Montreal Canadiens: 2 Biggest Surprises Of The Season So Far

Every NHL team has now played 20 games this season, so we are starting to get a better understanding of what to expect from them moving forward. There have been certain players who have been big surprises thus far and it feels fair to shine a light on them. In this series, we will be looking at two from each team who certainly can be classified as that.

In this piece, we will be discussing the Montreal Canadiens. To be blunt - there aren't too many options to choose from with the Canadiens because of how much they are struggling as a whole. Yet, these two players have been pretty nice surprises for differing reasons.

Chris Wideman: After a 42-point campaign in 59 games with the KHL's Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, Chris Wideman returned to the NHL and signed a one-year deal with the Canadiens. In his return to North America, Wideman is doing well when it comes to his offensive production. In 20 games, he has two goals and leads all Montreal defensemen with nine points. That's bad at all for a player who's making $750,000 this season.

Michael Pezzeta: In terms of offense, forward Michael Pezzeta hasn't been lighting it up. In 14 games, he has a goal and an assist. Yet, it feels fair to focus on him because he is certainly making a case for himself to stay on the NHL roster. The rookie immediately fought two very tough opponents in Ryan Reaves and Mark Borowiecki. Although he didn't dominate those fights, he could have the tools to be Montreal's new agitator as he continues to get more experience. He's a rookie to keep an eye on from here.

Check out our last article on the Chicago Blackhawks. In our next one, we will be looking at the Colorado Avalanche.