If expectations weren’t high enough, General Manager Marc Bergevin went on an offseason shopping spree that started by signing Brendan Gallagher to a six-year, $39 million contract extension in October. Montreal acquired Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues to be Price’s backup. They traded restricted free agent center Max Domi to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Josh Anderson. They also acquired defenseman Joel Edmundson from the Carolina Hurricanes and inked free agents Corey Perry and Michael Frolik to identical one-year, $750,000 contracts. But the biggest impact has been from free agent Tyler Toffoli, a top-six forward that immediately unlocked the scoring depth Montreal sorely needed.
Before Toffoli’s arrival, the Canadiens only scoring threat was from their top line of Gallagher, Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar. That trio outscored opponents 36 to 25 at even strength and gave the team a 161-to-94 edge in high-danger scoring chances, those shots originating in the slot or crease. No other regularly used forward line by Montreal scored more than eight even-strength goals. This year, Gallagher’s line has outscored opponents 5 to 2 at even strength and Toffoli’s line, which typically includes Joel Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, has outscored opponents 5 to 1 at even strength. The line featuring Jonathan Drouin, Anderson and Nick Suzuki has also outscored opponents 5 to 2 at even strength. That gives Montreal three forward combinations with a goal differential of plus-3 or better. Only Vancouver has more than one line with that big of a goal differential and 22 other teams don’t have any lines with a positive differential.
“We’ve been able to lean on everybody,” Canadiens Coach Claude Julien said. “There hasn’t been much negative to say about individuals per se because everybody’s brought something to the table and everybody’s contributed in all different ways.”
Toffoli, meanwhile, was tied with a league-leading six goals through Jan. 28, pairing them with three assists, and he has a point in five straight games. He also has nine high-danger scoring chances at even strength with three shots off the rush, per data from Natural Stat Trick. Only Gallagher, Boston’s Craig Smith and Arizona’s Derick Brassard have more rush shot attempts during the 2021 campaign.
Toffoli credits Kotkaniemi for helping him get off to a fast start. The young Finnish center was selected third overall at the 2018 NHL draft and was solid as a rookie, scoring 34 points in 79 games. His subsequent campaign was a bust (eight points in 36 games in 2019-20) and ultimately he was sent to the AHL, but he’s reclaimed his rookie form this year. Kotkaniemi is tied with Toffoli for most even-strength scoring chances produced on the team (17), with seven of those coming from the slot or the crease.
“[Kotkaniemi] is really good on the puck and that’s something that’s good for me,” Toffoli told reporters Tuesday. “The more time we have the puck, the more possession we have, the better because getting open is something I’ve always been good at. He is able to make small moves in tight areas. The more his confidence grows, the more he’s going to shoot the puck and score goals and continue to grow as a player.”
Through their first seven games, the Canadiens are 5-0-2 and were one of four teams that had yet to lose in regulation. Their power play ranked in the top 10 (31 percent, eighth) and only the Vancouver Canucks had more goals scored, albeit with three more games played.
Oddsmakers have also taken notice. Montreal was the tied as the 23rd betting choice to win this year’s Stanley Cup in October at 50-1 odds but has since improved to the 14th choice at 28-1 odds.