The Canadiens as a whole have had a rough start to the 2024-25 season. In a season that was expected to be a progressive year, the Canadiens and many of their players have largely regressed. The team sits near the bottom of the standings once again and the year already seems lost at only the quarter mark of the campaign. While the team has struggled, three players in particular have been particularly poor this season. Let’s take a look at three Montreal Canadiens who have disappointed to begin the year.
Disappointing Canadiens Players
Arber Xhekaj
Xhekaj’s poor start began before the regular season even began. He took major penalties in two separate pre-season games that ended up costing the Habs both contests. After those separate incidents, head coach Martin St. Louis held a tighter leash with the young defender. Arber has since seemingly lost his edge. He has shied away from physicality to start the season, barely dropping the gloves, and getting away from his game. Defensively he also was playing some of his worst hockey in his young career.
Xhekaj has been playing a bit better down the stretch but still isn’t the physical, intimidating presence he has been in years past. His offensive production has dropped off as well with only a couple of assists on the year. Xhekaj needs to find a balance between physicality and discipline as when he does play his brand of hockey he tends to go overboard and play undisciplined hockey. But if Xhekaj isn’t playing physically and dropping the gloves frequently it’s hard to see where he fits on this blueline moving forward.
Alex Newhook
Newhook was expected to have a breakout year after a career year of 34 points in only 54 games. The Canadiens traded for Newhook ahead of the 2023 draft in exchange for draft picks. However, Newhook has struggled to start the year with only five goals and no assists to begin the year. He has received top-six minutes all season as well as second-unit powerplay time. His lack of production is baffling considering the ice time he’s received alongside the Habs top forwards.
It’s unclear whether Newhook will be a winger or a centreman for this team as he has been used in both positions. He is at his best when he is using his speed in transition. This was witnessed in his end-to-end goal this year against the Devils. Newhook needs to find his role within the team if he wants to be a legitimate top-nine option for this team moving forward.
Kirby Dach
Kirby Dach missed the entirety of last season following an injury in only the second game of the year. This third of the Canadiens players does come as a shock in the disappointing factor. With that being said, Dach was expected to have some rust. But nobody expected him to play as poorly as he has to begin the season. Dach has only eight points in 21 games thus far. He started the year as the team’s second-line centre, but has been juggled around the lineup frequently. St. Louis even punished Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky by putting them on the fourth line for a couple of games.
Nobody can blame Dach for a bit of a slow start to the year. But as the season marches on, the pressure to perform will only mount for him. For a guy who seemed so eager to get back into the lineup, he hasn’t come out with much fire thus far. Dach is regularly losing puck battles, turning over the puck, and getting hemmed in his defensive end. Kirby Dach has time to turn things around but the Habs faithful are growing impatient waiting for the future second-line center they were promised when he was acquired.
Main Photo: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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