2023 Fantasy Hockey Team Previews: Montreal Canadiens
The 2023 DailyFaceoff Fantasy Hockey Projections has projected stats for over 650 skaters and goalies.
The Fantasy Hockey Team Previews have all the projections for that team and mini-bios for all the Re-Draft and Dynasty relevant skaters and goalies. We will release the previews from September 5th through September 14th.
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In addition to the Fantasy Hockey Previews, Daily Faceoff is previewing all 32 NHL teams for 2022-23, with a new in-depth breakdown dropping every weekday! Click here to find every preview in one place.
Skaters
Nick Suzuki
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 82.0 | 22.3 | 42.0 | 64.3 | -10.6 | 30.5 | 8.4 | 13.3 | 21.7 | 190.9 | 11.7% | 20.5 | 637.8 | 59.5 | 97.1 |
After consecutive 41-point seasons, Suzuki took a huge step forward in 2021-22, reaching both the 20-goal (21) and 40-assist mark for the first time in his young career. Plagued by a minus-29 rating and only 186 SOG, Suzuki finds his potential capped again as he enters 2022-23 surrounded by the same weak supporting cast. Look for the Canadiens’ top centre to perform near the 20-goal, 40 assist pace that we should likely grow accustomed to, as he will do his best to lead the Canadians in almost all statistical categories yet again. Suzuki is a solid mid-round selection and should be a No.3 centre for your fantasy team.
Cole Caufield
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 74.5 | 29.3 | 26.5 | 55.8 | -9.9 | 13.2 | 6.1 | 9.9 | 16.1 | 236.6 | 12.4% | 18.6 | 5.8 | 11.4 | 29.2 |
Caufield is an interesting pick in 2023 after flaming out as a top-100 pick a season ago. A lock by many to win the Norris, the skilled winger struggled to duplicate his 2020-21 playoff success (12 points in 20 games) as he started with only one point in his first ten games and found himself in the AHL (Laval) by mid-November. A return to the NHL weeks later saw Caufield salvage his season with one of the stronger second halves in the entire league. Finishing just under a point-per-game with 35 points in his final 38 games, Caufield’s 22 goals ranked him 12th among NHLers, with his point production good for 59th. Caufield averaged over ten shots per 60, and that’s the kind of shot volume you want to see when trying to identify potential breakout candidates. Caufield is looking to build off of a strong finish and has 30-30 upside as he’ll be featured on Montreal’s top line and the top power-play unit.
Mike Hoffman
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 76.6 | 21.6 | 24.7 | 46.3 | -7.3 | 29.4 | 7.0 | 10.3 | 17.3 | 176.0 | 12.3% | 16.3 | 11.1 | 26.2 | 37.6 |
Hoffman’s inaugural season in Montreal did not go as planned as he posted career lows in goals (15) and points (35) in a season where he played at least 25 games. However, Hoffman’s disastrous season ended on a relatively high note as he produced 11 points (4G / 7A) in his final 14 games. Looking to bounce back in 2022-23, the winger is someone to keep an eye on in training camp. If he’s the third member of the top line with Suzuki and Caufield, he could be worth a last-round flier. However, he’s most likely destined for the waiver wire and could be picked up if he gets hot.
Jonathan Drouin
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 70.3 | 11.3 | 29.3 | 40.6 | -11.2 | 35.9 | 1.6 | 7.9 | 9.5 | 130.7 | 8.6% | 16.8 | 47.6 | 18.3 | 63.7 |
With eight NHL seasons under his belt and only 27 years old, Drouin’s career has been defined by ups and downs. Playing only 34 games in 2021-22, Drouin failed to surpass the 44-game mark for the third straight season, never eclipsing more than 23 points in any of the three years. His six goals and minus-9 did little to help fantasy teams as he failed to produce even two shots per game (1.82). Expected to be back with the team and fully healthy to open 2022-23, a return to mid-40s point production could very well be in the cards with minimal goal scoring.
Josh Anderson
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 74.8 | 21.0 | 13.7 | 34.7 | -10.0 | 56.8 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 172.9 | 12.2% | 16.7 | 18.4 | 36.6 | 172.9 |
A large body who likes to shoot, Anderson has struggled to produce since joining Montreal as he has only 56 points (36G / 20A) in 121 games across two years with the club. His 19 goals were good for third highest on a Canadiens team that finished sixth worst in league scoring. His 2.19 shots-per-game was his lowest average since 2016-17. Anderson will need to reacquire his heavy shooting touch if he hopes to surpass the 20-goal mark for the first time in four seasons. Anderson has never recorded more than 47 points in a season, limited by the fact he has also never registered more than 20 assists. The 28-year-old winger only holds value in banger leagues, where he’ll approach 200 hits if healthy. Still, he’s nothing more than a disposable late-round pick.
Kirby Dach
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 71.0 | 11.5 | 23.5 | 35.5 | -8.9 | 37.1 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 6.0 | 121.3 | 9.5% | 17.5 | 170.7 | 41.0 | 47.4 |
Dach was traded to Montreal and subsequently signed a four-year, $13.5 million in what was a very busy offseason. The 2019 No.3 overall pick enjoyed a modest 59 points in 152 games to start his career with the Chicago Blackhawks. Now a Canadien, he will look to surpass both his career highs of nine goals and 26 points from 2021-22. Just 21 years old as he enters his fourth season, there seems to be some untapped potential in Dach. He should earn big minutes as the Habs’ No.2 centre, and there are enough quality wingers in Montreal to support a breakout campaign. He’s not worth drafting, but if he adjusts to his new surroundings quickly, Dach could develop into a decent bottom-of-your-roster option.
Brendan Gallagher
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 71.1 | 17.2 | 19.9 | 36.6 | -0.1 | 51.3 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 5.4 | 197.0 | 8.7% | 14.9 | 20.5 | 31.2 | 72.2 |
Injuries have ruined Gallagher, who was once a promising fantasy option. He’s missed nearly 28 percent of the games over the last three seasons and has averaged just 24 goals and 26 assists (40 points) per 82 games over that span. While he’s not worth drafting, he’s one of a handful of wingers that has a chance to play with Suzuki and Caufield. That is the most coveted spot in Montreal. If Gallagher is given that opportunity, he may sneak back into fantasy relevance. His shot volume has dipped slightly in recent years but remains very strong. Last season, he shot an absurdly low 4.9 percent, so there’s a reason for optimism that he’ll bounce back this season. However, if 20 goals and 25 assists represent a bounce-back, he’s best left as a streaming option.
Mike Matheson
| GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| 75.2 | 12.0 | 24.1 | 36.1 | -7.9 | 40.8 | 1.3 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 169.6 | 7.1% | 22.4 | 0.0 | 91.4 | 97.1 |
Matheson was dealt to the Canadiens this offseason for Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling. He found himself instantly the top defenseman on an overall weak six-man unit. Matheson enjoyed a strong 2021-22, as his career-high 11 goals tied him for 16th among all defensemen and his 140 shots ranked him in the league’s top 50. The 28-year-old has never been given the shot to prove himself on the power-play throughout his eight-year career. He has only amassed single-digit goals (2) and only 16 total PPP throughout 417 career games. With limited options in Montreal, Matheson could be a sneaky last-round pick if he lands on their PP1, but he’ll battle with Chris Wideman for that honour. At the very least, he seems poised to set a new career-high in TOI and should reach double-digit goals for the third time.
Goalies
Jake Allen
| GS | W | L | T/O | SV% | GAA | SO |
| 54.0 | 21.1 | 26.2 | 6.6 | 0.909 | 2.95 | 1.9 |
Allen enters 2022-23 as the Canadiens’ starter after it was announced that Carey Price would likely not be playing in 20223. The 2021-22 season was rough for Allen, who struggled with a .905 SV%, nine wins, and the ninth worst GAA in the league (3.30). He may be locked in as Montreal’s starter, but he holds little fantasy value with the team in front of him looking as bad as they did a year ago. He’s going undrafted right now and will be in tough all season in an Atlantic Division that could be the best in hockey in 2023. You’ll have to be very choosy about when to stream Allen this season.
Remaining Canadiens Projections
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | PTS | (+/-) | PIM | PPG | PPA | PPP | SOG | S% | ATOI | FOW | BLK | HIT |
| Chris Wideman | D | 71.5 | 6.1 | 25.5 | 31.2 | -11.5 | 63.3 | 1.5 | 11.7 | 13.2 | 100.0 | 6.1% | 17.4 | 0.0 | 66.2 | 72.4 |
| Evgenii Dadonov | LW | 80.3 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 39.7 | -5.3 | 14.5 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 7.9 | 156.1 | 12.6% | 15.3 | 0.3 | 28.1 | 55.5 |
| Christian Dvorak | C | 74.4 | 17.7 | 22.9 | 40.6 | -9.5 | 19.8 | 6.2 | 4.5 | 10.7 | 120.4 | 14.7% | 16.7 | 660.1 | 54.1 | 47.9 |
| Justin Barron | D | 65.3 | 5.6 | 12.8 | 18.4 | -7.2 | 14.8 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 114.4 | 4.9% | 18.5 | 0.0 | 66.0 | 60.0 |
| Joel Edmundson | D | 69.7 | 6.2 | 12.6 | 18.8 | -3.5 | 60.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 103.5 | 6.0% | 20.7 | 0.0 | 106.6 | 135.5 |
| Sean Monahan | C | 75.5 | 12.9 | 20.0 | 32.3 | -9.5 | 21.4 | 5.0 | 7.2 | 12.2 | 125.1 | 10.3% | 13.9 | 451.1 | 23.5 | 62.0 |
| David Savard | D | 75.3 | 2.7 | 13.3 | 16.5 | -11.3 | 39.7 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 96.9 | 2.8% | 21.5 | 0.0 | 155.1 | 160.6 |
| Jordan Harris | D | 75.2 | 3.8 | 11.0 | 15.2 | -8.0 | 22.8 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 77.2 | 4.9% | 16.3 | 0.0 | 85.1 | 88.2 |
| Jake Evans | C/RW | 71.4 | 9.2 | 14.1 | 23.3 | -4.3 | 37.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 100.5 | 9.2% | 13.3 | 379.1 | 34.2 | 90.0 |
| Joel Armia | LW/RW | 68.3 | 9.0 | 9.3 | 18.3 | -4.7 | 17.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 109.8 | 8.2% | 12.8 | 4.8 | 24.1 | 115.0 |
| Paul Byron | LW | 61.7 | 8.0 | 11.3 | 19.2 | -1.4 | 10.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 66.0 | 12.1% | 13.0 | 37.3 | 25.4 | 143.3 |