(Best E Casino) - Heading into the 2007-08 season the Montreal Canadiens were expected to be a few years away from contending for a Stanley Cup title. To say that expectations have risen considerably a year later would be an understatement.

The Habs weren't even expected to make the playoffs last year, but nonetheless wound up finishing the regular season as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. A second-round postseason exit against the Philadelphia Flyers dampened spirits in Montreal a bit, but that was a minor stumbling block for a young Canadiens squad that is expected to challenge for a Stanley Cup title in 2008-09.

Head coach Guy Carbonneau deserves much of the credit for keeping the youthful Habs focused during the ups-and-downs of an NHL season and was rewarded with a second-place finish in voting for the Jack Adams Award. Carbonneau has an even tougher task this year of not letting the pressure of being a contender get to the Canadiens.

The key for Montreal last year was the excellent season turned in by enigmatic winger Alexei Kovalev and the veteran sniper will once again be the x-factor for the Habs. Will Kovalev be the player who scored 84 points a year ago or will he revert to the lows of his 47-point campaign in 2006-07?

With or without Kovalev, things are looking up in Montreal and the rabid fan base is beginning to smell Cup no. 25.

FORWARDS - As stated above, the biggest reason for the Canadiens' surprising season a year ago was that few people expected Kovalev to return to his dominant form.

The 35-year-old notched 35 goals and 49 assists last season for easily his best season since recording 95 points with Pittsburgh in the 2000-01 campaign. Motivation shouldn't be a problem for the Russian sniper in 2008-09, as he's in the final season of a three-year, $13.5 million contract.

Montreal's top-scoring center last season was 25-year-old Tomas Plekanec, who had a breakout year in 2007-08, finishing second on the Habs with 69 points (29 goals, 40 assists).

The Canadiens could use rising star Andrei Kostitsyn to play opposite Kovalev on the left wing. The 23-year-old Belarusian made a big leap in his development last year with 26 goals and 27 helpers for Montreal.

Andrei's younger brother, right wing Sergei Kostitsyn, also played in 52 games for the Habs last season and recorded 27 points (9g, 18a).

Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, the face of the Montreal franchise for most of his 12-year NHL career, is back once again to center a line for the Habs. Koivu had a career-high 75 points in 2006-07, but dropped off to 56 points (16g, 40a) a year ago.

Koivu will have a new weapon on his line after general manager Bob Gainey traded for veteran left wing Alex Tanguay in the offseason. Tanguay had 81 points two seasons ago with the Flames, but fell to just 18 goals and 40 assists in 2007-08. Still, the 28-year-old, who is free agent after this season, has five 20-goal seasons on his resume.

Right wing Christopher Higgins could also play on the Koivu line and the 25- year-old hopes to notch his fourth 20-goal season in as many NHL campaigns this year. Higgins had his best year in 2007-08, setting career highs in goals (27), assists (25), points (52) and games played (82).

The Habs added another solid centerman to their roster in early September, acquiring Robert Lang from Chicago for a second-round draft pick in 2010. The 37-year-old Lang had 21 goals and 33 assists in 76 games with the Blackhawks last season.

Another huge pickup came in the form of the 6-3, 243-pound winger Georges Laraque, one of the league's top enforcers. Laraque, who signed a three-year deal, had 141 penalty minutes while protecting Sidney Crosby and other Pittsburgh stars last season and will fill that same role for the Habs, who certainly lacked a physical presence last year, especially in the playoffs.

Also, keep an eye out for a breakout season from Guillaume Latendresse, a 21- year-old left wing who has scored 16 goals in each of the last two seasons for Montreal.

DEFENSE - The Montreal defense will be largely unchanged from last season and the Habs hope that means Andrei Markov will have the same type of year he did in 2007-08.

Markov was left with the role of Montreal's top defensemen after Sheldon Souray opted to sign with Edmonton in the summer of 2007. The Russian filled those shoes both on offense and defense, steadying the Montreal blueline while posting career bests in goals (16), points (58) and games played (82).

Markov will once again be paired with the immense Mike Komisarek, who packs a wallop at 6-4, 242 pounds and was a plus-nine for the Habs last year. The 26- year-old also had 17 points (4g, 13a) and 101 penalty minutes in 2007-08.

Veteran blueliner Roman Hamrlik will be back this year after recording 26 points (5g, 21a) in 77 games for Montreal last year. Josh Gorges, 24, will likely be paired with Hamrlik once again after turning in nine assists in 62 games last season.

The Canadiens also opted to re-sign 37-year-old Patrice Brisebois, who is injury prone and played in just 43 games for the Habs in 2007-08.

Francis Bouillon and Ryan O'Byrne will also battle for playing time at the back end this season.

GOALTENDING - Gainey took perhaps the biggest gamble of the 2007-08 season when he opted to trade starting goaltender Cristobal Huet at the deadline, thus leaving a then 20-year-old rookie Carey Price as the primary option for the upcoming playoffs.

Price played well down the stretch for the Habs and ended the season with a 24-12-3 record to go along with a solid 2.56 goals against average and .920 save percentage.

However, Gainey took some hits when the young netminder struggled in the postseason, but Montreal still has tremendous faith in Price, who was taken fifth overall in the 2005 draft.

One of the reasons the Habs decided to deal Huet was that they also have a solid goaltending prospect in Jaroslav Halak, who will back up Price this season. The 23-year-old Slovakian has played in just 22 NHL games, but has shined for the club's AHL affiliate in Hamilton.

WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE - Last year wasn't a fluke, the Habs just developed quicker than most pundits expected. The Canadiens won't have the element of surprise on their side this year, but when you are blessed with speed, skill and youth the way Montreal is, that shouldn't really matter. Expect Montreal to challenge for the No. 1 seed in the East once again and don't be shocked if the team wins it all.