Can the young Habs keep the magic coming?

April 19, 2025

It took them the full 82 games to do it, but the Montreal Canadiens have clinched a berth in the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their goal was to be in the mix, but now they’re in the show, and on Monday night they will face off against the Capitals in Washington in Game 1 of their best of seven series.

It’s taken a touch of magic here and there to get them to this place ahead of schedule. Can the young Habs keep the magic coming? They are the definition of underdog, but they can do damage if some things line up.

The Habs desperately need to stay healthy.

It’s no coincidence that the Canadiens have put together their best season since the 2021 Cup run in the same year they have had fewer games lost to injuries than they have had in ages. But their depth was tried when they lost Emil Heineman for a while and Coach Martin St. Louis struggled to find balance across the lines.

Adding Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen has mitigated the lack of movement at the deadline, and strengthened the depth. But if Michael Pezzetta sees post-season ice, it likely means bad things for the Habs.

The coach needs to play his best options.

It’s a natural tendency to be tentative about the players you know least, especially when they’re kids arriving from another league. It’s why Dom Ducharme wasted a couple of games of Cole Caufiel in 2021 and why Claude Julien was hesitant with Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

St. Louis must rise above that tendency where Demidov is concerned. His skill set gives the opposition something to think about, and the Habs another chance to win. Use three days of practice to incorporate the kid into that second line and the power play, and set him loose.

Beyond Demidov, if guys aren’t getting it done because of injury or Father Time, Marty needs to make the tough calls.

The Habs can’t get sucked into Tom Wilson’s drama.

Wilson loves a side show because it knocks the opposition off their game. Fans are already calling for Arber Xhekaj to play so he can be the sheriff. There is merit to that if Xhekaj can stay focused instead of getting sucked in. There are other guys who can rise to it as well, if called upon, but they can’t get tangled up in Wilson’s drama.

The power play can’t be so predictable.

The jig is up. Absolutely everyone knows the play is to Laine. They have other weapons and the coach needs to find a way to release their creativity. Perhaps finding a way to get Hutson and Demidov on the ice at the same time would help.

The emotional battle needs to land in Montreal’s favour.

The Habs have been on an emotional roller coaster all season, and there is a worry that making the playoffs is their Stanley Cup. There might not be enough emotion left for a long playoff run.

On the other hand, the Caps have been focused on the Great 8 breaking the Great One’s record. Their dominance took a hit as soon as the record was broken. Habs fans can hope too much emotion was spent here, and the Capitals can’t find another gear.

The vets must hold the floor so the kids can hit their ceiling.

Josh Anderson probably wishes he was still top line material, flying down the wing and bringing fans to their feet. Brendan Gallagher probably wishes his 22-year-old body was still available to him. Christian Dvorak is probably sorry his best hockey in Montreal is coming at the end of his contract.

Sometimes you have to be prepared to watch your dreams come true in someone else.

That veteran third line, along with Joel Armia on the fourth and David Savard on defense, have to be the grinders – the guys who do the unglorified dirty work. They have to so that the kids who will carry this team for years are freed up to stretch into that role.

The gamers need to game.

One of the markers of this young HuGo team is the number of guys who are absolute gamers. We just saw Nick Suzuki rise to his General Manager’s challenge to start winning after the Four Nations break. Cole Caufield has shown his clutch ability from his first games in Montreal. Slafkovsky got himself drafted first overall because of his dominance on the international stage.

Hutson has just gotten better with every passing game and Demidov scored a goal and an assist in his first game under the bright lights of Montreal. Sam Montembeault seems to find his best focus in the biggest games.

These kids will show up to play – we can count on that. If a few other things line up, they may have a better chance against Washington than most think.

Go Habs Go!