It's been rough sledding for the Montreal Canadiens since their surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.

They've finished near the bottom of the league each of the last two seasons, and have had some absolutely brutal injury luck along the way. With the current state of the team, Montreal will likely be in rebuild mode for at least a couple more years.

As such, the Canadiens weren't too active in free agency. Most of their big moves were re-signings, and the few additions they did make were minor leaguers or fringe NHLers. The roster will likely look pretty similar to last season, but again, that's not too surprising for a rebuilding team.

Free agency has mostly calmed down now, so it seems like a natural time to assess some of the Habs' big moves this offseason. With that said, let's dive in and assign each of the Canadiens' free agency moves a grade.

LW Cole Caufield: 8 years, $62.8 million ($7.85 million AAV)

The Canadiens got an early start on this offseason and accomplished its main goal in early June. That goal was, of course, signing their top young goal-scorer in Caufield.

Since making his debut late in the 2021 season, Caufield has emerged as a cornerstone for the Habs. In 123 regular season games, the 2019 first-round pick has 53 goals and 84 points. He had a rough start to the 2021-22 season, but since Martin St. Louis became Montreal's coach, Caufield has easily been the team's best scorer, although he did miss nearly half of last season with injury.

Right now, $7.85 million for Caufield is definitely an overpay. However, he's only 22 years old, and the Habs are banking on him developing into an even better player over the next few years. If that does happen, this deal could look like a bargain, and its nice that Montreal won't have to worry about one of its young stars leaving anytime soon.

Grade: A

C Alex Newhook: 4 years, $11.6 million ($2.9 million AAV)

The Canadiens acquired Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche back in June for two draft picks, No. 31 and No. 32. With this new deal, he's going to be in Montreal for quite a while, so what should fans expect from him?

Newhook, who was ironically selected one spot after Caufield in 2019, has spent the last two seasons in Colorado's bottom six. In that time, he has 27 goals and 63 points, and has spent a good amount of time on the power play.

Newhook didn't have much chance to shine on a stacked Avalanche roster. That will certainly change in Montreal, where he'll be a staple in the middle six. Newhook is also 22 and still has plenty of room to grow, and will also still be an RFA when this deal expires. That gives the Habs the chance to retain him for even longer, and if he can shine in a larger role, Newhook will be a very good addition for the long haul.

Grade: B+

C Sean Monahan: 1 year, $1.985 million

Last offseason, the Canadiens acquired a first-round pick from the Calgary Flames just to take Monahan off their hands. Injuries had taken their toll on the longtime Flame, and with Calgary going through a major roster turnover, it made sense to part ways. Montreal was more than happy to help out, not just for the extra pick, but because Monahan's experience could be valuable for such a young team.

Unfortunately, injuries plagued Monahan once again as he played just 25 games all season. He was playing relatively well too, scoring six goals and 17 points in those games. Season-ending groin surgery was just another setback for a player who's had plenty of them throughout his career.

Even with the injuries, Montreal decided to keep Monahan around for another year. The Habs also got him at a much cheaper cap hit, as his previous one was $6.375 million annually. If he can stay healthy this time around, Monahan could be a good signing for the Habs.

Grade: B-

LW Rafaël Harvey-Pinard: 2 years, $2.2 million ($1.1 million AAV)

With Montreal dealing with so many injuries last season, Harvey-Pinard became a surprising bright spot. In 34 games, the Quebec native scored 14 goals and six points while playing over 17 minutes a game and doing his share of hitting and blocking.

This season, Harvey-Pinard should have a much greater role and may even be a staple in the lineup. If he can replicate his production from last season on a larger scale, then this will be a great deal for the Habs. And if not, then it's not like this is a crazy commitment or anything.

Grade: B+