The Montreal Canadiens have been one of the NHL’s hottest teams to open the 2026-27 season, and they’ve done it while dealing with injuries to key players. Even so, one part of their game keeps sticking out for the wrong reasons: the power play.
Montreal’s man-advantage unit is clicking at just 14.8%, a number that doesn’t come close to matching the offensive talent on the roster. The Canadiens have leaned on strong five-on-five play and solid goaltending to keep piling up points, but leaving so many chances unused on special teams is a problem that can’t be brushed aside forever.
On paper, the pieces are there. Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovský give head coach Martin St.
Louis plenty of firepower to work with. The results, though, have not followed the script.
The most surprising detail might be that Zachary Bolduc leads the team with three power-play goals. Bolduc has earned credit for producing, but that total also says plenty about how uneven Montreal’s power play has been.
The issue hasn’t just been finishing. The Canadiens have also had trouble creating the kind of clean looks that force penalty-kill units to scramble. Their puck movement has not always been fast enough, and at times they seem to be hunting for the perfect setup instead of getting pucks on net and letting rebounds or deflections do some of the work.
Injuries have made the job harder. Suzuki has missed several games, and his absence has been felt most on the power play, where his vision, passing and decision-making are central to how Montreal wants to operate. He’s the player who helps unlock chances for teammates, especially Caufield, and without him the Canadiens have had to ask others to take on more responsibility.
Demidov’s absence has mattered too. His creativity and puck-handling bring a different layer to Montreal’s offense, and he has the kind of skill that can turn a broken sequence into a dangerous chance in a hurry. Losing both Suzuki and Demidov has clearly taken some of the edge off the Canadiens’ attack.
Still, the injuries don’t explain everything. Hutson, Caufield, Slafkovský and Bolduc remain dangerous offensive players, and Montreal should be able to do better than a 14.8% success rate even with two key contributors out of the lineup.
That’s why the power play has to stay near the top of the Canadiens’ to-do list. There’s no reason for panic given how well the team has started overall, but special teams can swing games over an 84-game season. They matter even more once the playoffs arrive, when one goal can decide everything.
For Montreal, the fix starts with faster puck movement, better shooting lanes and a stronger net-front presence. Bolduc’s three power-play goals could also give St.
Louis something to think about as he looks at his units. If Bolduc keeps producing, he may deserve a larger role.
And when Suzuki and Demidov return, the Canadiens should have more ways to create.
For now, Montreal is winning in spite of its power play. The bigger question is how dangerous this team could become if that part of the game finally starts working.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Bigger Concern Ahead Of Bruins Trip
Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans were both absent from Canadiens practice Wednesday, with the team classifying the missed session as maintenance following the clubs most recent game. Montreal confirmed the two forwards were not on the ice but did not offer any further detail, leaving the group to sort through a little more uncertainty as it prepares for a trip to Boston.
Suzukis status is the more notable concern because he briefly left Tuesdays game before returning and scoring Montreals only goal, while Evans had already been managing discomfort since Monday. For a team heading into a divisional matchup with the Bruins, any question about the availability of two important centers is worth watching closely, especially with no immediate update on whether either will be ready to go. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Caufield Just Sparked A Bigger Canadiens Debate Than The Loss
Cole Caufield turned a frustrating night into a larger conversation for the Canadiens after Montreals overtime loss to Minnesota, shifting the focus from the result to how NHL games are being officiated. The forward took aim at the way referees handle controversial calls, adding another layer to a game that already left the Canadiens with plenty to sort through.
What made his comments resonate was the broader point behind them: Caufield wants more accountability from officials and believes they should be able to explain what they saw instead of simply signaling a penalty and moving on. For a Canadiens team still chasing consistency, it is the kind of postgame critique that can linger well beyond one loss, especially when it taps into a league-wide debate about transparency on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Suzuki Scare Had Canadiens Fans Holding Their Breath
Nick Suzuki gave Canadiens fans a scare in the third period, leaving the game briefly before returning to the ice and settling things down in a hurry. Montreals captain has been a central part of the clubs offense all season, appearing in 12 of the teams 18 games and continuing to drive play at the top of the lineup.
The good news for Montreal is that the concern did not linger long after the final whistle, with the team indicating Suzuki is fine after his short absence. Even so, any moment like that tends to tighten the mood around a team that leans so heavily on its top center, especially when he has been one of the most important contributors to the Canadiens attack. [Read more 🡒]