From the worst to the best team in the NHL: the two faces of the Canadiens

Inexplicable! Improbable! Disconcerting!

What the Canadiens – who were languishing in the basement – are currently accomplishing could not have been foreseen. Going from the worst team in the league on November 25 (32nd in the standings) to the best team in the league for the past month is something.

Since December 16, the CH has a record of 11-2-1.

During this period, the Montrealers scored 51 goals, one less than the 52 from the Oilers and Blue Jackets, and they only allowed 30.

Their two special teams have a combined efficiency rate of 110%!

Jakub Dobes, Patrik Laine, Alexandre Carrier… some additions are at the heart of this turnaround. But Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, Samuel Montembeault, Jake Evans, Joel Armia, and others are not strangers to the team’s current success.

Are we going to make the playoffs?
The CH is in 10th place in the East this morning, just one point away from a playoff spot. With two games in hand…

In short, our club is in the mix.

The problem is that it won’t draft top three there are eight teams fighting for the two Wild Card spots in the East: the Blue Jackets, Bruins, Senators, Canadiens, Red Wings, Flyers, Rangers, and Penguins.

Two of the aforementioned teams are therefore likely to make the playoffs.

Does this mean the CH only has a 25% chance of extending its season after its 82nd regular game?

No! The Canadiens are on a good run and are closer to the top eight than the Flyers, Rangers, and Penguins. And they have an easier schedule than some teams in direct competition with them.

The renowned site MoneyPuck.com gives the Canadiens a 36% probability of making the playoffs this morning. It sees the Bruins and the Sens making the playoffs… but it also sees the CH and the Flyers as the most likely candidates to surpass them.

Let’s remember that MoneyPuck uses advanced statistical calculations to determine its percentages.

The site PlayoffsStatus.com is more generous regarding the Canadiens’ probabilities. It estimates the chances of seeing the CH play in the playoffs at 50%.

According to the site’s calculations, the Canadiens and Senators have better chances of extending their season than the Blue Jackets and Bruins.

The Flyers, Penguins, and Rangers have very little positive probabilities, according to PlayoffStatus.com.

Ultimately, the Tricolore has between one in three and one in two chances of making the playoffs…

Which makes the odds for this on Mise-o-jeu VERY interesting: 4.50.

I think I’m going to bet a little $20 on the CH.

In a nutshell

– It will be Toronto or L.A.

The Padres have been informed that they are no longer in the derby. https://t.co/CH71oCfDgK

— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) January 17, 2025

– Logical.

NY Islanders’ Maxim Tsyplakov will have a hearing today for an illegal check to the head against Philadelphia’s Ryan Poehling.

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 17, 2025

– Frederik Andersen is back.

Frederik Andersen is ready to be activated off IR by the #hurricanes after an extended stay. His next appearance will be the 500th of his NHL career.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 17, 2025