While the Montreal Canadiens season thus far has been up and down to say the least, their strong pipeline of young talent including Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson, among others, is paving the way toward a bright future.

The Montreal Canadiens season has gone as planned to this point. They’ve played some fun hockey, they’ve played some frustrating hockey, and they’ve lost plenty of games. They have also seen some impressive growth in the number of departments – particularly from their young core.

Juraj Slafkovsky, the 2021 first-overall pick, has been on a tear since December. The hulking Slovak forward has 24 points in his last 26 games, including 12 points in his last 8 games. He has flourished in his role as the play-connecting, puck battle-winning, heavy forechecking component on the Habs top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

The trio has been a force for Montreal and Slafkovsky beginning to come into his own has been a big reason why. The 6-foot-3 winger hasn’t yet played 100 games in the NHL, and the noise around him has been ridiculous at times. Not every draft is made equally, and if Slafkovsky is never the kind of generational talent that Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews are, he still has plenty of growth and development ahead of him. If his recent run of play is any indication, there could be plenty of fun times ahead.

The Habs have so much more to look forward to in the next couple of years, with the players coming through their system. Their AHL team has been struggling in the standings, but they’ve done a good job developing some of the upcoming talent in the organization.

Josh Roy is currently with the Canadiens, but he has been very good for the Laval Rockets this season. He was one of the hottest players in the AHL to start the season. Although he’s slowed down a bit, his first pro campaign has gone as well as the Habs could have hoped, with Roy playing in 10 games for the NHL club already and registering three points in the span.

It is also the first pro season for defenseman Logan Mailloux. The controversial 2020 first-round pick has been throwing big hits, racking up points, and showcasing himself well in Laval. His uptempo, offensive-leaning brand of hockey could be a welcome addition to the Habs as early as next season.

Lane Hutson has been tearing the NCAA apart yet again, putting up historic statistical seasons at Boston University. His highlight reel is as jaw-dropping as any player outside of the NHL at this point. The dynamic defender could find his way into pro hockey later in the year after his NCAA season ends, as he’s proven just about everything he can in college hockey.

The impressive play from players in the pipeline doesn’t stop there, though. Owen Beck has been tearing the OHL up since being traded to Saginaw, one of the best teams in the league. Filip Mesar has been a driving force for the powerhouse Kitchener Rangers. The two 2022 draft picks, chosen just seven picks apart, should be fixtures near the top of the AHL lineup next season.

The Habs may not be very good right now but they have been doing a good job of filling the pipeline with strong talent. And the players in their pipeline have been hot recently as well.

The Habs’ future is bright. Help is on the way, but it’s just not all there quite yet.