The Montreal Canadiens have been eliminated from contention in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs for the second year in a row, finishing 28th in the league standings and securing a top seven selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. While the window officially closes for this year, Habs fans will be keeping pace with the playoffs and how they unfold.
Some might hop on the bandwagon of a particular team to horn them up and cheer them on, while others might lash out at certain teams and hope for their downfall. There’s no right or wrong way to watch the postseason when your team stops participating, but there is a third option to be a part of the playoffs madness while still wearing the Canadiens’ colors.
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Of the 16 teams that will join the dance, more than half will be players previously affiliated with the Canadiens in a variety of different roles. Among the group are five notable players who once played for Montreal that fans can cheer for in the 2023 playoffs.
Artturi Lehkonen – Colorado Avalanche
At last year’s trade deadline, the Canadiens were among the most active teams, moving around and dealing for player assets in an effort to rebuild for the future. Arturi Likonne was one of the victims of this influence, Takes off to the Colorado Avalanche to defenseman Justin Barron and a 2024 second-round pick. General manager Kent Hughes also retained 50 percent of Lykonen’s contract, which would expire at the end of the season.
Lehknonen scored six goals and nine points in 17 games with the Avalanche, becoming a solid secondary scorer who made an impact on the team with his two-way play. He collected eight goals and 14 points in 20 games during the playoffs that year On its way to winning the Stanley Cup They will have the opportunity to repeat this feat this year. Making this year’s Stanley Cup Final is the third year in a row that Lekonn has appeared.
Philippe Danault – Los Angeles Kings
After the 2020-21 season, Danault left Montreal to seek a salary earned through his excellent defensive play. He was a key contributor propelling the Canadiens through the 2021 playoffs and standing on top of the world after reaching the Stanley Cup Final on the same day as Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Quebec’s national day. The Canadiens acquired the Quebec-born in 2016 from the Chicago Blackhawks for forwards Thomas Fleischmann and Dale Wise.
Danault and the Los Angeles Kings will face the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round of the playoffs this year, and it won’t be an easy task. On the plus side, Danault’s defensive awareness and ability to close down the no-man’s-land will come in handy against the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draistel.
Alexander Romanov – New Yorker
In his second season with the Canadians, Alexander Romanov did everything to impress the management. A tough young defenceman, his speed and quick thinking match his slugging appetite. The team may have seen its better days in the 2021-22 season, but Romanov has found ways to attract the Bell Center crowd. That was until his surprise trade to the New Yorkers for the 2022 Entry Draft in a move to eventually acquire Kirby Dash.
Statistically, Romanov has made improvements as a member of the Islanders and has become a huge part of his regular season success. Unfortunately, he will not play in the first game against the Carolina Hurricanes after missing the last five games of the season due to an injury. If he can get back into the lineup quickly after making a full recovery, Romanov should be a player to watch out for, even if he doesn’t end up on the scoresheet every night.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Carolina Hurricanes
The player who will oppose the Romanovs and Islanders is former Habs first-round draft pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who represents the Hurricanes in the playoff picture this year. Kotkaniemi played in three seasons with the Canadiens, bouncing up and down the lineup trying to create chemistry with anyone until an offer sheet snatched him from Carolina. Montreal’s lack of interest in matching the deal earned them a few draft picks, but lost them in the process to outstanding youngsters.
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After completing the bidding contractKotkaniemi again occurred with the Hurricanes on an eight-year deal that would pay him less than $5 million annually. He rewarded the team with their best season statistically, making him a versatile player who gives the Hurricanes excellent depth and secondary scoring that the Hurricanes can capitalize on in the playoffs.
Thomas Tatar – New Jersey Devils
The Canadiens acquired Thomas Tatar in a pack, along with prospect Nick Suzuki and a select group, for former captain Max Pacioretty in 2018. Although most of the focus has been on the future of Suzuki, who eventually became the 31st captain, Tatar brought him in. . item on the table. Scoring 25 goals in his first season with the club, the man nicknamed “The Tuna” helped the Canadiens reach the post-season in two of the three seasons he appeared. He also scored a career-high 61 points in 68 games during the 2019-20 season.
Free agency entry in 2021, The Tatars signed a two-year deal With the New Jersey Devils who paid him $4.5 million a year. The team did not make the playoffs in the 2021-22 season, and Tatar struggled to finish with 30 points in 76 games. Things went for the better when the team made significant improvements in the offseason, turning them into buyers and acquiring high-profile striker Timo Meier.
With the National Hockey League playoffs getting underway Monday night, Habs fans have no shortage of former players to cheer on. By the end of the postseason, it is likely that the person who once represented the Canadiens will lift the Stanley Cup as a member of a new organization. Time will tell who that player or players are.