After six games, one clear takeaway from the Canadiens’ season is the need for improvement in the top-6 forwards.
Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky are hitting a slump, and the second line is underperforming, particularly Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and Joel Armia, who aren’t making the impact needed.
It’s now Martin St-Louis’s responsibility to find ways to reignite his key players, and perhaps some lineup changes are in order. There are other players who deserve a shot in the top two lines.
One player who stands out is Emil Heineman.
The young Swede has had a strong start to the season, showing involvement on the ice. He effectively uses his speed on the forecheck, engages in physical play, and is capable of scoring with his shot.
His shooting skills were evident in the recent shootout, as well as earlier in the week against the Penguins.
Heineman has a shot that’s NHL-caliber:
I believe he should be given the chance to play with Kirby Dach or Nick Suzuki, both skilled passers.
The reasoning is simple: Heineman is primarily a shooter who needs a playmaker to feed him the puck more frequently.
Currently, playing him on the fourth line with Christian Dvorak as center feels like a missed opportunity, as Dvorak hasn’t provided much value this season.
Heineman possesses key attributes that led to his selection in the second round of the 2020 draft. He has the potential to showcase his skills, and it’s on St-Louis to recognize that and have faith in him.
St-Louis typically values performance, so it’s time to give Heineman a better opportunity to excel, as he has consistently been one of the more dedicated and effective players since the season began.
