Heading into New Jersey on Thursday night, the Montreal Canadiens had won only four of their first 13 games. It isn’t just the losses that are discouraging. Montreal has the worst differential in the league, allowing 18 more goals than they have scored.
They added to that total with a 5-3 loss to the Devils.
Wilde Horses
One of the most reliable NHL rarities is that a forward does not get his second wind at 32. It appeared Brendan Gallagher’s career was in the cool-down stage with a lot of seasons left on a six-year contract. It seemed like he was a long way from his career best 33 goals in 2019.
Last season, Gallagher got his sixth goal of the season on Jan. 6th. This season, he got number six on Nov. 7th. Gallagher jumped on a rebound to bring the Canadiens to within one late in the second period.
For a player written off even halfway through last season, Gallagher has responded that he has no interest in that script regardless of his age. Only Cole Caufield has more goals this season than Gallagher, with 10 on the season.
By the way, Gallagher’s contract ends in the spring of 2027. Wonder if he will sign another one? He will be 35. He’s been counted out ever since he was drafted in the fifth round in 2010. Don’t bet against him.
There was one other standout in the contest as Alex Newhook played like the forward that the Canadiens traded for. The key for Newhook is he has great speed, but he has to keep that stride going. It’s not enough to be a speed merchant and use that speed to arrive at the defender, but then glide.
Newhook scored on an end-to-end rush where he just kept on striding hard when he got to the Devils defenders. He blew right by them with his tremendous speed, then flipped it in for his second of the night.
Watch for Newhook glide or stride. When he is gliding, he’s easily defendable. When he is striding, he is a handful.
Wilde Goats
In the history of the NHL there has never been a two-year rebuild. Somehow, though, it’s news to everyone early in season three that the rebuild isn’t over. The rebuild is at month 25 of 60, if history is our guide.
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The horrible nights are still going to continue for a long time. The Canadiens have four defenders who have just started their careers. They are all highly-ranked defenders, but they are learning. They need season after season of experience before they will find their peak.
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On the second goal against, Kaiden Guhle won the puck behind the net. Guhle had it on his stick with two players on him. He chose to stickhandle. Just that little action and his opportunity to clear the puck was gone. Guhle turned it over. One pass later, it was in the net.
The point is that Guhle will learn from that moment, even though it is likely that he will make the same error many times before it takes. Guhle will be a a first- or second-pair defender in this league. He will perhaps even be an all-star playing for Canada one day.
He already has played for Canada at the junior level. He was the MVP of the Western Hockey League playoffs for the Edmonton Oil Kings after being drafted midway through the first round. Guhle will be a great one. Right now, he is far from that.
Guhle is the same as Jayden Struble, as Lane Hutson, as Logan Mailloux, as Arber Xhekaj, as Justin Barron. Every one of these players were among the best as juniors and collegians. They have the pedigree that makes us believe in their greatness. They were great at lower levels. They are simply learning this level.
Patience is required for many seasons. If you are sitting back and getting incensed that they are not winning, remind yourself that there is no such thing as a two-year rebuild. If a GM manages a five-year rebuild, that’s been a tremendous rebuild.
Go check the Buffalo Sabres playoff record for the last decade. Check how the Detroit Red Wings are doing. Check how the Ottawa Senators rebuild is going. Those three clubs last made the playoffs in 2011, 2016, and 2017. And you’re fed up already?
The best rebuilds of this century are the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers. Both of those rebuilds, they moved up the standings in season five. The Hawks won three cups. The Rangers have the tools to win cups as well.
There are tremendous seeds of growth in the Canadiens’ rebuild. They have stockpiled a remarkable amount of talent. They have all of the components nailed down, except one.
On defence, it is just about maturity. At forward, Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage are to come. In goal, Jacob Fowler is a top hope. The only question mark remains at centre where the club is in search of one more top talent. That could be taken care of this draft when the Canadiens have two first-round picks.
Look for the young players to begin to improve as soon as January. The rebuild low could be the first three months of season three, and that wouldn’t be surprising looking at history.
The greater fear is that this group rises up and out before actually getting all of the components. They need that top-ranked centre, or the rebuild will resemble those clubs that don’t actually rise to the top, but just keep rebuilding like Buffalo or Detroit.
The goal this season shouldn’t be ‘in the mix’. It should be make sure that first line centre has been drafted. Without that star component, it will be the teams with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl that go far, not the teams with Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans.
Wilde Cards
There are many Canadiens prospects who are on the cusp of figuring it out at the NHL level, but are not quite yet there. It’s normal. Oliver Kapanen is in that group. After a strong camp, Kapanen earned a job with the Canadiens, but slowly, as it often does, the games started to run together and Kapanen started to feel the energy required was just too much.
The game and then games can move quickly when a player is close, but not quite there. The mind gets full when the play moves fast. Kapanen will figure it out, but, for now, a move back to Europe after 12 NHL games was the right choice made by the Canadiens on Wednesday.
Kapanen can now begin to work on those aspects of the game that he felt weren’t quite NHL level in this stint. He’s a strong player and he will be a good pro. His first try to be an NHLer went extremely well. He’s only 21 years of age. A spot at centre at Timra in the Swedish League will be perfect.
Eventually, it’s easy to see Kapanen as one of the centres of the future. He has a strong defensive bias to his game and some offensive skills to help out occasionally as well. It’s easy to see Kapanen and Owen Beck as centres on lines three and four when the rebuild has concluded.
It will be a strong centre group as long as someone finally is found as a complement for Nick Suzuki.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.
