Canadiens hope to be ‘in the mix’ for playoff spot

The Montreal Canadiens held their annual golf tournament Monday at Club de Golf Laval-sur-le-Lac, in support of the Canadiens Children Foundation. The annual charity event is seen as the kickoff for a new National Hockey League season, one where Canadiens management discussed the possibility of reaching the playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

The phrase of the day was “being in the mix” for the postseason. Now in their third year of a rebuild, Canadiens players and management spoke of the desire to elevate their competitiveness this season and play meaningful hockey in the spring.

“I think progress has been made, and I'm excited to see the team this year,” owner Geoff Molson said while sharing his outlook on the upcoming season. “I think progress has been made, and I'm excited to see the team this year.

“Jeff [Gorton] and Kent [Hughes] have done a really nice job locking up the core group of young players into contracts, obviously adding some scoring on the team. And my expectations are that the team is going to be better. Like I said, we're in year three of our rebuild, and I think the players have higher expectations of themselves as well. But I think there's every reason to believe that we would be in the mix and competing for a playoff spot.”

The Canadiens made limited, but sizeable adjustments this off-season, changes management hopes will aid in a more competitive team.

At the forefront is the August acquisition of three-time 30-goal scorer Patrik Laine. Laine had nine points in 18 games last season with Columbus and has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $34.8 million contract. In addition to the 26-year-old winger, the team also received a second-round pick in the 2026 draft from the Blue Jackets in exchange for 24-year-old defender Jordan Harris.

Laine told the media Monday that he’s looking forward to a fresh start and the pressure that comes with playing in Montreal.

“I'm super excited, obviously, to be here and finally have these fans on my side for once. It's not fun to come here as a visitor, that's for sure,” he said. “… I think it's great that people here care if you lose, Yeah, they're going to be pissed off, but that's only because they care and they want this team to win.”

The Canadiens hope the addition of Laine will help spark an offence that finished 26th last year in average goals per game.

“I think for me personally, it's just stay healthy and have a good time,” Laine said. “ When you do those two things, there's really good chance for success.”

Mix in a healthy Kirby Dach, Juraj Slafkovsky’s ongoing development, and captain Nick Suzuki’s elevated game, and the Habs see all the ingredients necessary for the offence to take a step forward.

While the Canadiens have refined their forward lineup, the blueline remains open for business. With Harris gone, there is room for rising prospects to earn a starting job this season.

Defenders Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux appear to be front runners for a position on the Montreal Canadiens opening night roster. Hutson, 20, and Mailloux, 21, captivated fans attention this past weekend at two sold-out Bell Centre games in the Prospect Showdown against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The blueline will be competitive this season. Jayden Struble returns, Justin Barron and Arber Xhekaj have inked new contracts, and with Mailloux and Hutson knocking on the door, there will be ample competition for ice time and opportunities.

But will it be enough to “be in the mix” come April? Executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton said Monday that it’s up to the players.

“I would like to make the playoffs, and think our team could, but I don't know,” Gorton said. “I've been through this before with a couple other teams…I think the players will tell you on the ice if they're ready.”