Despite a recent five-game losing streak, the Montreal Canadiens are still in contention for a playoff spot.
Other teams vying for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference are also struggling, which has prevented Montreal from falling too far behind in the standings with just 10 games remaining. During their current 0-3-2 stretch, the Canadiens have slipped from holding the second wild-card position to being the first team outside of the playoff picture.
If the Canadiens manage to secure a playoff berth for the first time since 2021, it will largely be due to the performance of their top forward line and the impressive play of a rookie defenseman.
The line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky has emerged as one of the most potent in the NHL, currently tied for the second-most goals scored at 5-on-5 play with 39. Defensively, Lane Hutson stands out as the top-scoring rookie with 56 points, including 51 assists. His assist total puts him on track to potentially achieve the second-highest assist count by a rookie defenseman in NHL history. Hutson`s puck possession time exceeds 179 minutes, surpassed only by established Norris Trophy winners Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar.
“The competition is intense right now, which makes this final stretch exciting,” Caufield commented to reporters on Thursday. “Playing for something meaningful at this point in the season is truly special. The guys in our locker room have worked incredibly hard for this opportunity.”
Tristan Blackwood