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Are the Montreal Canadiens contenders or pretenders?

ByOmar L|
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 12: Jesperi Kotkaniemi #15, Brendan Gallagher #11 and Mike Reilly #28 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrate after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on January 12, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 12: Jesperi Kotkaniemi #15, Brendan Gallagher #11 and Mike Reilly #28 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrate after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on January 12, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Montreal Canadiens
MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 23: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The latest edition of the Winning Roundup dives into the Montreal Canadiens fourth line, Paul Byron’s suspension, and whether the team is legitimate.

1) Are the Montreal Canadiens for real and what are the odds they end up in one of the top division spots?

Zack Cook: It’s too late in the seasons to consider the Habs a fraud. I don’t want to say the Montreal Canadiens will finish top three in the Atlantic because I believe the Bruins, Leafs and Lightning are all better teams. On the other hand, I’m trying to imagine a Canadiens team with a powerplay around 18% efficiency, instead of 13%. Combine that with substantially good play at 5-on-5 and good goaltending, and have yourselves a contending team.

Kamal Rehman: How good would it be to see the Habs finish second or third in their division? A first-round matchup against the Bruins or Leafs? Sign me up! On another note – Game of Thrones season eight starts on April 14. Playoffs with the Habs versus the Bruins or Leafs in April. April 2019 could be one heck of a month!

That being said I do think the Habs are for real. They really are a team that will battle for a playoff spot until the end of the season. They’ll have hot streaks and not so hot streaks. I don’t know if they can finish second in the division because I just can’t see the Leafs mediocrity continuing, although believe me, I’d like it to.

So can the Habs finish third? They can, but I don’t know if they will. Like I said we’ll continue to see hot and cold streaks from the Habs. Their hot streak will bring them within striking distance of second and third and their cold streaks will see them battle for a wild card. That’s just how it is in the tight, parity-driven NHL. This isn’t a bad thing. The Habs are who they are – a hard-working bunch that will compete for a playoff spot. This is a big change from what I, and many others, thought they would be. I’ll say the odds of the Habs finishing in the wild card are higher than finishing second or third in the division.

Yes, I know I didn’t even mention competing for top spot in the Atlantic. Nobody is catching Tampa Bay.

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