According to Stu Cowan, the Habs’ young stars will only get better

Jonathan Di Gregorio
According to Stu Cowan, the Habs’ young stars will only get better
Credit: Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Things are going well for the Canadiens these days, both as a team and individually.

The team is currently in the midst of a seven-game winning streak, while the players are chasing several personal offensive milestones, starting with Cole Caufield's 50th goal of the season.

In addition, the Habs are currently fighting to finish atop their division, as the team is virtually guaranteed a playoff spot and can afford to look ahead to the rest of the season.

And according to Stu Cowan, who published an article in The Gazette discussing the situation with Mike Johnson, the Habs are far from reaching their full potential.

What impresses Johnson—who wore the Habs' colors during the 2006-07 season—most is that our best players are already among the best in the NHL, and they continue to improve.

Among our core, two players are really hitting their prime at age 26: Nick Suzuki and Noah Dobson. The former is on track for a 100-point season, while the latter could score 50 points and lead the NHL in blocked shots.

Then there's Cole Caufield, who, at 25, is set to become the first Habs player to score 50 goals in ages. What's stopping him from repeating the feat for the next five seasons?

Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and Oliver Kapanen are all 22, and Ivan Demidov is just 20, yet they're already playing key roles in the Montreal club's success.

Not to mention that our two goalies, Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler, are 24 and 21, respectively.

And need I remind you that a certain Michael Hage could be joining the Habs soon?

Johnson is particularly impressed by Slafkovsky's progress, as he has truly taken his game to the next level this season. He especially likes the way the Habs forward imposes himself physically on the ice.

In short, as is often said, the present AND the future look very promising in Montreal, as the Canadiens are poised to be among the NHL's elite for years to come.

Now, it remains to be seen whether these regular-season successes can be replicated in the postseason.


In a nutshell

– Rocket loss.

– Lions win.

– The Flyers remain hopeful.

– Matthew Schaefer saves two empty-net goals.

– The Foreurs win in five.

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