Welcome to the latest series here at Last Word on Hockey. Each day, we will take a look at a new team and examine three of their potential breakout or bounce-back players. These players have the chance to make a serious difference with their teams this upcoming season. These players can be new faces or familiar ones looking to have a strong return to form. Each day we will be looking at a different team! Today we will take a look at the potential 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens key players.
2020-21 Montreal Canadiens Candidates
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
After a strong showing in his rookie season, Jesperi Kotkaniemi took a step back during his sophomore season. Kotkaniemi battled injuries in his second season, playing in just 36 games scoring six goals and eight points before being demoted to the club’s AHL affiliate Laval Rocket. It was a far cry from the production from his rookie season where he scored 11 goals and 34 points in 79 games. The fact that he was demoted had fans wondering if Kotkaniemi would turn out to be a bust after being drafted 3rd overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Reasons For Optimism
Kotkaniemi used his demotion as motivation rather than getting down on himself. He was excited for the chance to play in all situations with Laval and came out flying scoring one goal and 12 assists for 13 points in 13 games. However, Kotkaniemi suffered a spleen injury which would have sidelined him for the rest of the season had we not been hit with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kotkaniemi went back to Finland and trained hard. He bulked up and worked on his shot and skating before returning to the Canadiens lineup for the postseason. It was then when all bust talk was thrown out the window. Kotkaniemi was one of the club’s best players in the postseason. He scored four goals in 10 games while controlling the play. He was more engaged and used his size to win puck battles and played a strong two-way game that had fans and the team buzzing.
With these improvements and his postseason play, Kotkaniemi is certainly a player to watch as a bounce-back player. You could also include him as a breakout player as he is just 20 years old. The best is yet to come from the young Finn.
Jonathan Drouin
Since coming to Montreal, Jonathan Drouin hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. He was thrown right into the fire, becoming the team’s number one centre. A position he never played at the NHL level. He struggled in his first season with the club, scoring 13 goals and 46 points in 77 games. A step back from the 53 points he scored with the Tampa Bay Lightning the season prior. However, he did manage to tie his career-high during the 2018-19 season scoring 53 points for the Canadiens.
However, the 2019-20 season wasn’t as successful. Despite an excellent start, scoring 15 points in his first 19 games, Drouin suffered an injury that cost him most of the season. His return, however, was lacklustre. Drouin was held scoreless in eight games while not showing the same fire he showed to start the season. It was disappointing to see, after watching him be the player all Habs fans expected him to be to start the season.
Reasons For Optimism
However, there are reasons for optimism with Drouin. His start to the 2019-20 season is something that Drouin can build upon, especially with the offseason break. Drouin had to catch up to speed against players who were already in midseason form last season after being out for such an extended period of time due to the wrist injury. The long layoff hurt Drouin. He was most likely not 100 percent when he returned, making things even more difficult for the skilled winger.
The post-season was a different story though. Drouin tied Nick Suzuki for the team lead in points during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with seven points in 10 games. Drouin and Suzuki showed instant chemistry. It’s something the two players will certainly look to build on during the 2020-21 season. Adding a player like recently acquired Josh Anderson to their line is something that would benefit both players moving forward. This newly acquired chemistry with Suzuki and the addition of Anderson will almost certainly lead to a bounce-back year for Drouin. We could also see his most productive season to date in the upcoming season.
Josh Anderson
Anderson’s 2019-20 season is something he would certainly love to forget. The injury-riddled Anderson appeared in just 26 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets scoring just one goal and four points in those games. It was a huge let down after having a career year during the 2018-19 season where he scored 27 goals and 47 points in 82 games. While obviously, the shoulder injury played a huge part in Anderson’s production, the one goal in 26 games is a huge disappointment.
Reasons For Optimism
Despite the dip in production, Anderson is a prime bounce-back candidate. The change of scenery should pay huge dividends to the power forward. As well, he is projected to be next to Nick Suzuki and Jonathan Drouin, two extremely skilled players. Slotting into the Canadiens top six while getting time on the power play should help Anderson get back to the way he played in 2018-19. His aggressive, in your face style of play, is something that will prove valuable regardless of his production. However, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be able to get back to his scoring ways with the Canadiens. Even if he doesn’t play with Suzuki, he will be matched with Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Another one of the 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens potential breakout players. Either way, Anderson will surely improve from his poor 2019-20 season.
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