By the numbers: the Canadiens’ offense is (truly) elite

Félix Forget
By the numbers: the Canadiens’ offense is (truly) elite
Credit: Getty Images

The Canadiens are enjoying an encouraging 2025-26 season so far. The club ranks second in the Atlantic with a 20-12-5 record, despite a rash of injuries.

And above all, with goalkeepers who seriously struggled for much of the season.

That said, the club has found ways to win in spite of it all. And what's clear is that, generally speaking, it's thanks to its offense that the Canadiens are winning so many games.

In fact, the Habs currently rank fifth in the NHL for goals scored this season, with 121.

This time last year, they were 22nd, with 100 goals.

To explain this, it's hard to ignore the impact of Ivan Demidov and Noah Dobson, who are both among the club's top scorers this season. Seeing Juraj Slafkovský play big hockey from the start of the year hasn't hurt either.

But what's clear is that the improvement is truly collective. In fact, when you compare the club's top six Christmas break scorers over the past two years, the improvement is considerable.

Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, and Juraj Slafkovský are producing at a better rate than last year, and the club is now banking on Ivan Demidov and Noah Dobson instead of Jake Evans and Mike Matheson in the top 6.

For many, many years, the Habs had a moribund offense, and it was thanks to Carey Price that they found a way to steal games. Today, however, it's just the opposite: there are very few clubs that can match the Habs' offensive firepower.

Imagine if Price had had a forward like that during his years in Montreal, hehe.


Overtime

– Good flash!

– Michael Misa will be able to play tonight. He'll be at the center of the first line.

– David Tomasek's contract will be terminated.

– Bummer.

– That's right.

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