I think that most fair observers will be able to look at the current Montreal Canadiens squad and realize that they are not the 28th-best team in the NHL. At the same time, given the emergence of the Toronto Maple Leafs and resurrection of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, this Habs team — without serious changes — is also unlikely to replicate the Atlantic Division titles that it won in 2015 and 2017.
As a team “somewhere in the middle,” the Habs will need every edge they can muster.