As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2024-25 season. Today, we look at the impact of three advanced metrics for the Montreal Canadiens:
1. Forward Cole Caufield was among the NHL leaders in midrange shots on goal (100; 97th percentile) and midrange goals (eight; 86th percentile) last season, while linemate Nick Suzuki was also a standout in midrange areas with 12 goals (94th percentile) on 60 shots on goal (85th percentile).
Although Montreal has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of Caufield's first three full NHL seasons, he continues to improve his goal total each year and took a huge leap in shots on goal last season with nearly equal distribution from the midrange areas on the left (40) and right (36) wings. The 23-year-old ranked seventh in the League in shots on goal (314) and has a chance to become one of the game's premier goal-scorers upon entering his prime in the coming seasons. With Suzuki (NHL career-high 77 points in 82 games) also still having another gear to reach offensively, Caufield's goal total (NHL career-high 28; 82-game pace in career: 32.4) could skyrocket as early as this season.
2. The Canadiens had three players among the NHL's fastest in terms of consistently reaching high skating speeds; forward Josh Anderson was eighth in 20-plus mile per hour speed bursts (335), Suzuki was in the 95th percentile of speed bursts of more than 20 mph (218) and defenseman Mike Matheson ranked eighth at his position in 20-plus mph speed bursts (113).
While Anderson has been a valuable secondary scorer in the NHL when healthy, Suzuki (total skating distance of 279.56 miles; 97th percentile) and Matheson (295.31; third in League in total skating distance behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon's 300.15 and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin's 299.29) are shouldering heavy workloads to keep Montreal competitive during its rebuild. Matheson also led the Canadiens in assists (NHL career-high 51) last season and looks to continue being a big part of their top-heavy offense.
