Canadiens hope to take a step next season, but not at expense of long-term plan

BROSSARD, Que. — The Montreal Canadiens' brass is committed to reversing the team’s trend of missing the playoffs.

The Canadiens will miss the playoffs for a third straight season after finishing last in the Atlantic Division with a 30-36-16 record, improving by eight points in the standings compared to a year ago. But Hughes and Gorton believe their team is on the right track in its rebuild thanks to the development of their core players, including Juraj Slafkovsky, captain Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield flashing their potential as a top line for years to come.

The Canadiens are also well aware they have the capital to make moves with 12 picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts and a logjam of young talent on defence. "He's gonna be a top-five winger in the league," Suzuki said."He's got everything. He's gonna get more confident, get bigger, stronger, faster — and that's pretty scary.”The Canadiens have lacked elite offensive production in recent decades, but Nick Suzuki showed this season they may finally have a true top centre.

“He showed his ability to be in a No. 1 centre for this franchise. So that's huge for us,” added Gorton.The Canadiens exercised the two-year option of the contract of head coach Martin St. Louis, committing him to the team for the next three seasons.

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