標籤: Canadians

Now that the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabers have managed to win two games apiece in their second-round series, it’s time to take a look at some of the stats behind the exciting matchup.

While the Canadiens have vastly outshot the Sabres, especially at 5v5, it’s worth noting that the underlying numbers point to a Buffalo team with the ability to take control of the series.

Canadiens Vs. sabers at 5v5

Unlike the series versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Canadiens are actually outscoring their opponents in the second round, but not by a huge margin.

As things stand, the Habs have a 51.9% advantage in shots (162-150), not to mention a 55.7% advantage in shots on net (78-62). This leads to a 9-5 advantage in goals scored at 5v5, which is a very solid output from a team that gets little to no 5v5 goals from its first line.

Once we dig a little more, it becomes clear that the Sabers overperformed with their shots, as they managed to generate slightly more high-danger scoring chances than the Canadiens (38-36), giving them 52.8% of expected goals.

Simply put, the Canadiens are working on quantity, while the Sabers are focusing on quality.

Impact of special teams

Head coach Martin St-Louis didn’t mince words when discussing the Game 4 loss.

“I think special teams played a huge role,” St. Louis said. “It’s hard to believe we only got one goal on the power play. I felt like we had a lot of chances. Our captain and goalkeeper played well, Dobbs also kept us in. We didn’t have a good start.”

Let’s unpack that statement in sections.

He’s absolutely right that special teams played a huge role.

Montreal had seven powerplay opportunities, and only managed to score on one, while the Sabers scored twice with the four man advantage.

A little more traffic in front of the Sabers netminder will likely provide additional second-chance scoring opportunities, but for the most part, they are generating a fair number of quality scoring chances on the power play. He just lacked the finish on Tuesday.

As far as their captain is concerned, it is worth noting that the first line’s play was impressive from a statistical point of view. When Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkowski and Cole Caufield were on the ice, the Habs controlled over 80% of the shots and 75% of high-danger scoring opportunities. It was a good game from a process standpoint, but now that the Canadiens are in the second round of the playoffs, results are more important than solid underlying numbers.

First line production needs to start, and they have no grace period left to get there.

Fortunately, all signs point to this trio being ready to explode on offense.

As for the third comment, regarding their poor start, you would find it hard to disagree with the head coach, but it would also be fair to say that this falls under the preparation category, and that duty is, at least partly, the coaching staff’s.

Truth be told, there is always room for improvement, but all things considered it is incredibly encouraging for the Canadiens to be two wins away from the Eastern Conference Finals just a few years into their rebuild.

And if they can continue to be a dominant goal-scoring force at 5v5, that will go a long way to helping them hold a significant advantage over the remaining three-game series, but they will need a little help from their special teams guys to accomplish this impressive feat.

All Montreal Canadiens statistics via Natural Stat Trick.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning have yet to play a playoff game decided by two goals.

Most of the contest went into overtime, which is a testament to how evenly matched the Habs and Bolts have been throughout the series.

While the teams prepare for their decisive Game 7 on Sunday, all the remaining playoff series have already been decided. The Eastern Conference semifinals between the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers begins on Saturday night.

But when we consider that they didn’t get any 5v5 contributions from their first line, the mere fact that the Canadiens managed to extend the series to seven games is quite an accomplishment.

And this is not an exaggeration.

Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkowski have not managed to score a single goal at 5v5, a huge blow for a team that typically relies on its top trio to drive the offensive attack.

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

Friday night was probably the best night of the first row from a statistical standpoint. Head coach Martin Saint-Louis made some lineup modifications, meaning Slafkovsky was not always used alongside Suzuki and Caufield, but in his 10 minutes of ice time at 5v5, he controlled 58% of shots and 50% of high-quality scoring opportunities.

However, at this point in the chain, the process needs to make way for results.

If the Canadiens lose on Sunday, and the first line fails to make an impact at 5v5, very few people will care that they have improved their underlying numbers throughout the series. For many fans and analysts this will be considered a failure of the season, even though you can argue that the Canadiens are well ahead of their long-term rebuilding plans.

Fair or not, fans want to see continued improvement, and if the team fails to make much noise in the playoffs, they’ll be very quick to forget Suzuki’s 100-point season, or Caufield’s 50-goal campaign.

Such is life for the highest-paid players in the lineup.

The good news for Canadians is that they perform at their best with their backs against the wall.

A certain level of adversity has produced great results for the league’s youngest team. Although this is not an ideal approach, the consequences are hard to overestimate.

If the players who typically provide secondary and tertiary scoring respond in adversity, the Canadiens will be in good position.

If their top line responds strongly, Montreal will be very difficult to beat.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

While the Montreal Canadiens continue to have success, their longtime rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, have finally acknowledged that their Stanley Cup window has closed.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the lessons Canadiens should remember as the Maple Leafs attempt to identify what went wrong.

1 – It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll

When it comes to building a roster competitive for the Stanley Cup, there is no foolproof recipe, and the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Take the Washington Capitals, for example.

Even with the best goalscorer in NHL history in the lineup, it took them two years to qualify for the playoffs. And once Alex Ovechkin got his first taste of springtime hockey, it took 11 years for him and the Capitals to finally capture the Stanley Cup.

It’s been 12 years of disappointment, a heavy price to pay for any fan base.

In fact, many of the best teams in NHL history have failed miserably in their respective playoff contests. The Boston Bruins scored the most points in league history in 2022–23 with 135, and yet, they lost to the Florida Panthers in the first round. The Tampa Bay Lightning scored 128 points in 2018–19, the third-most in NHL history. They were eliminated in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets in four consecutive games.

The Maple Leafs were never able to get beyond the second round, failing to win two series for nine years in a row, which ultimately led them to remove talented players from the mix in exchange for more conflict, a recipe that slowly but surely eluded them from the ultimate prize.

The lesson in this case is that it’s not always easy to convince passionate fans like Montreal and Toronto to show a little more patience.

Simply put, winning the Stanley Cup is incredibly difficult, and some of the greatest greats in league history have failed to lift hockey’s Holy Grail.

2 – Property Management

While there is certainly some logic involved in trading future assets for NHL-ready players, a trend that was popularized by the Lightning, there must be some semblance of asset management there.

The Leafs have traded many of their first-round picks, with little long-term value in returns. Spending a first-round pick on a defensive defenseman like Brandon Carlo, while only convincing the Bruins to provide top-5 pick protection, is the epitome of a high-risk, low-return type of deal.

Why is Boston’s Brandon Carlo draft pick only protected in the top five?

Brad Treliving: “Because that’s what we had to do to get the deal done last year.”

How hard did you work for top-10?

“We pushed.”

– Luke Fox (@lukefoxjukebox) 6 March 2026

Another good example of a wasted asset was the acquisition of Scott Laughton. The Leafs once again used a first-round pick to complete the deal, and while Laughton provided more energy to the team than most of his teammates, he was ultimately dealt to the Los Angeles Kings at the NHL trade deadline in exchange for a conditional third-round pick.

It’s easy to criticize with the power of hindsight, although I would argue that both deals were easy to criticize even in a contemporary setting.

The Canadiens have already traded some of their picks in the first round, including the deal they got for Noah Dobson, however, they ensured that he will be with the team throughout his tenure, and he fits into the ideal age group of the rest of the main players.

Adding players can be great, and first-round picks are fine as long as the deals stick to the vision set by management.

3 – Make a plan, stick to it

Speaking of vision, it’s quite clear that the Maple Leafs struggled to establish a long-term vision with their talented group of players. Having a blind spot big enough for two divisional rivals should be considered a hockey sin.

You could even argue that this is still an issue, based on Keith Pelley’s recent press conference.

Thoughts on the Pele presser:

1) They still have no vision. No firm was hired, no hierarchy was set. That doesn’t mean they won’t get it right, but they are just promoting it.

2) Pelé told prospective GMs he didn’t want to hear about scorched-earth rebuilding.

– Brian Hayes (@HayesTSN) 31 March 2026

Luckily for the Canadians, sticking to the plan is the name of the game in Montreal, but the pressure will eventually mount.

At that point, the temptation to stray from the plan will emerge, and it will be up to Kent Hughes and company to stay true to their original vision.

4 – Scoring is fun, defending is important

The Canadiens, like the Leafs, love to score goals, but it’s fair to say that defense usually takes a backseat when it comes to their on-ice tactics.

Having a good goaltender may help hide the problem, but it doesn’t address the root of the problem.

Former Calgary Flames analyst Kent Wilson said it best.

“Stopping shots is like killing rats. It’s better not to do it, but if you’re doing it all the time it tells you that you have bigger problems.”

The Canadiens block as many shots as they allow too many shots, a situation that risks being exposed in the seven-game series.

Aside from a first line of Juraj Slafkowski, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, most Canadiens lines have difficulty outplaying their opponents. As far as defensemen, with the exception of Lane Hutson and Adam Engstrom, they also tend to lag.

The Habs are one of the most entertaining teams in the league, and they have a penchant for staging comebacks late in games, but that’s symptomatic of a larger issue that has plagued them for years.

As the saying goes, defense wins championships.

5 – Keep the pipeline flowing

The Leafs did a good job putting together a relatively strong lineup, however, it would be hard for you to argue that they bolstered their lineup with a steady stream of young, talented players.

Trading away first-round picks like Candy was part of the problem, and there were some highlights like Matthew Nease, but for the most part, the Leafs had to pay a high price to add mediocre players to the lineup.

Having prospects like Michael Hayes, Alexander Zarovsky and LJ Mooney up front, not to mention Bryce Pickford, Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher on the blue line, should ease this concern somewhat, but it may not sustain the team for 10 or more years, especially if draft picks start to dry up.

A healthy balance between drafting and using draft picks to improve an NHL roster is always in order.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The Montreal Canadiens were in Los Angeles to face the Kings on Saturday, aiming to win at least one game before the end of their California road trip.

Despite being down and trailing by a good margin, Montreal’s first line came to play, leading the team to a vital comeback 4–3.

Let’s look at the highlights!

that man was a legend

The first period was a perfect example of what happens when only one team comes in.

The Kings outshot the Canadiens 16-1, which is the kind of ratio that’s only acceptable if an ordinary person enters a drinking contest against Wade Boggs, God rest him.

Shockingly or not, the Kings led 1-0 at the first intermission, an incredibly good score for a road team. The only reason they weren’t able to take a multi-goal lead was due to the good grace of Jacob Dobbs.

And because hockey is a cruel mistress, the Canadiens tied the game on just their third shot of the game, just minutes into the second period.

It was Jake Evans’ ninth goal of the year.

Jake Evans spent his ninth of the year at home to get things ready for the Habs pic.twitter.com/iYLEfHdbBd

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) 8 March 2026

first line effect

The recently reunited first line of Juraj Slafkowski, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield picked up right where they left off Friday, with Slafkowski scoring his 22nd goal of the year late in the third period.

In years past, I’m not sure Slafkovsky would have attempted to cut to the net, let alone take a shot from late, but we’re seeing a more confident version of the 21-year-old forward this season.

Juraj Slafkowski gives a great effort #GoHabsGo 2-1 lead over Kings: pic.twitter.com/gcDMMfR2Di

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 8 March 2026

the other shoe drops

The good news for Montreal is that despite being beaten by a huge margin, they managed to take a one-goal lead.

The bad news is that the lead was even more fragile than the Faberge eggs that escaped the Soviet Revolution.

Los Angeles kept up the pressure to finally establish their lead early in the third period.

Alex Laferriere gives Kings lead pic.twitter.com/7ZTZAMq5et

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) 8 March 2026

one more done

You’d be hard-pressed to argue that the Habs deserved numerous power plays on Saturday night, but ultimately the refs listened to them, giving them their first man advantage of the game late in the third period.

Slafkowski, Montreal’s biggest scoring threat on the power play, took advantage, scoring his 23rd goal of the year in the process.

3-3!!!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/qUVxwfibZN

– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) 8 March 2026

cardiac children

As usual, Montreal’s excellent attack thwarted its poor defence, as Suzuki recorded his third point of the game and his 21st goal of the season. This gave the Habs a 4-3 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the third period.

By now, we Canadians should be used to sleeping for long periods of time, waking up, and choosing violence.

It is highly entertaining, though not recommended for any fans suffering from heart problems.

Suzuki at its finest!

Nick for the late lead!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/ihxCslUoHH

– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) 8 March 2026

The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action on Tuesday facing the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm ET.

Unless otherwise noted, all Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5. Through the natural state trick.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The Montreal Canadiens are reportedly involved in a trade discussion with the Los Angeles Kings, with Habs forward Patrik Laine at the center of a potential deal.

It’s rumor season, so we should take some of these reports seriously, but according to David Pagnotta, the Kings have drawn interest from other NHL teams in the line.

business discussion around #GoHabsGo Winger Patrik Laine has learned a little more, and I’m told #GoKingsGo Circling back to that. Other teams are also in the mix. We’ll see if Montreal retains 50% of his $8.7 million AAV, but expectations are high that he’ll be moved this week.

– David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) 3 March 2026

Pagnotta mentioned the possibility that the Canadiens could retain 50% of Line’s contract to facilitate a deal.

Line is on the final year of an eight-year contract that has an annual average value of $8.7 million, however, it is important to remember that if teams trade for him before the March 6 NHL trade deadline, they will not be in trouble for the entire contract.

Contracts are based on days a player has spent with a team, not entire years, and given that there will be 22% of the schedule left to play after the deadline, Line’s deal would only have a cap hit of $1.9 million, give or take a few thousand dollars.

This will make it a little easier to move the line, although it’s obviously not a straightforward situation given the line’s injury history and lack of success at 5v5.

Finding a new home for Patrick Lane

On the other side of the coin, Laine still has one of the best shots in the NHL, making him a very useful tool for a team looking to add a dominant presence on the power play. Los Angeles has one of the worst power plays in the league at 13.9% efficiency, which is only good for 28th in the league. This is one of the driving forces behind their disappointing season. For now, Los Angeles is looking for a Western Conference playoff sprint, but they are still in the race. They are just four points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the final wild card spot with a game in hand.

The Kings currently have plenty of cap space, about $11 million, meaning they don’t have to convince the Habs to retain some portion of the contract to ensure a deal.

The Canadiens only have $1.4 million in available money, making retention a less than ideal situation for a team that is also looking to upgrade some positions. If the Habs intend to deal Patrik Laine, and other teams insist on retention, they may look to a team like the Vancouver Canucks to facilitate a deal.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

Three players from the Montreal Canadiens are set to compete in the men’s hockey quarter-finals at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina.

Quarterfinal No. 1, Slovakia vs. Germany, 6:10 am ET/ 3:10 pm PT

Juraj Slafkovsky and Team Slovakia will face Team Germany to begin the quarterfinal festivities, one of the benefits gained by securing the No. 3 seed during the qualifying round.

All things considered, it’s been another dream performance for Slafkovsky at the Olympics, with three goals and three assists in just three games. Not only is he the leading scorer for his country, but he is also their de facto leader on the ice, setting the tone for the rest of the Slovaks on what can only be described as a lucky team that has done a great job of capitalizing on their hockey passion.

Men’s Hockey 🏒 What a goal by Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkowski! Between Slovakia and Sweden it is 1 to 1.@LNH_FR#MilanoCortina2026 #rcsports #Hockey #teamcanada #olympic games pic.twitter.com/frJpxGVdmX

– Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) 14 February 2026

Keep in mind, Slovakia has approximately 5.5 million citizens, which is about the same population as Alberta or British Columbia.

Punching well above their weight is the name of the game for Slafkovsky and the Slovaks, however, and they will be considered favorites when they face Germany on Wednesday.

That being said, Germany have one of the best players in the world in Leon Draisaitl on their roster, meaning Slovakia cannot take their opponents lightly.

James Duthie: “Who has influenced you, outside of Canada 🇨🇦 or the US 🇺🇸?”

Elliotte Friedman: “Juraj Slafkowski 🇸🇰, the best non-Canadian player in the tournament so far.” pic.twitter.com/B8dbVKaxjB

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 17 February 2026

Quarterfinal No. 2, Canada vs. Czechia, 9:10 am ET/ 6:10 am PT

Nick Suzuki and Team Canada will put their undefeated record on the line when they take on Czechia in the second quarter-final.

Without trying to dabble in the usual arrogance of Canadian hockey, Czechia will have their hands full as they face one of the best teams ever.

David Pastrnak had this to say about Czechia’s match against Canada in the quarterfinals yesterday:

“This might be the best team we’ve ever played, so maybe we have to put respect aside a little bit and try to take their game to them.”

– Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) 17 February 2026

Canada is not only the top seed in the tournament, but they also easily defeated the Czechs 5–0 in their tournament opener. Suzuki scored a goal in that game on a great pass from Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid.

It remains to be seen where Suzuki will play in the lineup, as there is a chance John Cooper may want to use him in a shutdown role, but suffice it to say that the criticism of Suzuki throughout the Olympics has little basis in reality.

Can we stop this nonsense that Nick Suzuki is playing great hockey? Anyone below Mark Stone should honestly sit in front of Nick. Credit : @dimfilipovic pic.twitter.com/lnvWeUBqcU

– TURP (@JFTurpin) 17 February 2026

Quarterfinal No. 3, Finland vs Switzerland, 12:10 pm ET/ 9:10 pm PT

The third quarterfinal could include a Montreal Canadiens player, though there’s no guarantee Oliver Kapanen will finally get a chance to make a change on the Olympic ice.

As one of the youngest players in the lineup, his lack of playing time has not been unusual, although it must be said that he is one of the most productive players in the Finnish lineup, with 18 NHL goals to his name.

On that note, former Canadiens forward Joel Armia currently leads the Finns in scoring with two goals and two assists. Another former Hab, Sven Andrighetto, should feature prominently in the third quarterfinal match. The 32-year-old Swiss native has provided three assists in four games representing his country.

Quarterfinal No. 4, United States vs. Sweden, 3:10 PM ET/ 12:10 PM PT

The fourth and final game of the day will not feature any members of the Montreal Canadiens organization, although it remains to be seen if the Americans will regret their roster selection, as they overlooked both Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield.

Passive-aggressiveness aside, Team USA earned the second seed in the tournament, showing that they clearly brought one of the most talented teams to Italy.

As far as Sweden is concerned, relatively speaking their performance in international tournaments remains weak. This does not mean that they fail to win any game, but they fall short when it matters most. To their credit, Sweden won a gold medal in 2006, although it was only their second gold medal in Olympic history.

Despite having one of the most talented rosters at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, they will represent the seventh seed in the quarterfinals.

All Montreal Canadiens and 2026 Winter Olympic Games information via the IIHF.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont