Seven things to watch for the end of the Canadian season

The Canadian has done quite well against good teams in recent weeks. Even if the results are not always there.

The last 18 matches will be an opportunity to consolidate these gains. Thirteen of these 18 matches will be played against teams which, as of today, are part of the playoff picture. It won’t be fun.

That said, an excellent end to the season could give this group confidence ahead of the next campaign. Perhaps then the Canadian will allow himself to think about taking the next step: that of aspiring for a place in the playoffs.

1. An 80-point season

It has been 14 years since a Canadiens player had a season with at least 80 points. Alex Kovalev, with 84 in 2007-2008, was the last to achieve this. With 61 in 64 games, Nick Suzuki could put an end to this lethargy. The Canadiens captain is having the best season of his career. He should logically reach the plateau of 30 goals. There are currently 25 of them.

2. A massive diversified attack

The work of the massive attack has been much more convincing in recent weeks. She doesn’t score every time, but she is more and more threatening. It is not uncommon for the first unit to spend almost the entire two minutes in enemy territory. Alex Newhook is becoming more and more comfortable at the top of the slot, a position formerly occupied by Sean Monahan. This data and Juraj Slafkovsky’s greater confidence in his own shot now offer two additional options to that of Cole Caufield. Which makes the work of this unit much less predictable.

3. All floor for Monty and Primeau

With the menage a trois now complete in front of the Canadian net, Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau will have the floor to prove to Kent Hughes that he made the right decision in trading Jake Allen. The two masked men will return to a slightly more normal routine. The frequency of their departures will be closer together and the pace of their training will be more fluid. We can expect a two-thirds, one-third distribution of the work task. Which will be beneficial for the development of Primeau and his preparation for the auxiliary role that awaits him next year.

4. Seasons to save

Josh Anderson and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard have had disappointing seasons. But not for the same reason. The first experienced endless lethargies, including one of 24 games without a goal, while the second spent a total of 37 games on the sidelines due to leg injuries. As a result of these absences, Harvey-Pinard only scored one goal. He scored 14 last year. Both forwards now have 18 games to save their season.

5. A Dilemma Named Joshua Roy

The Laval Rocket are involved in a five-team fight for the last three available playoff spots in the North Division. Joshua Roy’s contribution would definitely be greatly appreciated in this race. The Canadian staff is currently assessing the situation. “We have to find the best balance for the good of everyone,” Hughes and St-Louis have repeated in recent days. The dilemma comes mainly from the fact that Roy is doing very well with the big club. We can assume that Hughes will want to allow him to gain as much experience as possible before sending him in as reinforcements. Ideally, the Rocket would qualify without having to resort to his services and would benefit from his return for the playoffs.

6. New blood

The end of the calendar is often an opportunity to see the Canadian’s next hopes in action. Ryan Poehling, Cole Caufield and Sean Farrell are all examples of young people who joined the Habs at the end of their university internship. This time, it could be the case for Lane Hutson. The defender is greatly anticipated by Habs supporters. However, before taking the plunge, the American must participate in the regional, and possibly national, championships under the colors of the Boston University Terriers. Hutson could come to Montreal as early as the 1^er april. If BU makes it all the way, we can only hope to see Hutson for the final two games of the season.

7. And Reinbacher?

First round choice of the Canadian during the last draft, David Reinbacher could also have the opportunity to play a few games with the Habs. In his case, his season in the Swiss National League A did not go as desired. Both on a collective and individual level. The fullback has just one goal in 35 games for a team, Kloten, which took 13^e rank out of 14. Moreover, Reinbacher will have to participate in the relegation series which will pit Kloten against HC Ajoie. This series 4 of 7 could last until March 29.