger on this listing in pursuit of their one centesimal profession factors (general). Dach is closest with 99. “Safely” assuming he returns to motion in some unspecified time in the future, he ought to accumulate the one level he wants, after scoring simply two to begin final season earlier than struggling his season-ending damage. He clearly made final yr’s listing, with the identical milestone in attain. He simply fell quick and sufferer to circumstance.
Associated: Canadiens Milestone Watch: Habs Set to Hit It Huge in 2023-24
Evans is at 92 profession factors, whereas Slafkovsky, following a break-out 50-point sophomore effort, is at 60. Nevertheless, in some methods, he’s the surest factor of the bunch. Final season Slafkovsky really broke Mario Tremblay’s Canadiens document for probably the most factors in a season by a young person (39) (from ‘Stu Cowan: Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky rising each on and off the ice,’ Montreal Gazette, March 28, 2024).
With a March 30 birthday, the now-20-year-old will at the very least have an opportunity to interrupt Tremblay’s document of 112 factors scored by a Canadiens participant youthful than 21, which can sound extremely area of interest. Nevertheless, it’s actually only a reflection of Slafkovsky’s rising significance to the Habs. The actual fact he’s discovered a house on the highest line proves that and the way he’ll get his likelihood to get the document. Taking part in with Suzuki and Cole Caufield, two 65-point gamers, he’ll definitely get his appears to be like.
1. Cole Caufield, Joel Armia (one centesimal purpose, 2 hundredth level)
That final sentiment, concerning rising significance to the Canadiens, extra precisely describes Caufield than Joel Armia. Nevertheless, each gamers discover themselves in the identical state of affairs, on the verge of scoring their one centesimal profession objectives (and 2 hundredth factors). Coming off a 65-point season, Caufield is at 81 objectives and 149 factors in his profession. For his half, Armia is at 92 objectives and 178 factors.
To get to 100, Caufield, having clearly spent his total profession with the Canadiens, would cross a slew of notable names. He’s presently tied with Brian Bellows at No. 80 on the all-time listing. Chris Higgins is at No. 77 (84). Mike Keane is at No. 72 (90). Brian Gionta and Claude Lemieux are at No. 66 (purely coincidentally within the latter’s case; 97). Richard Zednik is at No. 65 (98). Andrei Kostitsyn is at No. 64 (99). Serge Savard is at No. 63 (100).
With seven game-winning objectives final season, Caufield can also be at 15 in his profession already (No. 64). He wants simply three to maneuver into the Prime 50 and 4 to hit 20 and transfer into the Prime 40, with Alexei Kovalev, Don Marshall, Floyd Curry, Man Lapointe and Andrei Markov every tied at No. 39 with that a lot.
As an extra testomony to his capacity to attain game-winning objectives, Caufield is already tied for fourth with seven profession additional time objectives. Max Pacioretty holds the crew document with 10. Caufield scored three final season, in order that’s inside attain too.
To not be outdone, despite the fact that he’s, Armia (and Josh Anderson) are tied with Erwin Chamberlain with 66 profession objectives with the Canadiens. A single purpose would transfer them each into the Prime 100, tied with Yanic Perreault. Particularly with regard to Armia, who’s a penalty-killing specialist, he’s presently received 9 shorthanded objectives with the Canadiens, tied with Frank Mahovlich. Had been he to get even a single purpose extra, he’d transfer into ninth placewith 10, right into a four-way tie with Martin Rucinsky, Benoit Brunet and Jim Roberts.
In fact, Armia is on the block as a pending unrestricted free agent. So, he might get traded earlier than hitting his marks. And, to be utterly truthful, centre Christian Dvorak is at 93 profession objectives (and 452 profession video games). Nevertheless, he too might probably be traded… ideally will get traded earlier than the beginning of the season to make extra room on the roster and down the center particularly.
Technically, the identical is true of nearly everybody (minus Gallagher, who has a no-movement clause). Nevertheless, even when the playoffs will logically stay out of attain, Canadiens followers will definitely have a lot to observe for in 2024-25, whether or not it’s on the milestone, storyline or commerce fronts. It’s shaping as much as be a momentous season, at the very least for a number of Habs, individually talking. The extra that attain their milestones, the likelier it turns into a profitable season for the group as an entire.
