2023-24 Final Grades: Forwards
This article completes the evaluations of the 2023-24 Montreal Canadiens forwards. Unlike other quarterly grade report articles, this one will share ratings of each player’s overall play for this season.
Players must have played in at least 20 games to receive a grade
Forwards
Nick Suzuki: Player Rating = 9/10
The Habs captain had an excellent season overall. He set career highs in goals, assists, points, shooting percentage, and power play goals. I believe there was a moment during coach Marty’s midseason press conference where he said he wanted more out of Nick, who took the message and delivered. His ice time is the highest among forwards, and his points total is just under a point per game. The presence of a point-per-game player in Montreal’s lineup has not happened since Alexei Kovalev did so with 84 points in 82 games back in the 2007-08 season. With Nick’s improvements and progressions expected from linemates Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky next season, it’s very likely Suzuki will break the 82 points plateau in 2024-2025.
Stats: 82 GP, 33 G, 44 A, 77 Pts, -14, 12 PPG, 1 GWG, 185 Shots, 69 Hits, 48 Blocked Shots, 21:15 ATOI, Faceoff% 52.56
Cole Caufield: Player Rating = 9/10
It was very encouraging to see Caufield start the season with the Habs, considering he needed shoulder surgery in January of 2023 which took him out of the lineup the rest of last season. There is always some concern when a player undergoes the knife. During the first four games, he scored three goals and two assists; it seemed that Cole was back in top form. Then he scored only four goals for the rest of October and November. Most fans believed he was in some type of slump. He worked hard on other parts of his game, and it started to show results. He was no longer the defacto scoring option from the left faceoff circle, a favourite spot for him to score in 2022-23. Now he used his scoring talents to attempt wraparound goals as well as goals from the slot.
Caufield’s playmaking was also much improved this season as he began to use his linemates much more often. In April, his goal-scoring touch returned as he produced eight goals in those nine games. A Montreal media member reported that Cole’s shoulder surgery takes fourteen months to fully recover from, so his higher production in April does align with the end of that recovery period. As it stands, Cole played in all 82 games this season and hit career-highs in goals, assists, points, and power play goals. His shooting percentage was down, but his shot volume was high. I am expecting another set of career highs to be broken by Cole next season.
Stats: 82 GP, 28 G, 37 A, 65 Pts, -4, 9 PPG, 7 GWG, 314 Shots, 56 Hits, 22 Blocked Shots, 19:25 ATOI
Juraj Slafkovsky: Player Rating = 9/10
Juraj had a good but short start this season while he was placed on Kirby Dach’s line. He looked confident in that slot and clicked well with linemates Dach and Alex Newhook until Dach suffered a season-ending injury in game two. After that point, Slafkovsky seemed to struggle through to the midpoint of the season and bounced around all four lines trying to establish some chemistry somewhere. His point production was only fifteen points after forty-one games. There was a lot of talk among the media and fans that Juraj should be sent down to the AHL farm team in Laval to work on his game.
However, coach Martin St. Louis believed in Juraj and kept him in Montreal. He was reinserted into the top line at midseason, and something clicked. Slafkovsky began to show more confidence with the puck, and his offensive game started to take off. To add to that, the physical style of his play also increased, which along with his size gave his linemates another element to help their play. During an April game against Philadelphia, he scored his first-ever hat trick in Montreal. He scored 35 points in the second half of the season, and established career highs in goals, assists, and points for his second NHL season. Slafkovsky had a breakthrough season overall and will be expected to produce even more next season, as he has cemented his spot on Montreal’s top line.
Stats: 82 GP, 20 G, 30 A, 50 Pts, -19, 6 PPG, 2 GWG, 152 Shots, 152 Hits, 71 Blocked Shots, 17:56 ATOI
Sean Monahan: Player Rating = 7/10
Monahan returned to Montreal this season on a team-friendly one-year contract, where he enjoyed being a part of this team and hoped to give something back after a terrible injury-filled 2022-23 season. After centres Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook went out of the lineup, Monahan stepped up in a big way, producing more offensively while still playing a strong defensive game and winning the majority of key faceoffs. Although he was traded during the first week of February at a point where management believed they could get a good return for him, he left when Newhook was ready to return from the injured list to take over his second-line duties. Monahan is the first player in NHL history to be traded for a first-round pick by the same team in consecutive years.
Stats: 49 GP, 13 G, 22 A, 35 Pts, -10, 6 PPG, 2 GWG, 104 Shots, 17 Hits, 24 Blocked Shots, 18:27 ATOI, 55.03 Faceoff%
Alex Newhook: Player Rating = 6/10
Bringing another young forward with some NHL experience like Newhook into the Montreal fold was another exciting trade by Kent Hughes at the 2023 draft. It was the second year in a row that Montreal’s management made a trade of this calibre to bring in a former first-round pick after Kirby Dach was acquired at the 2022 draft. Alex was first placed on Dach’s wing until Kirby’s injury, then was shifted to centre. I felt he had mixed results as a top-line centre for Montreal. He seemed to struggle with the role at first, then suffered a high ankle sprain on December 2nd which knocked him out of the lineup until February 10th. That is a difficult injury for a hockey player to overcome; if they rush back too soon, the injury can easily be aggravated again. It took Alex a few games to get his timing back, then he looked like a better player. As the season progressed he did show improvement at centre. However, I am not yet convinced this is his natural position. He may be better suited to play wing for the Habs in the longer term. Despite missing 27 games, he did establish career highs in goals and points this season. I am interested to see him start the 2024-25 season for Montreal as a winger to get a better perspective on what a healthy contributor Newhook can be for Montreal.
Stats: 55 GP, 15 G, 19 A, 34 Pts, -11, 18 PIM, 2 PPG, 2 GWG, 85 Shots, 36 Hits, 31 Blocked Shots, 16:56 ATOI, 45.54 Faceoff%
Brendan Gallagher: Player Rating = 6/10
Gallagher managed to stay injury-free this season, which was an accomplishment by itself considering his injury issues throughout his career. He did miss five games for hit to the head suspension that he fully deserved. Brendan was another forward who struggled to find a niche in one of the top lines this season. His salary level is high enough to be a top-six player, but for the most part, he played like a bottom-six player. His effort level remains high every game and every shift. After returning from the suspension he started to turn his offensive game around. During most of the end of the season, he was in a second-line role with linemates Alex Newhook and Joel Armia and in April, he produced ten points in eight games. It’s unlikely this line will be kept intact next season since Kirby Dach will take over on the second line again. As such, it’s difficult to say what type of role Gallagher will play next season.
Stats: 77 GP, 16 G, 15 A, 31 Pts, -24, 1 PPG, 2 GWG, 154 Shots, 63 Hits, 35 Blocked Shots, 13:47 ATOI
Joshua Roy: Player Rating = 6/10
Roy got a call-up from Laval in January after a very strong start to his pro career in the AHL. His adjustment to the NHL style of play went pretty seamlessly. Before turning pro, he was known for his high hockey sense, and the ability to anticipate the play and play well defensively. He has a good shot and can set up linemates to make something out of nothing. Joshua was knocked out of the lineup in mid-March with an upper-body injury that had him scheduled to miss four to six weeks, effectively ending his season. He was spotted with a splint on his right hand after the injury. He should be in line to start in the Habs lineup this fall, and his skillset gives him the versatility to play anywhere in the lineup.
Stats: 23 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 Pts, -2, 34 Shots, 12 Hits, 21 Blocked Shots, 12:08 ATOI
Joel Armia: Player Rating = 6/10
Armia was recovering from offseason surgery and wasn’t ready to start the regular season in Montreal’s lineup last October. When he was healthy he was sent down to Laval after clearing waivers. He was only in the AHL for ten days but was a healthy scratch after being recalled as often as he played until late November when other Montreal forwards began to join the injured list. It took until around the halfway mark of the season for Joel to get his game together and play some of his best hockey in a Montreal uniform since he signed his last contract extension in 2021. Armia ended up with the eighth highest points on the team among forwards. He’s a big-body forward that can carry the play well offensively or defensively and is hard to knock off the puck; that is, when he’s motivated to play that way. To me, he is a wildly inconsistent player, who is frustrating to watch and shows up for about half the games he is penciled into the lineup. With a healthy lineup to start this fall, Armia is expected to begin on the third line again and produce very modest offensive numbers. It’s very likely that he will be moved out of Montreal before the trade deadline.
Stats: 66 GP, 17 G, 8 A, 25 Pts, +4, 2 SHG, 3 GWG, 139 Shots, 49 Hits, 41 Blocked Shots, 15:33 ATOI
Jake Evans: Player Rating = 6/10
Jake played in all 82 games this season and had his highest career assists while his 28 points were only one point off his career best. With injuries to Dvorak and Dach along with the midseason trade of Monahan, Jake was asked to do more this season. He is a sound defensive player, who plays almost every penalty kill situation. Evans can shift to the wing when needed, although that rarely happens in Montreal given the team’s recent history of losing centers to injuries. He should start on Montreal’s fourth line in the fall of 2024.
Stats: 82 GP, 7 G, 21 A, 28 Pts, -1, 1 SHG, 1 GWG, 81 Shots, 86 Hits, 65 Blocked Shots, 16:01 ATOI, 52.15 Faceoff%
Rafael Harvey-Pinard: Player Rating = 5/10
Rafael took a step back offensively this season, scoring half as many points while participating in eleven more games. However, Harvey-Pinard suffered a lower-body injury in early November, came back too soon, and then was out for almost two months. He was knocked out of the lineup again exactly one month later for another ten games. It took him time to get his rhythm back and yet he did not seem quite as effective. The multiple injuries took a toll on his game and he struggled to get into his rhythm. He is still a very tenacious player and can use that skill to force turnovers. A fresh start is what Rafael needs for the 2024-25 season to get his game back to 2022-23 levels, and perhaps better it.
Stats: 45 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 Pts, -2, 26 Shots, 47 Hits, 47 Blocked Shots, 12:38 ATOI
Michael Pezzetta: Player Rating = 5/10
Michael is a tough, old-school hockey player. He may not have the skill level of his teammates, but he will stand up for any of them at any time. As a fourth-line player, he gives full effort every shift and will drop the gloves when necessary. He easily led the team in hits by a margin of over 70. That’s impressive when you consider he was out of the lineup for 20 games. He has one year remaining on his contract before he’s eligible to become a UFA. He will be pressed by younger players to get into the lineup this fall, but Pezzetta will likely stay on the fourth line and spend time in the press box occasionally.
Stats: 61 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 12 Pts, +4, 1 GWG, 42 Shots, 242 Hits, 29 Blocked Shots, 7:47 ATOI
Christian Dvorak: Player Rating = 4/10
Dvorak suffered a season-ending knee injury in January 2023 that required surgery. He missed the first month of the 2023-24 season getting back to game shape. At the end of December, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle. At first,, he was expected to miss the rest of the season, but he surprised many by returning to the lineup on April 9th against Philadelphia, a game in which he scored two goals. Christian is a good defensive player when healthy, but has struggled to stay that way. He is not known for producing much offence, and does not stand out in any particular way when he is on the ice. Dvorak was the last trade former GM Marc Bergevin made while he was employed by the Canadiens. Montreal gave up a first-round pick in 2022 (#27) and a second-round pick in 2024 (37), at a time when Bergevin panicked over losing Jesperi Kotkaniemi to Carolina. For the upcoming season, I expect Dvorak will slot in as the team’s third-line centrw. Since he will be in the last year of his contract, there is a strong chance he will be traded away before the deadline since I do not see a future for him in Montreal beyond 2024-25.
Stats: 30 GP, 5 G, 4 A, 9 Pts, -5, 1 PPG, 35 Shots, 16 Hits, 19 Blocked Shots, 13:03 ATOI, 57.77 Faceoff%
Mitchell Stephens: Player Rating = 4/10
Mitchell was a call-up from Laval during the first week of December when Canadiens injuries started to pile up. He is a serviceable fourth-line centre, who brings some energy and plays a simple game. His defensive game is sound and he’s very good at winning faceoffs but as a 5’11 forward his size works against him. I did not mind watching him play for Montreal and thought he did an admirable job. Stephens was sent back to Laval only when Tanner Pearson came off the injured list. Stephens is a UFA and only 27 years old, but with just under 100 games at the NHL level. He was also a big contributor for Laval, which is where I see him starting next season if he re-signs.
Stats: 23 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 Pts, +2, 16 Shots, 8 Hits, 7 Blocked Shots, 9:03 ATOI, 55.56 Faceoff%
Tanner Pearson: Player Rating = 4/10
Pearson has dealt with several issues related to a hand injury suffered in 2023 when he played for Vancouver. Ironically, the game in which he suffered the hand fracture was against Montreal. During the 2023 offseason he was picked up in a trade, and by the time training camp started, his hand was around 80% back to normal. He was deemed ready to start the season and responded well by playing tough and also scoring five points in his first five games. Something happened and he dropped into a slump, tallying only three points in the next 20 games. Not long after he suffered an upper-body injury that knocked him out for 19 more games. I did not find Pearson very effective for the Canadiens, other than his start to the season hot streak. He’s not expected to return next season.
Stats: 54 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 Pts, -12, 1 PPG, 1 GWG, 77 Shots, 50 Hits, 35 Blocked Shots, 12:56 ATOI
Josh Anderson: Player Rating = 1/10
It’s easy to understand why Josh Anderson said “I sucked this year” at the end of the season. Although coach St. Louis tried to improve other aspects of Anderson’s game, it backfired in the worst way. Josh appeared both unable to adapt to new coaching ideas and unable to play his own game that made him successful in the past. He went through a 24-game goalless streak to start the season and managed another 19-game goalless streak as well as a 16-game goalless streak. With three years remaining on his $5.5 million dollar contract, the team will continue to give Anderson another chance at a middle-six role in the fall, since there is practically no alternative.
Stats: 78 GP, 9 G, 11 A, 20 Pts, -18, 141 Shots, 170 Hits, 40 Blocked Shots, 15:27 ATOI
Jesse Ylonen: Player Rating = 1/10
To start the season, Hughes decided not to risk sending Ylonen down to the AHL, since he was out of waiver options. Much like Anderson, Ylonen was mired in multiple goal-scoring slumps spanning eight, 43, and five games. Jesse was put on the penalty-killing unit early in the season, much to his own surprise. He did not perform well in that role. During the second half of the season, he was a healthy scratch 23 times. The coaching staff must have realized it was futile to put him in the lineup but did so only because of injuries to other forwards. In the 2022-23 season, he showed some good offensive skills, but could not seem to get back to that level for any of this past season, except on the shootout where he was good. Ylonen is a restricted free agent and is arbitration-eligible. There is a strong chance that Montreal will walk away from Ylonen.
Stats: 59 GP, 4 G, 4 A, 8 Pts, +2, 1 GWG, 50 Shots, 41 Hits, 32 Blocked Shots, 10:14 ATOI