On December 16, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, and Christian Dvorak all scored against the New York Islanders. It’s also possible that they were all overdue, with Caufield last scoring on November 29, 2023, Dvorak on November 7, and Anderson last scoring (non-empty-net goal) on March 14, last season.
Granted, it was only an empty-net goal for Dvorak, but beggars can’t be choosers, including Canadiens fans who are desperate for good news. And, with the Habs largely failing to capitalize on an especially easy stretch of their schedule leading up to the holidays, the three Habs mentioned above aren’t the only ones who have struggled. Here are the most likely to break out of their slumps next:
5. Ylonen, Jesse
Jesse Ylonen’s two-goal performance against the Vegas Golden Knights on November 16th seems like an eternity ago. In reality, he has 14 goals in 14 games, with those two being his last. There had been calls for head coach Martin St. Louis to give him more ice time, which he did almost immediately. However, he has effectively kept Ylonen in the bottom six, which has obviously limited his scoring opportunities.
So it’s not all on Ylonen, who has a few assists since then (this piece focuses primarily on skaters who have failed to score goals due to slumps). It’s difficult to blame Ylonen for receiving only a third-from-last 10:28 of ice time. Few fans are lamenting Michael Pezzetta’s goalless streak of 12 games (7:55), because that is simply not his role. So it’s almost a given that everyone is hoping for more from Ylonen. It might not be in the cards right now.
4. Jake Allen
In goalie Jake Allen’s defense, his.901 save percentage (SV%) is higher than his.891 from last season. He is, however, outperformed by Samuel Montembeault (.911) and even Cayden Primeau (.902).
In fact, Allen is the only one of the three who isn’t at least.500 (3-6-2). That brings us to the fact that he hasn’t won since Oct. 28, despite starting the season with a 3-0-1 record and.930 SV% (along with Molson Cup honors for October).
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice his stats are declining. He’s had some good games, including one against the Nashville Predators on December 10th, when he only allowed two goals. Despite the fact that the Habs have scored just 14 goals during his seven-game losing streak, the overall problem is clearly not a lack of run support.
Finally, Allen is a good backup goalie, but if goals saved above expectations is a reason the Canadiens extended Montembeault, then Allen should be the odd man out. Combined with his contract, he simply does not have as much to offer as Primeau, who is only 24.
It’s entirely possible that Allen will break his slump in the near future by winning. However, looking at his entire tenure with the Canadiens, he’s been on a downward statistical trend for a few seasons, and it’s logical that his decent save percentage right now falls lower as well (if the Habs don’t manage to trade him before then to put an end to their long-awaited three-goalie rotation).
3. Brendan Gallagher
Brendan Gallagher is now, at the very least, doing everything correctly. So, despite the fact that he hasn’t scored since Nov. 11, a span of 17 games as of Monday, he is getting chances. For example, against the Islanders on December 16, he was in front of the net looking for rebounds as usual and came within inches of scoring only to be denied by Alexander Romanov’s skate blade.
Part of the disappointment surrounding Gallagher’s cold streak stems from how well he started the season. He had seven points in his first 11 games, which reminded me of peak Gallagher. Fans must rethink their expectations for him in real time, given that he has only 49 points in his last three regular seasons (123 games). It’s reassuring to know he’s driving the play like the old Gallagher, even if he can’t finish it like he used to.
2. Mike Matheson is number
Mike Matheson is still producing, albeit not to the same extent as before, with 20 points in 30 games this season, but only five in his last 11. To find the last time he scored, you’d have to go back 12 years. However, with five goals already this season (and a career high of 11), it’s difficult to get too worked up about him. Finally, no one should be concerned about the defenseman’s scoring ability. After all, he is a defenseman, as stated in the previous sentence.
1. Slafkovsky, Juraj
To some extent, no one should be concerned about sophomore Juraj Slafkovsky’s scoring, even if it’s all too easy to believe that first-round picks should be putting up more points at this stage of their careers. That is not always the case. Ideally, he’d be scoring more points, but that’s not the same thing.
Slafkovsky’s draft in 2022 was obviously not as talented as others in the past that featured elite if not outright generational talent at the top. So, while there are legitimate concerns that he has only two goals on the season, none since Nov. 18, what fans should be concerned about is whether or not the Canadiens are developing him properly.
Those concerns should be alleviated now that he is back on the top line with Caufield and Nick Suzuki in St. Louis. More importantly, they should be encouraged by how he’s been contributing, including a crucial assist against the Islanders.
Obviously, the hope is and should be that Slafkovsky accumulates more points and goals than his current totals of eight and two. However, if he continues to play like he has on the top line, it’s a safe bet he’ll score sooner rather than later (and, more importantly, regularly).
Given that many expected Slafkovsky to play with the duo when he was drafted, his performance has been a source of optimism. Some might even argue that it’s where he belongs. It’s debatable whether he should stay there. If he does, opportunities (and goals) will present themselves.
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