Hockey

Led in series by the young players: the Canadiens will progress without good sense thanks to the next few days
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Led in series by the young players: the Canadiens will progress without good sense thanks to the next few days
Credit: Getty Images

Making the playoffs in 2025 for the Habs, that changes everything.

I'm not saying that because I think the Canadiens are going to win the Stanley Cup. I'm saying that because it will make the Canadiens more credible this summer when they want to convince players to join the team. It can't hurt, at least.

I'm also saying that because it's possible to see a team use a playoff appearance to take it to the next level 12 months later. The Capitals of 2024 and 2025 are a good example.

But I'm saying it mostly for the experience the young players will get. It will be worth its weight in gold.

It would have been one thing if Kent Hughes had taken shortcuts (like the Red Wings… with the results we see) by signing veterans to bring the young players to the playoffs.

But that's not the case. The young players brought the Habs to the playoffs and made the difference this season. They will live the playoff experience to the fullest – like Nick Suzuki (2020, 2021) and Cole Caufield (2021) in the past.

When you look at the Habs lineup, you can see that without Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, and even Juraj Slafkovsky, the Habs wouldn't be in this position.

Alex Newhook, who has a ring in 2022, will also learn not to just rely on the veterans. Ivan Demidov is getting his feet wet in the NHL. Samuel Montembeault has progressed beautifully this year. Jayden Struble will go get some experience.

And I have a hard time believing that Arber Xhekaj won't play at all, you know. If it gets crazy, he'll come into play.

Even if the Habs were to get swept in four, the next few days will be formative. It will be an important foundation for when the Habs will enter the playoffs through the front door one day.

And in the meantime, other guys will go get some experience in Laval in the playoffs. It could be worse, right?

Speaking of the Rocket, let's note that Brandon Gignac was at practice with a non-contact jersey, that Rafaël Harvey-Pinard should be there for the playoffs, and that Joshua Roy will play tonight with Florian Xhekaj and Owen Beck.

The team can ensure, as early as tonight, that they will finish at the top of the AHL.


Overtime

– To read.

– With reason.

– Yes.

– To note.

– Hockey is healthy.

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