15 reasons to watch the Canadiens’ last nine games

It’s April 2nd. April Fools’ Day jokes are FINALLY over on social networks. That’s great!

It’s been a tough weekend for our Montreal sports teams: the Habs, Montreal CF and Rocket all lost their respective games on Saturday… which was reflected in the TV ratings.

With the Habs barely above 400,000 viewers on a Saturday night at 7:00 p.m., that’s not much.

Note that the Montreal CF game was also broadcast free of charge on Apple TV/MLS Season Pass.

Whatever.

It’s starting to feel like the playoffs in the world of professional hockey – we’re already getting a taste of them in junior – and I have to admit that I’m starting to find the rebuilding process a bit slow. It’s in the spring that we realize how much we miss the playoffs.

This will be the third year in a row that the Habs won’t extend their season after their last regular game. Next year,we ‘ll have to at least fight for a playoff spot.

As for the Rocket, their last six games will dictate whether or not they extend their season. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, because in these difficult times for the Habs, the successes of the reserve-club – where the organization’s best hopefuls must develop – are a beacon of hope.

Back to the Canadiens…

The Habs play nine games in 15 days, starting tonight, while the Panthers are in town. Four of those nine games will be played on the road…

If I’m not going to watch these games and wonder if the Habs will make the playoffs, I’ll be watching a few things in particular.

1. Will Nick Suzuki collect at least 4 points between now and the end of the regular season, which would allow him to finish the season with 73 points, his highest total since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08?

Reminder: Max Domi scored 72 points in 2018-19.

Unfortunately, I don’t think the captain is capable of catching up and finishing the season with an average of one point per game.

Ah yes… Nick Suzuki is on track to complete a fifth consecutive full season. He’s never missed a game since joining the NHL. #Ironman

2. Will Cole Caufield score six goals to match his career best (26 last season)? It’s going to be tough…

3. How far will Juraj Slafkovsky take his point total (41)? Can he make it to 50, which would be something for a guy who celebrated his 20th birthday just three days ago?

4. Prior to the 2023-24 season, Mike Matheson had never scored more than 34 points. Now he has 51, which is exceptional: no Habs defenseman has scored more than 51 points in a single season since P.K. Subban in 2014-15 (60).

But Matheson also has a cumulative differential of minus-28. The “record ” for mediocrity by a Habs player is minus-31 (Patrice Brisebois and Alex Galchenyuk).

All Mike Matheson’s offensive talent and defensive “doubt” can be summed up in the previous two paragraphs.

5. Will Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau finish the season at .500 or better?

6. Will Colin White… ah pis f*ck off, I contra-c****e Colin White. The guy has 0 points in 13 games with the Habs (and 0 in 11 games with the Penguins). Zero-point season?

7. Will Lane Hutson, who will be taking part in the renowned Frozen Four tournament, have time to come and play a game or two with the big team? And will Logan Mailloux be given at least one game (during the week, because of Laval’s playoff run) as a bonus?

8. Will RHP be able to round off a season that has been difficult, if not disappointing, offensively? He has just one goal in 36 games…

9. Will Jesse Ylonen convince the Habs staff of the merits of offering him a new contract this off-season? Ylonen, who doesn’t do much on the ice, will be eligible for restricted autonomy AND arbitration during the summer. The Canadiens could let him go…

10. Will Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson give $12 million for two? Unfortunately, we know the answer…

At least Gallagher gives everything he’s got on the ice…

11. Is this Tanner Pearson’s last NHL game? Will he play a few games between now and the end of the season?

12. Will Joel Armia, Jake Evans and Michael Pezzetta leave a lasting impression on the organization’s executives, who will spend the summer making plans for next year?

13. Will Alex Newhook secure a place at center… or confirm that deep down, he’s a winger, not a center?

14. Will Jordan Harris, Johnathan Kovacevic, Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble be able to prove they’re NHL regulars?

15. Will Christian Dvorak and/or Kirby Dach, whose season was supposed to be over, play at least one game?

If you were looking for a reason to watch the last few Habs games, I’ve just given you a few…

Is it enough to convince you to turn your TV to RDS or TVA Sports in the next 15 days?

Oh yes, I almost forgot: the next collective results will influence the probabilities in the abacus (draft lottery) and the team’s ranking in each of rounds 2 to 7. No, the final games won’t be significant for Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton’s taste, but they will still have a certain meaning…

Overtime

– ECHL: things could get shaky this afternoon.

– Intriguing reminder, by the way…

The Laval Rocket have recalled goaltender Strauss Mann from the Trois-Rivières Lions.#Lions3R pic.twitter.com/kzprsrQdyg

– Trois-Rivières Lions (@Lions3r) April 2, 2024

– Patrick Roy is no better than his predecessor in New York.