Team: 2022-23 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 20, 2022

Published: Aug. 20, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Trying to find balance on this team with ~14 top 9 forwards.

Line 1, the future line: provided Slafkovsky is ready for the big show, I think he'll work his way up to eventually getting on the top line. And he should, I think this line makes the most sense.

Line 2, the try out line: two of the 3 players here are on expiring contracts, and Hoffman is on a pretty fair deal that can be traded regardless.

Line 3, defensive, gritty, scoring: I love this line. I think they get pretty equal playing time to line 2.

Line 4, the on-par-with-most-team's-3rd-line Line: provided Byron is healthy, I think he slots in most nights for his gamebreaking PK ability, but realistically I think it'll be a rotating door between him, Pitlick, and Pezzetta, which is a shame two of them have to be scratched. If Slafkovsky is not ready, or there are injuries, or some of the expiring contracts are traded, then they can easily slot in and keep it going.

Defense: not much to say here, for the bottom two pairs I kept a "veteran" with a newcomer. I didn't bother to trade or sign any defenseman, because it seems they wanna give Barron and Harris a really fair shot. Signing anyone pushes them out. Plus, you still have Guhle there.

I don't think this team is really far off from competing. I know it's fun to troll them, but I really think last year was an anomaly and they will be much more competitive this year. I'm really rooting for Monahan to return to form. The big issue is, no Carey Price, and nearly every single Atlantic team took massive strides this offseason. Playoffs are probably still a year or two away, as that defense needs more time to congeal, and the goaltending position will need to be figured out at some point.