Montreal Canadiens: Expect Alexander Romanov to explode on to the scene in 2020-21

The 2020-21 NHL season could be the year of Alexander Romanov.

Every year we are treated to a fresh wave of young studs, and Montreal Canadiens prospect Alexander Romanov has the potential to absolutely light it up in 2020-21.

While we wait on a start date for the 2020-21 NHL season, it is only natural that we look ahead to potential storylines and certain players to keep an eye on.

I penned a piece a few weeks ago on why the Montreal Canadiens could be crowned Kings of Canada after significantly retooling and upgrading their roster during the offseason, but I inexplicably left out one glaring name.

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Alexander Romanov.

That was my bad and I’m here to put it right immediately.

It was such a bad mistake on my part because Romanov looks every inch an absolute stud and, not only that, but he also boasts the potential to morph into an elite defenseman for the Canadiens.

In a nutshell, he is their future and the heir apparent to Shea Weber.

Lofty expectations indeed but Romanov has the skill, the hockey IQ, the grit, the tenacity and the will to win to ensure he meets those demands and truly flourishes in the National Hockey League.

And 2020-21 is his stage.

After finally signing his three-year, $3,532,500 Entry Level-Contract in July, Romanov joined up with his teammates inside The Bubble for the 2019-20 Stanley Cup Playoffs, although he was unable to play in the postseason per an odd ruling from the NHL.

Romanov was able to skate during practice with Montreal, however, and it seems he made quite the impression with Canadiens Head Coach Claude Julien already stating that the young stud will crack the roster out of Training Camp.

It was music to the ears of Montreal fans who have been craving just a small tantalizing sight of their second coming on the blueline, a talent who could morph into something truly special.

Drafted No. 38 overall by the Canadiens in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Romanov has been cutting his teeth in Russia, where he has made quite the impression.

Despite his tender years, Romanov quickly became a fixture for CSKA Moskva, a powerhouse in the KHL, proving that he was more than capable of playing and thriving against fully-grown men in an ultra-competitive setting.

The blueliner also has an impressive resume when it comes to international hockey, being crowned the Best Defenseman at the U20 World Junior Championships in 2018-19 after putting up one goal and seven assists for eight points in seven games.

He also was named to the 2019-20 World Junior Championships U20 All-Star Team after helping Russia to a Silver Medal, recording six points (1 G, 5 A) in seven games.

Although just 5-foot-11 and weighing in at 185 pounds, Romanov has built his reputation on his physical play and he’s an absolute monster in his own zone.

Playing with no fear and a real burning desire to win at all costs, Romanov can hit like an absolute train and his all-round defensive play is impressive for a 20-year-old.

But Romanov also boasts tremendous offensive upside and he has the potential to become a 50 plus point scorer for the Canadiens once he develops more and once he learns his craft in the NHL.

It has been quite a while since a Montreal Canadiens prospect was met with this much hype and only time will tell if he’s the real deal, but all signs point towards Alexander Romanov being one hell of a player for the storied franchise and eventually becoming a staple on that backend.

We are truly living in the age of flashy offensive defensemen right now and we were treated to an epic battle for the Calder Trophy in 2019-20 between Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, while Dallas Stars blueliner Miro Heiskanen is also in a class of his own.

I mean, let’s face it, in order to be successful in the NHL you need to have a stud and an absolute horse on the backend, and the Canadiens may well have just found theirs in Alexander Romanov, who is now ready to show North America what he’s made of.

He looks the part, he can truly dominate in all three zones, he has all the intangibles needed to become an elite defenseman in the NHL one day and don’t be surprised if Alexander Romanov dominates the Calder Trophy race in 2020-21.

He’s that good and Montreal Canadiens fans are about to get served up a real tasty treat thanks to one of their most exciting prospects, who now finally has the chance to showcase his considerable talents on the biggest stage.

Let the Alexander Romanov show begin.