The Montreal Canadiens are now in the final stretch of the NHL season, and they are in the mix for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, which is exactly where general manager (GM) Kent Hughes had stated the team wanted to be when he spoke to the press at the Canadiens’ charity golf tournament prior to this season.
The Canadiens are playing with house money. No matter if they make the playoffs or not, they have proven capable of taking that next step. With the style of play being installed, and the young core taking shape, the team has shown Hughes that they are ready to take the next step, but they will need to seek outside help to make that a reality.
Canadiens’ Style and Needs
The problem that the club is dealing with is consistency. At times, they look like a formidable team that could compete with anyone in the NHL, as they have since the 4 Nations break with their 8-1-2 record in that time. However, to start the season, they were a cellar-dwelling club, as they were up until Dec. 15, when they sat at 30th in the NHL at 11-16-3.
There is no secret to what the Canadiens are building. Their stated goal was to build a physical team that uses speed and a high pace of play to force opponents to panic, creating turnovers that they can capitalize on. Head coach Martin St. Louis, since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, has been stating repeatedly that the Canadiens need to limit the scoring opportunities of their opponents. The game on March 15 against the Florida Panthers, where Montreal earned a 3-1 victory and allowed only seven high-danger scoring chances, is evidence that they can not only play a style built on speed and pace but also low-event, defensive hockey.
Montreal’s blue line is the most glaring example of what the rebuild plan is leading to. There is a balance being created between skill and size. There are large, physical defenders such as Kaiden Guhle or Arber Xhekaj, and smaller puck movers such as Lane Hutson proving size isn’t everything. Montreal has scored 197 goals, and he has had a direct impact on 26.4% of them, meaning fully one-quarter of Montreal’s offence has been generated by Hutson.
Culture will always be an issue with the Montreal market, but former Canadiens forward Andrei Kovalenko provided some advice during an interview with RG.org to Ivan Demidov that applies to any player joining the franchise. He stated that Montreal is a “unique cultural landscape where hockey holds a revered status.” So, his advice is to embrace the rich history and traditions of the Canadiens. That usually means learning French (which Demidov is doing) but also knowing and respecting the connection the fans have to the organization. Yet another former Canadiens forward, Ilya Kovalchuk, echoes the sentiment.
“He’s a great guy—bright, hardworking, and truly passionate about hockey. I’ve heard he puts in a lot of extra work, which is fantastic. He’s already standing out in the KHL, and I’m confident he’ll do well in Montreal.”
He further emphasized the unique challenges of playing in Montreal, a city where hockey is deeply ingrained in its culture. Kovalchuk advised Demidov to be prepared for the intense scrutiny that comes with the territory: “He needs to be ready for the reality of playing in a city where hockey is like a religion. Every move he makes will be scrutinized by management and the media,” continued Kovalchuk.
Taxes, the weather, language, and living in a fishbowl have historically worked against making Montreal a destination for players. But Hughes seems to have an excellent grasp of what makes players want to sign a contract. He is selling them on a vision of where the team is headed. Add to that a team that plays a fun, fast-paced style, and players take notice. By making Montreal a desirable destination, it could make it easier to have a player waive a no-trade or no-movement clause to go to the Canadiens.
Canadiens’ Window Is Now Open
The reason the Canadiens are ready to add a significant piece at forward is more than just providing Nick Suzuki support at centre forcing defenses to split their focus from one offensive line to two lines. It is also due to the fact that Demidov is expected to make the leap to North America immediately at the end of this Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season. He and Hutson will be the cornerstones of Montreal’s future offence. This means that this offseason is the time to ensure that role is filled to allow Montreal to take that next big step in the rebuild and become true playoff contenders.
With Kirby Dach being out long-term with an injury, again, the one major need for the Canadiens is obvious, it’s a proven second-line centre. It is such an obvious need that there is no subterfuge or dancing around the subject, Hughes is openly looking for one in the upcoming offseason.
“If there had been somebody for us to get that could play up the lineup and help, somebody who could’ve played with Newhook and Patrik Laine, that was where we were testing the waters for.”
Montreal management is aware that the cost will be high to acquire a proven asset, but they won’t be afraid to overpay to have one that fits the age, need and style of play they have been building stating that “I think we’re probably closer to overpaying in terms of what we give up in assets to acquire a player.” With one of the NHL’s deepest prospect pools and 11 top 90 picks over the 2025 and 2026 NHL Entry Drafts, they have the assets to overpay if necessary.
With the Canadiens in a true playoff race, there will be more benefits than just giving the young core experience which will aid their development. Their play has given teams notice that Montreal is ready to take the next step in their rebuild process, taking them to a level that players would be excited to join.
