(U.S.) Thanksgiving is generally considered the cut-off point at which the teams currently in a playoff spot are presumed to make them in the end. It may only be a quarter of the way into the NHL season, but, especially with the inception of the loser point, it’s hard to make up lost ground. So, as the significant injuries pile up for the Montreal Canadiens and subsequently the losses, the fact they currently find themselves on the outside looking in is an undeniably bad sign.
Related: Canadiens Reach 2025-26 Quarter Mark on Injury-Fuelled Low Note
Granted, at 11-7-3 heading into action against the Utah Mammoth Thursday night, the Canadiens are only a single point out of the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot and three points out of first place in the Atlantic Division (with one game in hand). That in and of itself isn’t something for which to be grateful. It just adds context. However, it is critical to look at the big picture, because things could be a lot worse.
With that, here are the top five things for which the Canadiens and their fans should be thankful this holiday season:
5. Canadiens’ Current Record Compared to at Thanksgiving 2024
Based on how the Canadiens finished 2024-25, i.e., strongly by clinching their first postseason berth since their 2021 Stanley Cup Final run, it’s easy to forget they were far worse off at the start of the season. In fact, their surge up the standings coincided (coincidentally or not) with Patrik Laine’s debut on Dec. 3.
At that point the Canadiens were last in the entire conference, same for a few days prior on U.S. Thanksgiving, when they had been 8-11-3. So, while the Habs are undeniably trending lower with all the key injuries they’ve sustained, they’re in a far better position currently, just one year later.
The likeliest reason for any negative criticism is understandable: patience perhaps running dry after expectations have been justifiably heightened following an extended stretch (starting last Dec. 3), during which they played .621 hockey the rest of the way, on par with the season-long points percentages of perennial powerhouses the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning.
However, based on how the Canadiens played to start 2025-26 before injuries took hold, the overall optimistic outlook is justified. They were never supposed to be a Cup contender as soon as this season. So, they’re technically where they should be, especially considering the make-up of the Atlantic currently.
4. The Power Shift in the Atlantic
The Lightning are currently in the driver’s seat in the Atlantic, but it’s just about anybody’s race, with the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Canadiens each within three points of them. With Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov all of a sudden 32 and his production waning (with him on pace for “just” 100 points), it’s easy to see their window of contention closing as we speak. Furthermore, core pieces like Jake Guentzel, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy are each on the wrong side of 30 themselves, with their farm system in relative disrepair.
Furthermore, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have enjoyed relative dominance at the top of the divisional heap for the last decade, have slid to the bottom of the pack, coming off a decisive 5-2 loss to the Canadiens. Even in beating the Habs 5-2 to start the season, they objectively appeared slower than in the past with playmaker Mitch Marner out of the equation and goal-scoring star Auston Matthews appearing to have lost a step.
All that to say, there’s a clear shift in power in the Atlantic and opportunity for the Canadiens to take hold of one of the top three spots this season despite their struggles, especially if the Stanley Cup-champion Panthers fail to regain the lustre they’ve displayed in their three straight Final appearances following huge injuries to stars Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. However, if it’s not this year, it’s only a matter of time, as their core, which helps make up the youngest team in the NHL overall, literally grows into contention.
3. Texier Signing On
As a stop-gap measure, relative to the injury situation, the recent signing of Alexandre Texier is a breath of fresh air. However, let’s get one thing straight: Texier is no saviour.
Texier is a middle-six forward at best, whose best season from a point-per-game perspective yielded a mediocre 20 points in 36 games (2021-22 with the Columbus Blue Jackets). Does he have skill? Yes. Can he be part of the solution? Yes.
However, will Texier be at risk of dropping out of the lineup as a healthy scratch once the likes of Laine, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook return from injury? Also, yes.
2. Kapanen’s Emergence as an Everyday NHLer
If you’re not sold on Oliver Kapanen as the team’s second-line centre, you’re not alone. The role, which had been Dach’s to lose heading into this season (spoiler alert), seems to now be his in a makeshift capacity. However, not to take anything away from the 22-year-old, he’s already exceeded expectations after scoring just two assists, over 18 games in 2024-25.
So far, Kapanen currently has seven goals and 11 points in 2021, having stepped up amid Dach’s slow start to the season. While Kapanen’s production pace has slowed, he’s been a decent complement to fellow-rookie Ivan Demidov on the second line, helping to form what would otherwise be a non-factor of a unit, especially following the injury to Newhook.
As of right now, Kapanen, along with Demidov and goalie Jakub Dobes (who himself has statistically fallen back to Earth following a hot start) represent three Canadiens unofficially in the Calder Memorial Trophy race, which defenseman Lane Hutson obviously won last year. Needless to say, even if things look much bleaker regarding the outlook for 2025-26 than they did a month ago, overall things are looking bright regarding the long-term future.
1. Demidov Coming as Advertised
At the forefront of the Canadiens’ long-term prospects is obviously Demidov, who was universally seen as a favourite for the Calder heading into this season. All he’s done since is lead the rookie scoring race with 17 points in 21 career games (playing largely on a line with players far below his skill level talent-wise, all due respect to Kapanen, above).
For some additional context, Demidov’s 17 points put him on pace for 66 points, the same point total with which Hutson captured the award last season, albeit as a defenseman. However, San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini finished second in that scoring race as a forward, with 63 points (in 70 games). So, there is some precedent here that Demidov could realistically finish No. 1 were he to keep up the same pace, putting him in contention to give the Canadiens their second straight Calder.
Granted, Demidov would have stiff competition in the form of New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (who wouldn’t necessarily need to catch him to win). However, the point isn’t that Canadiens fans should be thankful Demidov is in position to win the Calder. The takeaway is he is living up to the hype as an elite, playmaking talent who can drive the success of a line on his own. The comparisons to Celebrini, who went first overall in his draft year (to his fifth) are valid in the sense there is hope Demidov can replicate the success the Shark is enjoying this season as one of the (entire) league’s leading scorers (after having spent one whole season acclimating to life as a pro in the NHL).
It may seem outlandish to suggest Demidov can one day put up the ~120 points for which Celebrini is currently on pace, but remember: He routinely drew comparisons to Kucherov in scouting reports… and the Lightning great took a few seasons before he was even beginning to reach heights like that.
That’s the outlook at which the Canadiens should be looking… when Demidov is further along in his career and the Habs are where the Lightning are right now instead of looking up to them as model for success. The signs are clear as day. They’re clearly poised for great things. Even now at 11-7-3, they’re well on their way. Again, to reiterate, things could be way worse.