In comparison to expectations, the Montreal Canadiens have had a respectable season overall as we approach the home stretch of the 2023–24 campaign. As with every year, there will always be a few players who fall short of expectations.
You won’t find Justin Barron or Arber Xhekaj on this list since I felt it would be unjust to include any players who are still in the early stages of their careers. There is still plenty of underachieving to go around, so don’t worry.
Being disappointed is the feeling of sadness or unhappiness brought on by not having one’s wishes or expectations fulfilled. Now let’s get started. These are the top five most disappointing
The 33-year-old goalie finds that things have not been easy. With a record of 5-9-3, a 3.43 goals against average, and a.901 save percentage, Allen has shown somewhat ordinary in goal. In this partnership, Samuel Montembeault has made it obvious that he is the 1A, but Allen and his 3.85 M cap hit are still impeding young Cayden Primeau’s progress.
When the Canadiens broke camp in October, I don’t think general manager Kent Hughes intended for the team to still have three goaltenders on the roster after 50 games. Although he would have loved to have traded Allen by now, his salary cap ramifications and lackluster play have prevented that.
The door has firmly closed on any trade opportunities that may have existed earlier in the season when teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers were having goalie inconsistencies. It is unlikely that Hughes would find a good trade partner before the deadline without keeping payroll because Allen has one more year left on his contract. Put differently, we are stuck with him for the time being.
Although that’s a bitter pill to take, it would be easier if Allen was functioning effectively. With regard to the following player on our list, the situation is uncannily similar.
