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Surprising Canadiens Have Suddenly Started to Make a Splash

When the season began, no one expected the Montréal Canadiens to come close to making the playoffs. What happened? Who is leading the team?

by
Old Prof
January 9, 2025

Who would’ve thought it? The Montreal Canadiens have been surprising everyone lately, thanks to four standout young players. These four, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, and Sam Montembeault, are bringing their skills to the table. The result is that the team is beginning to reshape its season’s narrative. Once at the very bottom of the Atlantic Conference, the Canadiens are beginning to show they have the potential to win – starting now. What does this mean to the Canadiens future?

In this post, I want to examine these players and what they bring to the team.

What Does Cole Caufield Bring to the Canadiens?

Cole Caufield is a sniper. He does one thing well, and that’s scoring. Since early November, he hasn’t gone more than two games without registering a point. Right now, he’s on a four-game goal-scoring streak. In his 40 games this season, he’s shaping up to have his best season ever. Last season, he scored 28 goals, and he’ll likely pass that total this season.

Caufield is equally dangerous all over the ice. He showed just that in the Canadiens’ win over Vancouver, where he scored and added an assist. Caufield is fast, has a laser shot, and can find open spaces. He’s an offensive machine now and he’s certain to become a core piece of this team as the Canadiens completely rebuild and become a better team.

What Does Nick Suzuki Offer for the Canadiens Future?

At 26, Suzuki is one of the youngest captains in the NHL. He’s earned the title. He’s a clutch player. In the team’s last game against the Canucks, he scored the overtime winner. With that goal, he snapped a bit of a goal drought. But as the team’s leader, he remains valuable, even if he’s not just scoring goals. He’s also been dishing out assists as a playmaker. The game was his fourth straight with an assist.

Currently, Suzuki has put up 41 points in 40 games. Like Caufield, and he’s on pace for a career season. He’s a two-way player, who’s smaller but doesn’t avoid physical play. While he’s putting up solid point totals, there’s one area he could improve. His power-play scoring hasn’t been what it was last season. He has just two goals and 13 points with the man advantage so far this year. Those numbers don’t compare favorably to what he did last year.

Still, one thing Suzuki is good at is his leadership. He’s calm and steady on the ice. He helps keep his team grounded, especially the (even) younger players around him. He’ll be a core piece as the Canadiens grow stronger as a team.

What Does Sam Montembeault Bring to the Canadiens Future?

Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault is another key contributor. While the team’s been solid overall, he’s typically been a rock in pressure situations. Although he allowed four goals against the Canucks, Montembeault kept his team in the game long enough for them to come back.

Montembeault’s record’s is just over .500 in his last 10 games, but he was stronger earlier in the season. If he can improve his 3.19 goals-against average and .877 save percentage, he will be a solid goalie for the Canadiens as they take their next big step forward into playoff contention.

What Does Lane Hutson Promise the Canadiens Future?

Finally, Lane Hutson is a rookie who’s been phenomenal. From the start of the season, he’s been a strong presence on the ice. In the Canucks game, he put together his first three-point NHL game. The game also showed he was in the right place at the right time. His goal was one that deflected off a skate.

What makes Hutson so strong is his offensive game. While he’s adequate defensively, he’s still learning the defensive craft of being a blue liner. That said, he’s an absolute wizard on the offensive side of the puck. Over the past 10 games, six of his 10 points have come on the power play. Hutson has excellent vision and creativity and is confident all over the ice. He’s a key piece of the Canadiens’ defense moving forward, and he’ll also be one of the core players leading the team in the years to come.

Can the Canadiens Make the Playoffs?

The big question is even with this last solid run contest team make the postseason? Few would’ve predicted that the Canadiens would be in the playoff race this season. Yet, right now, they are holding one of the wildcard spots. Still, thanks to the solid contributions of Caufield, Hutson, Suzuki, and Montembeault, the Habs are surpassing expectations.

Even the most optimistic fans didn’t think the team would be contending for a playoff spot this year, but with these four youngsters and their teammates playing so well, it is possible. Sure, there are challenges ahead. However, if these players (and their teammates) can keep it up, the Canadiens could make the playoffs.

Who would have predicted that at the beginning of the season?