2014-15 record: 50-22-10 (110 points)
Lost to Tampa Bay in Conference semi-finals
Captain: TBA
Entering the playoffs last season, it was expected that the Montreal Canadiens would make a deep run to the Stanley Cup Finals, with some even picking them to win it all. However, an anemic offense and a Tampa Bay Lightning team that solved Carey Price and the defense long enough to win undid a sterling 110-point season by the Canadiens. You can pretty much expect the same from this year's Canadiens. Outside of Alex Semin and Zack Kassian, both of whom flamed out in previous stops, that 20th ranked offense and 23rd ranked power play doesn't figure to budge much. Yes, there's Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, and PK Subban, but who else will be scoring on a regular basis? While contributions from Tomas Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk are nice, the scoring depth is rather thin. Defensively, the Canadiens have no such problem, as they were the best defense in the league and it begins with a blue line crew featuring Subban, Jeff Petry, and Andrei Markov and ends with Carey Price, who took home four trophies including the Hart Trophy.
The Canadiens are still rather small up front, though the addition of Kassian and the emergence of Jacob De La Rose helps in this regard. However, if either Nikita Scherbak or Michael McCarron make the roster, it would not only add more size, but also scoring, as Scherbak is immensely talented while McCarron can make his living in front of the net.
Prediction: 3rd in the Atlantic Division
Unless some key players find the scoring touch that has eluded the Canadiens, it will be up to Price and the defense to keep the team in games most nights. And woe be the Canadiens should Pacioretty goes down due to injury.
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