As training camp is underway across the NHL, for those established players, it’s fun to predict what could materialize. If Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky carry over the momentum they had building from last year for the Montreal Canadiens, their point projections could be decently high in 2024-25. If Caufield is able to find his goal scoring range, accompanied by Slafkovsky establishing himself as a point-per-game NHLer, the line will make Montreal tough to play against at times.
According to moneypuck.com, there was only one line that played together as a trio over 178 minutes last year for the Canadiens, it was that combination of Caufield, Suzuki, and Slafkovsky. They played 750 minutes together, and had a 51.9 xGoals%. More impressively, they were efficient, with an actual Goals% of 54.1.
Nick Suzuki is the Leader of the Montreal Canadiens
Let’s start down the middle and Nick Suzuki is in an elite class for two-way centres in the NHL. It is interesting to think he will get a look for the Team Canada 2025 4 Nations Face-Off roster. Suzuki had an impressive 77 points in 82 games last year. That’s impressive for someone considered a two-way player. Compared against one of the best two-way players on the planet, the captain of the defending Stanley Cup champions, Aleksander Barkov, who only had 80 points last year. The reason to suggest that Suzuki could very well improve on last season’s career-highwater mark, is the expected season of his linemates.
Cole Caufield’s Big Expectations for 2024-25
Cole Caufield had 65 points last season, and it really felt like a down season. He’s known for being a sniper on the power play, and scored 28 goals. His average ice time was 19:25 a game, but that is a result of his natural development. Moreover, the main reason his totals were so low was, of his career-high 314 shots on goal, a career-low 8.9% of them went in. It seems he has done well developing his complete game. If he can put it all together, similar to the discussion on achieving excellent chemistry with Suzuki, the two will be well on their way to big seasons offensively.
The Montreal Canadiens Former First Overall Pick’s Point Projections
The last of the trio to discuss is the one with the greatest unknown variability. Moreover, that’s not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. Slafkovsky’s scoring line of 20 goals, 30 assists, and 50 points is very reassuring for the 2022 first overall pick. Of his other two linemates, his 17:56 a game was lower than both of theirs. (For reference, Suzuki’s was 21:16 aided by, among other responsibilities, his work on the penalty kill.) If the chemistry between the three is there in 2024-25, Slafkovsky increases his average ice time, and he can find his scoring touch early in the year, he has the potential to hit 75-80 points.
Montreal Canadiens Make Long-Term Deal with Key Forward
Conversely, that is a lot to go right. A player like Slafkovsky, however, could just be the man for the job. Afterall, there’s a reason he was the first overall pick to Montreal in ’22. Furthermore, it is not unrealistic to see a jump based on ice time. His points-per-game went from 0.26 to 0.61 from his rookie season to last year. Also, his ice time went up over five-and-a-half minutes. That wasn’t in a small sample size either, as he appeared in 39 games as rookie for the Canadiens in 2022-23. Last season, we really saw Slafkovsky’s stock soar. If these things go swimmingly for the Canadiens trio in 2024-25, head coach Martin St. Louis has one less thing to worry about, and will even get to have a front row seat for an awesome offensive performance.
Main Photo Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
