Struggling Canadiens feel close to 'flipping the switch'
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The Montreal Canadiens sit 30th in the NHL with 4-8-2 record following Thursday's 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
The Canadiens fell behind 2-0 in the first period of the loss and pulled themselves back within a goal three times, but could never make up for the early deficit. The shot count was near even throughout the game, with the Devils picking up one more shot in each frame.
Stuck in a five-game winless skid, the Canadiens expressed optimism that their luck will soon turn around.
"We just have to find a way to come out of the right side on these," said forward Alex Newhook, who scored twice Thursday. "Everyone in this room is trying. It's not on one line or one guy. I think we are close to flipping the switch."
Head coach Martin St. Louis seemed to agree with Newhook's outlook, praising the team's play in their latest defeat.
"We didn't get a bounce here and there, but the engagement and the work, the intentions, are right where I want them to be," St. Louis said, per NHL.com. "We're not getting rewarded right now but that's okay. We're going to keep going and find some answers for some players who are fighting it."
No immediate help coming for Habs?
Ending their three-year playoff drought was not the goal for this season in Montreal and therefore the team is not expected to try to make a panic move to move up from the bottom of the standings.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that, while a trade is not off the table, the focus for the Canadiens continues to be on developing their young core.
"Kent Hughes, like every general manager in the NHL, is making his calls, but I can tell you there's zero appetite to mortgage the future or use any future pieces to help the here and now," Dreger said on Insider Trading. "It is a process. The Montreal Canadiens knew that they weren't going to be great this year. They didn't expect to be a playoff-contending team this year. They have to be competitive. They have to be somewhat in the mix. But this is about the future.
"Yeah, they'll continue to have conversations and if the right fit is there, they'll make a move, but this is more about the top players for the Canadiens being better."
After dropping the first of their current four-game road trip in New Jersey, the Canadiens will take on the rival Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Montreal upset the Maple Leafs in their season opener with a 1-0 shutout win.