Marc Dumont
Montreal Canadiens fans have cast their votes as to which member of the team is the most underrated player.
Given the team is in the midst of a rebuild, there were several great candidates in play, but the winner of our first official Habs Fan Vote did not win by the skin of his teeth. More on that later.
Most Underrated Montreal Canadiens Players 6th To 10th
Several defencemen finished among the team’s most underrated players according to the fans, including David Savard (10th), Kaiden Guhle (8th), Jordan Harris (7th), and Mike Matheson (6th). Goaltender Samuel Montembeault rounds out the group, having received enough votes to finish 9th.
10. David Savard (47 votes – 3.5%)
9. Samuel Montembeault (54 votes – 4%)
8. Kaiden Guhle (68 votes – 5%)
7. Jordan Harris (70 votes -5.2%)
6. Mike Matheson (71 votes – 5.2%)
Most Underrated Montreal Canadiens Players 5th To 1st
5. Joel Armia (99 votes – 7.3%)
The fifth most underrated player happens to be a forward who started the season as one of the most oft-maligned players in the lineup: Joel Armia. The Finn started the year in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, but quickly reminded everyone he’s not quite done yet in the NHL by setting a career-high in NHL goals, with 17.
4. Alex Newhook (100 votes – 7.4%)
Newcomer Alex Newhook received exactly one more vote than Armia, securing the fourth-overall spot on our list. Despite dealing with injuries, the speedy forward finished with 15 goals and 19 assists in 55 games. That projects to a 22-goal pace over an 82-game pro-rated season. On a roster desperate for goals, Newhook was a breath of fresh air.
3. Johnathan Kovacevic (135 votes – 9.9%)
Johnathan Kovacevic was just a few votes off earning the second spot in our rankings. Canadiens fans rightfully identified him as one of the most underrated players in the organization. Kovacevic is the epitome of efficiency. He doesn’t have much flash to his game, and that’s perfectly fine. Considering he was acquired for free on waivers from the Winnipeg Jets, Kovacevic’s play in Montreal easily surpassed all reasonable expectations.
2. Arber Xhekaj (141 votes – 10.4%)
Unsurprisingly, defenceman Arber Xhekaj was one of only two players to receive more than 10 percent of the votes. Once again, I have to commend Habs fans for picking a truly underrated player. Xhekaj received a lot of attention during his rookie year, which led to a little too much hype in his case. But the script flipped in 2023-24, especially when Xhekaj was sent to the AHL despite having the best underlying numbers on the team.
MUST READ: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Xhekaj
Once he returned, many focused on penalties rather than his strong play, which was missing the forest for the trees. Xhekaj plays on the third pairing, and many hold that against him, but he produced significantly better numbers than any other player placed in the same situation throughout the last two seasons.
Simply put, Xhekaj’s overall game improved by leaps and bounds this season. You’d be hard-pressed to find a player in the Habs lineup who improved on all aspects of his game more than the 23-year-old defenceman.
The Most Underrated Montreal Canadiens Player According To The Fans
1. Jake Evans (305 votes – 22.4%)
There is very little difference between the players ranked second to 10th on our list. A few extra votes for any particular player would have led to a higher ranking.
But there was absolutely no doubt when it came to the player who received the most votes.
Canadiens fans have decided that Jake Evans is the team’s most underrated player, with over 300 people casting their votes for the 27-year-old centre.
Evans has one of the most difficult jobs in the lineup. He’s tasked with anchoring the fourth line alongside a constantly rotating lineup of wingers. He receives very few offensive zone starts, and most nights he’s tasked with shutting down players who make a lot more money than he does.
Some may scoff at the following statement, but Evans’ seven goals and 21 assists in 2023-24 was a very good production considering his usage. It’s incredibly difficult to play on the fourth line and produce.
I still remember interviewing Evans at the Laval Rocket training camp during his rookie season.
“What would you say is your greatest strength? What stands out about your game?” I asked.
“Nothing.” Evan quickly responded.
The answer took me by surprise, but in his follow-up, the Notre Dame alumnus explained that while he’s not flashy, he also has very few weaknesses. His greatest strength was his well-rounded game and his penchant for outworking his opponents.
We’ve seen ample examples of his high-end work ethic during his time with the Canadiens, enough to suggest that his interesting statement as an AHL rookie rang true.
Jake Evans shorthanded snipe.
5-2 #Habs pic.twitter.com/W5lfPF7SNL
— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) April 3, 2024
