/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn-tor.buminteractif.com%2F2026%2F01%2F04161151%2FGettyImages-2254112446-1-1.jpg)
I honestly don't think I've ever seen an Eastern Conference as tight as this one in the National Hockey League.
We're now halfway through the season, and no team in the East has yet been dropped to the bottom of the standings.
No team seems to be rebuilding and waiting for the draft, while all the teams are still in the playoff hunt.
It's amazing how competitive the NHL has become, with parity at an all-time high, especially in the East.
To give you an idea, the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference all have a points percentage above .522, while in the West, six teams play for less than .500.
That's an impressive difference, and it goes even further when you look at the point differential between the top and bottom teams.
In the West, 34 points separate the Colorado Avalanche (69) from the Winnipeg Jets (34), while in the East, just 11 points separate the Tampa Bay Lightning (53) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (42).
The standings are therefore decided by nothing in the East, so there's no room for a losing streak for the Canadiens.
Martin St-Louis' team has just eight points more than the Blue Jackets, who are currently in 16th and last place in the conference.
Eight points means four wins, so it's a very slim lead.
What's even crazier about the 2025-2026 Eastern Conference is that only four teams have a lower points percentage than the Habs at the end of the 2024-2025 season.
The Habs had completed their season at .555 to make the playoffs, but this season, that point percentage would put the Habs in 12th place in the conference.
Right now, it's the Washington Capitals' .571 point percentage that just barely makes the playoffs.
In short, the Canadiens may be well placed in the standings right now, but it really comes down to nothing.
The Habs must continue to perform and must have an excellent second half of the season to consolidate their playoff spot, starting with this afternoon's game against the Dallas Stars.
The Bleu Blanc Rouge will be looking to avenge their horrific 7-0 loss to the Stars at the Bell Centre on November 13.
Let's hope the Habs can put in a better performance and avoid two losses in two days.
Overtime
– Stay tuned tonight.
What does
Gavin McKenna remember about Boxing Day win over
:
“Just how fired-up we were knowing we let the country down twice [by] losing to those guys & we don't want to do it again. So, we're fired up here & hopefully we have that same mentality“https://t.co/3mrLf3v4IF
– Mark Masters (@markhmasters) January 4, 2026
– A defender to watch.
Coach Patrik Augusta on
“He has no nerves. He plays well and does the little things right.”
Why was he passed over twice in the NHL draft?
“You should ask the scouts or somebody else … last year he proved himself alreadyhttps://t.co/ExG0UPXxkR
– Mark Masters (@markhmasters) January 4, 2026
– This is clearly a team that would compete for the gold medal.
While Russia is banned from the Olympics, what would their men's hockey team look like if they participated in the 2026 Winter Games? https://t.co/Dx6e5y7Syc
– The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) January 4, 2026
– He's dominant.
Nathan MacKinnon had another four-point night.
Three primary assists, including a beauty on the GWG. # Avs are outscoring teams 74-19 at even strength when No. 29 is on the ice.
He is the NHL's midseason MVP, and it's not particularly close.https://t.co/yiR18Jud7e
– Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) January 4, 2026
