Preseason hockey isn’t always the most exciting game to watch. The rosters are often filled with unrecognizable camp hopefuls and declining vets on PTOs. In short, preseason hockey is always met with a collective shrug, especially when there are more exciting things to watch (how about those Blue Jays?).

So if you missed the preseason, I can’t really blame you. On the other hand, we at RabidHabs have a job to do, and that job is to watch hockey whether we like it or not. Over the course of the preseason, there were several overwhelming trends and players that stood out leading into the 2016-17 Habs’ season. Here’s what you missed:

Nathan Beaulieu is Ready

By far the most noticeable player for the Habs in the early exhibition games, Beaulieu recorded seven points in his first four preseason games. Beaulieu’s first four preseason games carry the most weight because the 2011 first rounder had a partner other than Shea Weber. Beaulieu was able to prove to fans and hopefully the coaching staff that he is capable of playing on the top pairing with the newest alternate captain while also contributing on the powerplay. Beaulieu will lean on Weber for support, but is capable of carrying that pair if Weber starts to struggle.

Artturi Lehkonen is an NHL Scorer

One of the most intriguing names at training camp was Artturi Lehkonen, and the Canadiens made his NHL role public on Monday when they announced he would stay in Montreal. The young Finn, who recently led Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League to a championship, was given a top six role in camp and made the most of it. Lehkonen scored two goals in the preseason and was not afraid to get in front of the goaltender on a regular basis. The rookie boasts a great release to his shot, and will compliment Tomas Plekanec and Alexander Radulov nicely. Expectations for Lehkonen are unclear, but chipping in on the penalty kill while adding 35-40 points would not surprise me one bit.

Mikhail Sergachev will play at least nine games

When the Canadiens announced Lehkonen’s roster spot with the Habs, they also announced that their most recent first round pick would stay in Montreal for the time being. Mikhail Sergachev, the Canadiens eighth overall selection at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, caught the eye of the Canadiens brass and will be given an extended tryout with the Habs. The 6’3″ defenseman from the Windsor Spitfires is certainly physically ready to take on an NHL role, and with the injury to Jeff Petry, the Habs decided to see if he is mentally ready. If Sergachev plays a tenth game with the Canadiens this season, he will burn a year of his entry level contract.

Alexander Radulov came as advertised

With a cap hit of $5.75 million, Radulov’s contract hardly looks like a “show me” contract, but that’s the sort of vibe it gives off due to its length of only a year. In the preseason, Radulov certainly wanted to show the Habs’ brass that he wants to be around for longer than a year. An incredibly gifted scorer, Radulov terrorized the Washington Capitals rookies and was a force in every other game he appeared in as well. Hardly a perimeter player, Radulov goes hard to the net and isn’t afraid to try and lay the body. While Brendan Gallagher is penciled in on the top line, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Radulov take some shifts with Alex Galchenyuk, as the two seem to have incredible chemistry.

Unfortunately, Andrew Shaw also came as advertised

This isn’t going to be an anti-Andrew Shaw segment, but I was mostly underwhelmed by Shaw’s play leading into the last preseason contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It has become abundantly clear that “leadership” has become front office code for “grit,” and by that flawed logic, Shaw leads all the time… While he does appear to have some developing chemistry with David Desharnais on the Habs’ third line, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Shaw get a larger role because of Michel Therrien’s obsession with grinders. The third line last year worked well until Therrien pushed Dale Weise further and further up the lineup, and I honestly believe that will happen again with Andrew Shaw. Okay, maybe it was an anti-Andrew Shaw segment.

Mike Condon goes the way of Dustin Tokarski

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Mike Condon, who made space for himself on last year’s starting roster by outplaying Dustin Tokarski, found himself without a job after being outplayed by newcomers Al Montoya and Charlie Lindgren. Condon was shaky against the New Jersey Devils, giving up two goals on just ten shots. Similarly, Condon gave up four goals on twenty-one shots against the rival Ottawa Senators. The Canadiens will undoubtedly be in better hands with Al Montoya in the back-up role, as Montoya’s solid play only finalized Condon’s exit.

The Muller Effect

The powerplay could be a major factor for the Habs this season, as Kirk Muller has revamped the Canadiens’ play on the man advantage. Abandoning the two-point man system, Muller has gone with the “umbrella” set up on the powerplay. Instead of having two defenseman near the blueline, there is only one blueliner at the center of the line with two players on their off-wall. For example, Weber will play on the wall to his left because he is a right handed shot. This new set-up allows the Canadiens to move the puck down low along the wall while consistently keeping shooting and passing lanes open. As they move the puck down low, the defending team must adjust to protect the passing lanes. This movement from the opposition will free up shots from the point and the opposite wing. Alex Galchenyuk playing on the right wall will open up one-timers on both sides and will make the Canadiens’ powerplay a legitimate threat every night.

Comeback Kids

One thing the Canadiens did particularly well was come back in hockey games, and on two occasions they did it in the dying seconds of regulation. The Canadiens were able to rally back from a two-goal deficit against the Boston Bruins in Quebec City, and scored last minute goals on the road against Toronto and Ottawa. When the Canadiens struggled last season, it seemed as though one goal would be enough to put away the lowly Habs. With an increased ability to come back in games, teams may not be able to hold of the Habs for a full sixty minutes.

If you watched the preseason, what did you think? Will the Habs’ success carry over to the regular season?

Stay connected to Rabid Habs over the course of the season for great fan coverage and analysis!

Follow Ian on Twitter @BoisvertIan.