After 10 games, the Montreal Canadiens sit seventh in the Atlantic Division with a 4-5-1 record. Only the Boston Bruins are behind them in that division, which will not likely remain the case for very long. For the fans in Montreal, it is not the fact the team is losing games. It’s how they’re losing them.
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They’ve been outworked in several games. They’ve been outplayed, even in some of their victories, such as their opening-night win versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, but that isn’t all because they have one of the youngest teams in the NHL, or are still in a rebuild. While those issues play a role in their problems, the largest they face is that they lack a team identity this season.
Canadiens’ Frustration
Twice in a one-week span, Montreal allowed four goals in the opening minutes of a game at home in the Bell Centre. They had notoriously slow starts last season, but 2024-25 was supposed to be different. They were supposed to be “in the mix” for a playoff spot, and slow starts are not something a team that wants to be on the hunt for that spot can afford to have. They seem to be unprepared for their opponent’s energy coming right out at the opening faceoff, leaving the Canadiens on their heels.
In both of the games at home against the New York Rangers and the one against the Seattle Kraken, Montreal had no answers for the game plans their opponent arrived with. While the Rangers are a Stanley Cup-contending team and would be capable of outplaying the Habs through skill and depth, there’s no excuse for being outworked as they were. In the two games following that 7-2 loss, Montreal showed they can outwork opponents, winning two-consecutive games, convincingly. But then, Seattle arrived, and despite being another team hoping to battle for a final playoff position, they dominated the Canadiens on the scoreboard in an 8-2 drubbing.
Being dominated like that — by anyone — in the NHL shouldn’t happen. Fans are still focused on the rebuild process and are looking for some entertaining hockey, but also to see a young team providing effort and showing the ability to play a system that will provide hope for the coming seasons as the young core develops. But instead, they seem frustrated. So too do the players: Mike Matheson stated he was embarrassed and too angry to talk after the Kraken game. Then, when asked if he could identify any problems in their game, Juraj Slafkovsky responded:
No, but I’m sure you guys will figure it out and will write about it, (about) what’s wrong. Right now, the wrong thing is that they scored eight times on us and we have to figure (it) out. It doesn’t matter if we won two last games if something like this happens.”
This level of frustration, this early in the season, is an issue head coach Martin St. Louis will need to address in the room. The question Slafkovsky was asked should not be unexpected for a team struggling. Normally, players provide more vanilla responses, but sometimes their frustrations allow their anger with themselves or the situation to bubble to the surface.
Dysfunctional Canadiens Defence
Is it the goaltending? Well, yes and no. Yes, as in, Samuel Montembeault has had some starts where he has allowed some weak goals early. This has led to Montreal playing from behind, which is not ideal as they have yet to win a game after trailing their opponent at any point in the contest. While he can’t be blamed for every goal he’s allowed, sometimes this team need a dramatic save on a quality scoring chance to build its confidence. It isn’t fair for the goaltender to have that pressure, but as a relative veteran on a young team like this, it is the reality he faces. He simply cannot let in a weak goal, especially early on in a game. But in reality, goaltending isn’t the problem, as the team’s defensive play has been so poor.
Montreal’s team defense sits at or near the bottom of the NHL in every trackable defensive stat. Bottom five in goal differential (28th at minus-10), total goals against (31st with 30 allowed), expected goals against (31st with 27.4), goals against per 60 minutes (32nd with 3.95), unblocked shots against (27th with 383) and so many more. No goaltender can be given the blame for poor outcomes when the skaters in front are allowing more than 38 shots against per game and 15 of those are high-danger chances against.
The defensive scheme in use is too complicated for the players at this stage. Whether it is because it’s far too elaborate, or that they are simply too inexperienced, changes will be necessary. The Canadiens’ defensive pairs at five-on-five haven’t fared well, and they will need to focus more on engaging physically and making the simpler, higher-percentage plays to clear their zone. They can’t rely on David Savard to continue being a league leader in blocked shots, which would mean they allow too many shot attempts. The sheer number of shots and high-danger chances against points to an inability to consistently clear the front of their net, yet Kaiden Guhle’s imminent return should help in that area especially as he plays with an edge at the net front.
Returning players aren’t the only changes on the horizon. Insider Pierre LeBrun recently said general manager (GM) Kent Hughes is still on the hunt for reinforcements. Not that anything is imminent, but there are changes wanted this season. LeBrun left listeners with a sense that Hughes would like to get his hands on some veteran defensive reinforcements, especially on the right side, but not at any price as he said the GM would not sacrifice his long-term plan for a temporary solution. This tracks with the management’s past moves as they have been very careful to never overspend on any asset or sell any without getting the desired return.
It’s not all bad news in Montreal. The top line with Nick Suzuki are all point-per-game or better producers, with Cole Caufield is among the league leaders in goals with nine after 10 games played. The special teams are vastly improved as the power play is 11th at 22.9% and the penalty kill is 8th at 83.8%. The hurdle for the team now is to discover its identity at five on five. Are they a grinding team, are they about speed, are they able to outwork opponents? Until they find that, and find a team system on defense they can implement, the Canadiens will continue to slide down the standings and miss out on the important development scenarios that being in the mix for that last playoff position — even if they miss out by eight or 10 points — and playing meaningful games until April can bring.
