Hockey

The Canadiens are first in the Atlantic Division in points per game
Vincent Larue
The Canadiens are first in the Atlantic Division in points per game
Credit: Getty Images

Although, on the points roadmap, the Montreal Canadiens appear in third place in the Atlantic Division, a much more revealing angle completely changes the perception.

When you stop looking at point totals alone and focus on the percentage of points collected, the Habs simply find themselves in first place in their division. Yes, first. Yet this little detail that flies under the radar says it all about the team's current state.

In the NHL, the raw standings give you an idea, but not the whole picture. Teams don't all play the same number of games, and total points don't tell the whole story. Points percentage, on the other hand, tells a much more honest story. It shows what each team is really doing with the opportunities it has. And when you apply this metric to the Canadiens, the conclusion is clear. No Atlantic team capitalizes better than Montreal.

And that's where it gets interesting. On paper, the Habs still look like a club struggling in the middle of the pack. But when it comes to pure performance, the team behaves like a leader. It may not dominate the flashy stats, but it picks up points when it counts. Game after game, Montreal collects what it takes to stay in the game, and then some. Especially in what is currently an extremely tight season in the Atlantic Division.

For fans, it's the kind of statistic that makes you smile. We're talking about a young group, still improving, but showing that it understands how to survive in a league where every mistake can cost points in the standings.

Martin St-Louis' team is learning how to win close games, stretch average nights into positive results, and maximize their opportunities. This is exactly the kind of behavior we've come to expect from the Habs players this season.

This enviable position also offers a more accurate picture of the club's rise. However, the Canadiens are not yet at the level of a team that can take its foot off the gas without consequence, but they are playing like a club that understands its mission and takes it seriously.

In short, the official standings only tell part of the story. By points, Montreal is third. By actual performance, Montreal is first. And in such a tight division, it's that second truth that really counts.


overtime

– Death of former Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks.

– Ryan Leonard will be out for an extended period.

– Brent Burns becomes the 9th highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history.

– Sean Couturier scores in his 900th career NHL game, on his birthday.

– Zach Werenski is on an excellent streak.

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