What made the Canadiens so dangerous last season was their ability to hang around, absorb a punch and come charging back. Through the opening stretch of the 2026-27 season, though, Montreal has been dealing out the frustration instead. The team has built leads often enough, but finishing games has turned into a problem that keeps resurfacing.
The pattern has shown up in different forms, against different opponents, and it is already hard to ignore. Montreal led the San Jose Sharks 3-1 before giving up the game and losing in overtime.
Against the Buffalo Sabres, the Canadiens did the same thing twice, jumping ahead 3-1 in both meetings before letting Buffalo claw back. Montreal escaped those games with an overtime win and a shootout win, but both contests still required extra time after the Canadiens had been in control.
The most jarring collapse came against the Nashville Predators. Montreal raced out to a 2-0 lead, then watched the game completely slip away in a 5-2 loss after Nashville scored five straight. That was followed by another letdown against the Carolina Hurricanes, when the Canadiens held a 3-2 lead and still ended up on the wrong end of a 6-4 defeat.
Five games, five examples of the same issue: Montreal can build an advantage, but it has not been able to protect it.
That stands in stark contrast to last season, when the Canadiens made a habit of clawing back into games. Cole Caufield scored several goals late in games to get the Canadiens ahead.
Montreal’s identity was built on resilience, on refusing to let games drift away. This season has flipped that script.
The Canadiens are starting fast, then losing their grip as opponents push back.
The good news for Montreal is that it is still early. There is time to clean this up.
But the bigger concern is that the Canadiens are not just failing in one area. They are creating scoring chances, grabbing leads and putting themselves in position to win.
The breakdown comes after that, when the job should be getting simpler, not harder.
For a young team trying to move forward, that is a problem that has to be fixed. Protecting a lead is part of learning how to win.
Montreal has enough offense to get ahead; now it needs the discipline to stay there. That means fewer turnovers, sharper puck management and less room for opponents to generate momentum.
The defensive side has to tighten up, too. Jakub Dobes has struggled to provide consistency between the pipes, and the defensive play also needs to be tighter. Too many breakdowns have opened the door for opponents to storm back, and the Canadiens have already paid for it in points.
That matters because the Sabres game showed how costly those missed chances can become. Montreal got four points from the two wins, but Buffalo still picked up two points by pushing both games beyond regulation.
In October, that can look harmless enough. Later on, those points can swing the standings, especially if the Canadiens and Sabres are chasing the same playoff spot.
Montreal already knows it can battle back when things go sideways. Now the Canadiens have to show they can close the door when the game is theirs.
In Other News...
Canadiens Prospect Alexander Zharovsky Just Gave Fans Another Reason To Wait
Alexander Zharovsky continues to give Canadiens fans a reason to keep an eye on the KHL box scores. The 19-year-old forward, who is still developing in Russia with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, was part of a recent comeback win over Metallurg Magnitogorsk and has remained one of the more intriguing young talents in Montreals pipeline after a record-setting rookie season.
The start to this season has been a little uneven, but that is part of the patient plan the Canadiens have in place for him. Rather than rush him toward North America, Montreal is letting Zharovsky handle the ups and downs of a full KHL campaign, hoping the long view pays off when he is ready to make the next jump. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Still Loom In A Trade Situation That May Not Be Closed
Trade chatter around the league still has a way of circling back to Montreal, even when the Canadiens are not directly named in the latest twist. Connor Hellebuyck remains a major talking point as the Winnipeg Jets keep working on a deal, and there is even some talk that his physicals could be pushed back while attention shifts to the Heritage Classic weekend. Around the same time, Dylan Larkins name has been resurfacing in broader speculation, with his list of destinations expanding and his market still worth monitoring.
For the Canadiens, the key part is what is not yet there. Montreal is not on Larkins current 10-team list, which does not shut the door on future interest but does keep the club on the outside for now. Elsewhere, Pittsburghs situation bears watching too, since a tougher stretch could trigger a larger sell-off as management operates under a tight budget, leaving this as one of those leaguewide trade stories that could still change shape before it finally settles. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Brutal Test Without Their Captain
Nick Suzukis absence is the kind of development that changes the feel of a roster immediately. The Canadiens captain is dealing with an upper-body injury that will keep him out for 2-4 weeks, and with that comes the end of his remarkable run of 546 consecutive games. It is the sort of stretch that underscores how central Suzuki has become to Montreal, not just as its top center but as the steadying presence the team has leaned on through so much of its recent progress.
For the Canadiens, the next few weeks now become a test of depth and adaptability. Montreal has already moved to bring up Owen Beck from AHL Laval, a sign that the club is preparing to reshuffle responsibilities quickly while Suzuki recovers. However the lines are arranged, the larger challenge is obvious: replacing a captain who touches so many parts of the game is never as simple as plugging in one player and moving on. [Read more 🡒]