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Canadiens Wrap

Habs Wrap: Demidov Dazzles, Guhle Goals, Hutson Heat

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3 weeks ago

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montreal canadiens ivan demidov fixed

MONTREAL — There’s always Montreal Canadiens news to be absorbed on a daily basis, but there are only so many hours in a day. On Sundays, we recap the most exciting and relevant NHL news stories that you may have missed throughout the week so that you can stay in the Canadiens loop.

Monday

Jacob Fowler made his (not-so) long awaited professional hockey debut, stopping 25 of the 26 shots sent his  way to secure a 2-1 win over the Rochester Americans. This comes on the heels of Fowler being named the top goaltender in the NCAA. All things considered, it was a very good week for the Florida native. [Canadiens Prospect Jacob Fowler Wins Mike Richter Award]

Don’t forget, the Laval Rocket are the top team in the AHL, and seeing as there are just three games left in the season, the odds favour them finishing as the top team in the league.

ahl laval rocket montreal canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens had an opportunity to clinch the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, but losses against the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs in back-to-back games delayed their playoff dreams for the time being. The good news is that thanks to Jakub Dobes, the Habs managed to secure one point in Toronto, and at this point of the year, every single point is crucial. [Habs Highlights: Great Dobes Performance Secures One Point]

Even though fans are starting to feel the pressure, rest assured, the team’s playoff hopes remain sky-high. That’s also keeping the Columbus Blue Jacket’s 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals in mind. The Blue Jackets represent the final threat for the Canadiens, as the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Islanders have been officially eliminated from the playoff race.

For the time being, the Habs have a 96.6 percent chance of qualifying for the playoffs, while the Blue Jackets are sitting at just 3.4 percent.

Ivan Demidov’s presence in the lineup on Monday night versus the Chicago Blackhawks has not yet been confirmed, but logic dictates he’s going to make his NHL debut in front of the Bell Centre crowd.

Tuesday

Top prospect Ivan Demidov did not waste any time making an impact. The talented forward set up an Alex Newhook goal during his second shift in the NHL, and then followed it up with a great goal a few minutes later. [MUST SEE: Ivan Demidov Scores First NHL Goal]

The good news is that Demidov hit the ground running, the bad news is that the Canadiens had an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth, and they failed to do so, again. When you consider their opponents, the Chicago Blackhawks, have struggled all year, Monday was the epitome of a disappointing result. [Montreal Canadiens Waste Fantastic Ivan Demidov Debut]

The Habs did not deserve to win, however, the referees made a mistake when they failed to recognize Frank Nazar’s shootout goal. Just like in regulation, any goal review must take place before the play resumes. In this case, Patrik Laine had already failed on his shootout attempt before the referees reviewed the play. [Referee Mistake Creates Chaos In Crucial Canadiens Shootout]

Okay, let’s get down to brass tacks.

How much for the ape?

No, wait, playoff odds. That’s the ticket.

With the shootout loss, the Canadiens playoff odds dropped to 93.2 percent. The Columbus Blue Jackets are sitting at 6.8 percent, as they would have to win both their remaining games in regulation, and hope the Habs fail to register a point in the final game of the year to nab the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. In other words, the Habs are still heavily favoured to make the playoffs, but they’re also dead set on making it as difficult as possible. [Money Puck]

Wednesday

Ivan Demidov dazzled in his NHL debut, but beyond his impressive production, he also stabilized Alex Newhook’s line, and that’s not an easy task, as the Habs have been trying to find a combination that works all season long.  [Canadiens Forward Ivan Demidov Impresses Beyond Points]

Fans who were hoping the Philadelphia Flyers could do the Habs a favour and eliminate the Columbus Blue Jackets will be disappointed. The Blue Jackets beat the Flyers 3-0, which means they’re now just two points behind the Habs.

With the win, the Blue Jackets have put a lot of pressure on the Canadiens, however, if they manage to earn at least one point against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday, Montreal will finally secure the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

If the Habs can’t earn a point at home versus Carolina, the Blue Jackets will have to beat the New York Islanders in regulation to complete a rather impressive push up the standings. An overtime win versus the Islanders on Thursday would not be enough, as it would result in the teams having the same number of regulation wins (RW), with the Habs holding a significant edge in the second tie-breaker, regulation and overtime wins (ROW).

Strap-in folks, it’s going to be a wild finish.

montreal canadiens standings

David Reinbacher was spotted at Laval Rocket practice, and while that may not be noteworthy for most players, Reinbacher has certainly had his fair share of health issues. The Rocket have been very cautious in his case, which is encouraging, as it seems he’ll be ready to go by the time the Calder Cup playoffs get underway. Reinbacher’s last game took place on March 21.

Speaking of the Rocket, they’ve clinched the North Division and the Eastern Conference, and they’ll have an opportunity to clinch the league on Wednesday versus the Belleville Senators. We’ve discussed their excellent season on several occasions, but it’s worth noting they’ve forged ahead without some of their top players, an impressive feat for any farm team, let alone the best team in the league.

As a reminder, since they won their division, the Rocket will be given a bye directly into the second round, while most AHL teams will take part in a best-of-five series.

ahl standings montreal canadiens

Former Canadiens head coach Claude Julien will be inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame. Julien is one of the nicest guys you’ll come across in the hockey landscape, and that’s not an exaggeration. Few people will have something bad to say about the veteran coach, which is usually the sign of a great person.

Thursday

Regardless of Wednesday night’s result, 2024-25 represents a significant step forward for a team that’s not quite done with their rebuild.  [Canadiens Rebuild: Putting The Team’s Growth Into Context]

It took 82 games, but it’s official, the Montreal Canadiens will participate in the 2025 NHL Playoffs, and the league is better off for it. [Montreal Canadiens Qualify For Playoffs, Opponent Set]

Defenceman Kaiden Guhle scored twice in the 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, while captain Nick Suzuki scored his 30th goal of the year. Veteran netminder Samuel Montembeault held the fort by stopping 27 of the 29 shots sent his way.  [Highlights: Canadiens Clinch Playoff Berth In Exciting Final Game]

Speaking of goalies, Jakub Dobes is always the happiest guy on the bench (wait for it).

Guhle may have leaked the series start date between the Canadiens and the Washington Capitals. According to Guhle, Game One between the Canadiens and the Washington Capitals will take place on Monday. [Guhle May Have Spoiled Canadiens – Capitals Series Start Date]

It’s always fun to watch the Habs on the bench, because they’re a bunch of happy kids that happen to be very good at playing hockey.

Suzuki was quick to thank Habs fans for their support throughout the regular season.

Friday

Part one of our Washington Capitals first-round series preview covers a lot of ground, including the schedule, each team’s key stats, a quick history lesson, and more. [Canadiens – Capitals Series Preview: Schedule, Key Stats, History]

Calder Trophy favourite Lane Hutson has dominated at every stage of his career, and that certainly includes his fantastic rookie season with the Montreal Canadiens.  [Canadiens Top 10: Phenom Lane Hutson By The Numbers]

Game 82 of the season ended up being very important. Had the Canadiens lost their final game of the year, the Columbus Blue Jackets would have stolen the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. [Highlights: Canadiens Clinch Playoff Berth In Exciting Final Game]

The Habs finally sent forward Joshua Roy back to the Laval Rocket. Roy and the Rocket are hoping to enjoy a very long playoff run, with the Calder Cup serving as the ultimate goal.

This won’t come as a shock, since Nick Suzuki tends to be the team’s best player on any given night, but he was awarded the 2025 Carey Price Cup. Wait, I mean Molson Cup.

Saturday

Part Two of our Washington Capitals first-round series preview is available, including the X-Factors that could end up benefiting the Montreal Canadiens as they face one of the best teams in the league. One of those X-Factors happens to be the late-season addition of talented prospect Ivan Demidov to the lineup. [Canadiens – Capitals Series Preview: Top-5 X-Factors, Storylines]

Defenceman David Savard announced this will be his final season in the NHL. The 34-year-old blueliner carved out a very impressive career when you consider his draft position. The affable Savard will continue to provide a veteran presence until the youngest team in the playoffs faces elimination. [Montreal Canadiens Defenceman Set To Retire After Playoffs]

It’s not surprising to see players take part in optional practices, especially young ones, but it’s always encouraging to see two of the youngest players in the lineup practice important scenarios, such as scoring on the powerplay. On that note, here’s Demidov and Lane Hutson building on their powerplay chemistry. [TSN 690]

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