The CH has the same defense as they did in last year’s playoffs (and that didn’t go well)

Marc-Olivier Cook
The CH has the same defense as they did in last year’s playoffs (and that didn’t go well)
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

At the end of last season, the situation was pretty clear after the Canadiens were eliminated in the first round by the Washington Capitals.

We all agreed that the defense needed to improve. The guys got outplayed, the goalies weren't great, and that meant the Habs could only manage to win one game against the Caps.

That being said… it's ironic, but with Noah Dobson's injury, the Canadiens will start their playoffs this year with the same defense (or almost the same) as last year.

The big difference?

Noah Dobson essentially replaced David Savard because he took his spot on the right side of the team's top-4… and he's injured right now.

Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle, Alexandre Carrier, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, and Arber Xhekaj are still with the Habs… and it's with this group that the Habs are likely to start the playoffs.

Especially since Jakub Dobes stepped in for Samuel Montembeault after the Quebec native's injury in Game 3…

So, it's as if the Canadiens have to make do with the same defense as last year… without Savard.

And against a team like the Lightning, which is capable of using its speed to be extremely dangerous offensively, there are questions to ask before the series begins.

In 2025, the Canadiens allowed 18 goals (in five games) in their first-round series against the Capitals. Four of those were scored into an empty net…

If the Habs struggled to contain the Caps last year, they need to be prepared because the Lightning won't give them any breaks on the ice. I mentioned it in an article yesterday: the Bolts have one of the best offensive arsenals in the National Hockey League, and they know how to play the game the right way.

And Jakub Dobes better be on his game, or else this series could drag on…

That's where we'll see just how much Noah Dobson's absence will hurt. I wouldn't be writing this if he were healthy… but oh well. It's part of the game, and the Canadiens will have to find a way to manage without him.

And it will also be interesting to see if the team's defense can be better than in recent playoffs with the same—or nearly the same—group on the blue line…


In a nutshell

– Okay.

– Great news.

– Oh, really?

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