Canadiens management is preparing to take the next step

While making the playoffs is far beyond realistic expectations, the Montreal Canadiens have seen several key players step up significantly in 2023-24.

From Juraj Slafkovksi's improved scoring to Nick Suzuki's emergence as a top-tier center and everything in between, there are certainly positives to keep in mind as the team prepares to take the next big step in its rebuild.

While they may not be ready to compete with the best teams in the NHL, there is room to significantly improve their roster this summer either through free agency or through another one-day trade that could bring them to the NHL. player willing to join the team, much like the trade that saw Kirby Dutch and Alex Newhook join the organization.

The Canadiens currently have one of the most important assets in the modern sports landscape: salary cap space.

Their financial maneuverability will be considerable, as the Canadiens are expected to have more than $17 million in cap space this summer.

MUST READ: Canadian salary cap projections for 2024-25 offer interesting options

Despite having more cap space than most teams in the NHL, the Canadiens have 12 picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 and 2025 NHL Entry Draft, including four first-round picks.

“This is a big summer for us,” explained Vice President of Hockey Jeff Gorton. “We want to regulate ourselves well.”

The Canadiens need to make sure they don't follow the same path as a team like the Detroit Red Wings, who tried to speed up their rebuild by adding expensive veterans in order to make the playoffs.

The Red Wings didn't make the playoffs, and they're also poised to be drafted in the middle of the first round, which is the worst possible outcome for a team that needs to add more talent to its roster.

Of course, in hockey-heavy cities like Montreal and Detroit, there's always considerable pressure, not to mention the expectation of someone signing the checks.

Movements of the Montreal Canadiens

General manager Kent Hughes said: “I read Jeff Molson said we wanted to join the playoffs. “That's a fair description. I don't know if we'll make it over the threshold, but we have to be better. The fans deserve it.”

There's no question that the Canadiens have improved some aspects of their overall game, but there are still a lot of issues that need to be addressed before they can be considered a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Basically, this is the time frame when the team is most vulnerable. The Habs have a lot of cap space, a lot of draft capital and one of the most intense fan bases in the world.

Yes, Canadians should do better, but not to deviate from a very well-designed rebuilding plan.

The good news for Habs fans is that unlike former general manager Marc Bergevin, Hughes isn't using fan pressure as an excuse for his shortcomings, when he told fans he couldn't stand the rebuild.

Montreal Canadiens fans can be patient indeed, they just want to make sure their patience pays off, a philosophy shared by the current management team.

“We try to do what we can,” Hughes said. “But we're not doing it at the expense of a long-term plan.”