Top-5 of the CH's biggest disappointments so far!
Fanadiens.com's team organized a top-5 of the Montreal Canadiens' biggest disappointments in this 2021-2022 season.
This list includes players who have simply not performed to the expectations so far.
It was expected that Brendan Gallagher would take the lead with the CH with the absence of Shea Weber this year. Obviously, that seems like a lot to handle for him. He has shown great acts of frustration time and time again, which have led to unnecessary punishment. That's not the kind of attitude you would expect a leader to have.
He is now the Canadian's highest-paid forward and simply does not deliver the goods offensively. The small forward has accumulated a total of 10 points in 23 games, which is far too little for a player paid $6.5 million per season. He seems to miss his former partners Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar. There is no doubt that when he comes back from his injury, he will try to give more.
4. Mike Hoffman
Number 68 was offered a lucrative contract of $4.5 million per season for three years with the CH this summer. The organization was hopeful that the latter would throw the needle profusely on the power play, his specialty, given the team's weaknesses in these situations.
However, it must be said that he is disappointing so far, when he has scored only four goals in 19 games so far, only two of them with the advantage of one man. We are simply not able to feed it properly on the Habs' power play. Real mess!
He was sold to us as Phillip Danault's replacement when he came into town. We hit a wall. Offensively, this is not too bad for a player who plays in a chair that is not his. He has accumulated a total of 8 points in 19 games, which is acceptable.
However, one of Phillip Danault's great strengths was defensive, which is clearly not D-Vo's strength. Number 28 has maintained a rather ordinary minus-12 differential since his arrival in Montreal. We are far from Phillip Danault, we agree?
Considering the investment of a first-round choice to acquire it and the expectations formerly placed towards it, it can easily be considered a huge disappointment so far.
2. Joel Armia
The Finnish forward is unable to buy consistency in his play. Armia scored only one goal in 29 games this year. It is clearly not up to the $3.4 million that will be invested in it until 2025.
His head coach Dominique Ducharme expects much more from his versatile forward. He limited Armia to only 9 minutes of ice time against the Philadelphia Flyers, despite all the absentees at the CH. Quite revealing, no? An introspection will have to be appropriate in his case. He is literally no longer the shadow of himself.
1. Jeff Petry
Not surprisingly, Jeff Petry is THE Montreal Canadiens' biggest disappointment. The one who is considered the number one defenseman of the team has accumulated only two small assists in 27 games this year. That is totally unacceptable.
His trips are constantly laborious, he misses routine games and he is no longer able to handle the power play as he used to. It was Ben Chiarot who took his «spot» on the first unit. Objectively, he is really not able to assume the role of lead defenseman when Shea Weber and/or Joel Edmundson are not around.
Last year, some had mentioned his name to be considered for the Norris Trophy. Change your tune, we're not there anymore. It's a hell of a ride for the 34-year-old veteran.
Honourable Mentions: Cole Caufield and Samuel Montembeault
