The Montreal Canadiens are starting to look like a team no one’s going to want to face in the playoffs - and that’s a far cry from where they were just a year ago.
Last postseason, Montreal ran into a buzzsaw in the Tampa Bay Lightning and simply didn’t have the depth to hang. They bowed out in five games, and the gap between them and true contenders was obvious. But fast forward to this season, and that narrative is shifting - fast.
Montreal didn’t make a splashy overhaul in the offseason. Outside of adding Zachary Bolduc, the front office largely stood pat when it came to scoring depth. That meant the pressure was squarely on the shoulders of the team’s young core - players like Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky - to elevate their game and help carry the offensive load.
So far, that bet is paying off in a big way.
The Canadiens have become the first team in the NHL this season to have five players crack the 40-point mark - a clear sign that their offensive attack is no longer top-heavy. Nick Suzuki continues to be the engine driving this group, leading the team with 54 points, even if that only places him 15th across the league. But the real story is the balance behind him.
Cole Caufield was expected to be Suzuki’s running mate again, and with 48 points, he’s right there. But it’s Lane Hutson who’s turned heads.
The second-year defenseman has taken a massive leap, already sitting at 50 points and averaging over a point per game. He’s well on pace to blow past last season’s 66-point total, and his ability to generate offense from the blue line has added a new dimension to this team.
Then there are the two x-factors: Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky. Both were question marks coming into the season - not because of talent, but because it wasn’t clear if they were ready to take that next step. Now, it’s clear they are.
Slafkovsky, the former No. 1 overall pick, has always had the tools. He’s coming off back-to-back 50-point seasons, but this year he’s showing signs of breaking through.
He’s already at 40 points and is just one goal shy of setting a new career high. The jump in his goal-scoring has been especially encouraging.
Having a legitimate scoring threat on the second line gives Montreal a much more balanced attack and makes it harder for opposing teams to key in on just one line.
Demidov, meanwhile, is making the most of what’s essentially his rookie season. After playing just two games last year, he’s burst onto the scene with 11 goals and 32 assists - good for third on the team in scoring. His vision and playmaking have been a huge boost, and he’s quickly become a key piece in the Canadiens’ top-six rotation.
And here’s the kicker: this offensive surge doesn’t even factor in contributions from players like Noah Dobson, Alexandre Texier - who just earned himself an extension thanks to his strong play - or returning pieces like Jake Evans, Kirby Dach, and Patrik Laine. That’s the kind of depth that wins playoff series.
The Canadiens might not have made headlines in the offseason, but the internal growth of their young core is turning them into a legitimate threat. With five players already north of 40 points and more help coming from all over the roster, Montreal is no longer a one-line team. They’re deeper, more dangerous, and if this trend continues, they’re going to be a tough out when the postseason rolls around.