Is the playoffs enough for the Montreal Canadiens next season?

3) What should we expect for the Habs next season? Are the playoffs enough?

TL: If the world goes back to normal and the season begins according to plan – which is looking like less of a possibility with each passing day – the Habs should reasonably expect to at least qualify for the playoffs. The key thing is that Bergevin makes the right offseason decisions and get a reliable backup goalie, a left defenseman, and at least one more top-9 winger. While that’s a tall order in any offseason, let alone a pandemic offseason, the team has proven itself capable of winning and has an amazing crop of talent that free agents might be keen to play with.

SC: The Canadiens just came off a season where they had an even .500 record, snuck into the playoffs as the 24th and final team, defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifier, and outplayed a Philadelphia Flyers team that simply had the bounces and calls go their way. This Habs team was dead in the water, having shipped off most of their depth pieces for picks and prospects.

As I stated, they have absolutely nothing to lose and put together a solid run against all the odds. I think just making the playoffs would be plenty enough, and a solid step in the right direction after misstep after misstep. Were long removed from the days of “Radulov” and solid backup goaltending, so to see this new era of the Canadiens make a playoff push come next year would be very encouraging. While you could argue that these playoffs were just them playing great hockey at this time, I think, with a few depth acquisitions in free agency (whenever that is supposed to happen), they could make a playoff push come next season.

ED: It’s hard to predict where the Habs will end up if the NHL opts to play an 82 game season. I think the moves made in the offseason and the players staying healthy will be crucial to making a push for postseason contention. Making the playoffs may be considered a successful season in that case, but winning at least round would show huge progress in this team’s “retooling.”

OW: There are two ways to approach this question: from the perspective of the viewer and the perspective of management. Gimmick or not, the Montreal Canadiens proved they could compete with the league’s best in a playoff-like setting. Price proved he can be a stone-wall when needed, Weber proved he can still be a force on the backend while Suzuki and Kotkaniemi proved they can take control of a game.

Bergevin and Molson may see those two series’ against the Penguins and Flyers and feel the retool is almost ready, and making the playoffs is the bare minimum. And why wouldn’t they? According to management, making the playoffs has been the focus of each of these three seasons, even though it’s gone south. Therefore, they’ll want something more next year.

For me, I think making the playoffs is enough. We can’t forget that the Montreal Canadiens wouldn’t have made the playoffs if the league didn’t extend it to 24 teams. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve still gone three years without making the playoffs legitimately. Get in, and then we’ll see what Bergevin’s squad can do.