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I was listening to the TV as I was trying to think of something to say about the Canadiens' dream weekend. And that's when it hit me hard.
Seeing Nick Suzuki, in his Tim Hortons ad, imply that it smells like the Cup before saying that it smells like… fudge, I thought the metaphor was a good one to sum up the Habs' start to the season.
And it's not just about the Stanley Cup, it's about hockey too… #Alouettes
Already, before the hecatomb of injuries, the consensus was that it wasn't a good week for the Habs. The club was playing less and less well on the ice and eating volleys on the ice.
It seems that the guys are afraid to shoot at the net – especially on the powerplay. Why is that? No idea… but it almost makes you miss Patrik Laine with an extra man.
Because morale in town wasn't high to begin with, and the last few days have been tough, it's almost starting to feel like the lottery and Gavin McKenna are the talk of the town. #EnBasPourMcKenna
Ups and downs may be part of sports, and they may be even truer for a young team rebuilding, but this one has been hurting for the past few days.
The Habs have had an NHL-high 4:57 mins of 5 on 3 PP time this season.
They've scored 0 goals during them. pic.twitter.com/1xrBMNajNh
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 16, 2025
Alex Newhook, Kaiden Guhle and Kirby Dach are all going to miss out on big game time, and that's not good news. This wasn't necessarily planned.
But injuries are part of sport. Nick Suzuki and Jayden Struble, to name but a few, are also (somewhat) injured as we speak. I'm sure there are others.
The league isn't going to feel sorry for the Canadiens, of course. The club will have to find ways to get back on its feet.
Will that mean recalling more guys from Laval? Will it involve a transaction? In the short term, it's easier to recall someone from Laval.
Obviously, right now, we're mourning the club's great start to the season, when good contracts (Lane Hutson, Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes) were multiplying and the club was playing inspiringly. The vibe has changed.
And the remaining guys will have to find solutions to stay in the playoff hunt.
extension
The bad news: the Canadiens will be playing more on the road than at home over the next two weeks. Four of the next six games will be away from the Bell Centre – and that includes a trip out West.
And in every case, it'll be against opponents who shouldn't be taken lightly. And I'm including the Columbus Cannon in that…
