Being a Habs fan hasn’t been easy since that unforgettable Cinderella run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. Injuries decimated the core. Shea Weber, Carey Price, and Paul Byron were all forced to retire. Brendan Gallagher, Joel Edmundson, Joel Armia, and Josh Anderson endured long, punishing stretches on the injured list. As a result, the Canadiens led the NHL in man-games lost for three straight seasons—and sat near the bottom of the standings throughout.
Big changes followed. GM Marc Bergevin was shown the door. Head coach Dominique Ducharme followed. Geoff Molson split hockey operations responsibilities, hiring Jeff Gorton as VP, who brought in player-agent-turned-GM Kent Hughes. The duo then convinced Martin St-Louis to take over behind the bench.
You know the story…
Laine: High Hopes, Early Heartbreak
This past off-season, Kent Hughes made a splash by acquiring Patrik Laine and a second-round pick from Columbus in exchange for Jordan Harris. Montreal absorbed Laine’s full $8.7M cap hit for two years—but gave up minimal assets for a former 40-goal scorer and a valuable pick. The buzz was immediate.
Then disaster struck.
In a meaningless preseason game, a fringe Leafs player took out Laine’s knee. No surgery was needed, but the injury sidelined him for the first two months. The Habs stumbled without him, falling back to second-last in the NHL. Their penalty kill started strong, but the power play hovered around league average.
When Laine returned, things changed. The team got a spark. The power play ignited. And the wins started coming.
Carrier: The Trade That Changed Everything
But the most impactful trade of the season? That might belong to a December 18 deal that flew under the radar.
Montreal acquired Alexandre Carrier from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Justin Barron. At first glance, it looked like a minor depth move—swapping two right-shot defensemen, one younger, one more seasoned.
Since that deal, the Habs have posted the sixth-best record in the NHL.
Carrier, a Quebec City native, has been a rock on the back end, logging the fourth-most ice time on the team behind Matheson, Guhle, and rookie Lane Hutson.
Stat Breakdown: The Season in Three Phases
|
Segment |
Record |
PTS % |
NHL Rank |
GF/GP |
GA/GP |
PP% |
PK% |
|
Until Dec. 2 |
8-13-3 |
.396 |
31st |
2.83 |
3.83 |
20.8% |
83.1% |
|
Dec. 3–19 (with Laine) |
4-3-0 |
.571 |
19th |
2.71 |
3.00 |
26.1% |
78.6% |
|
Since Dec. 20 (Carrier) |
27-14-6 |
.638 |
6th |
3.13 |
2.91 |
19.5% |
80.7% |
|
Full Season |
39-30-9 |
.558 |
16th |
3.00 |
3.21 |
20.6% |
80.9% |
Demidov: The Wild Card Arrives
Just as the Canadiens seem poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021, fans were treated to another surprise.
SKA St. Petersburg unexpectedly released top prospect Ivan Demidov, and the Habs swooped in. Without warning, they announced a signed, sealed, and delivered three-year Entry-Level Contract—effective immediately.
The timing couldn’t be better. Montreal had won six straight and built an eight-point cushion for the final Wild Card spot. Now, add a highly skilled, dynamic forward into the mix?
Demidov is on his way to join the team and begin practicing. While his NHL debut date remains unconfirmed, he’s expected to get into a few regular-season games—and be ready for the playoffs.
The kicker? He could be lining up opposite Alex Ovechkin, one of his childhood idols, in Round One.
From injury-plagued years and organizational overhaul to blockbuster trades and a stunning signing, the Canadiens are writing a story no one saw coming. And with the second-youngest roster in the league, it’s starting to feel like this is just the beginning.
Statue talk for Kent Hughes outside the Bell Centre? Maybe not quite yet… but no one’s laughing anymore.
-1743976710-q80.webp "Where Chicago Bears backup QBs rank compared to rest of NFL")
