The Montreal Canadiens’ Playoff Run Ended Earlier Than They Wanted But it’s Only the Beginning

Although they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning last night, the Montreal Canadiens still have a lot to be proud of after giving it their all in this incredible and surprising playoff run.

In the end, the better team won, and that was, without any doubt, the Lightning. But, the Canadiens were only three wins away from winning the Stanley Cup themselves, and even if it makes it more difficult to lose when they are this close, it also means that they got this close and can get even closer.

Of course, this wasn’t the outcome they were working towards and hoping for, and it might not be easy to see it right at this moment, but they are closer to winning the Cup than they have been in 28 years.

This is only the beginning of a talented team, with a young core that had the opportunity to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and even the Final. That’s not something that happens every day, and these youngsters know that.

Who else knows that even more? The veterans.

"“These moments don’t come around too often,” Cole Caufield said about getting to the Semifinals. “You might get this opportunity once or twice in your career, so you’ve got to make the most of it. Those guys have emphasized that. This stage is really important. These guys haven’t gotten here as much as they would have liked to, so you’ve got to take every moment like it’s the biggest part of your life.”"

This was Shea Weber and Carey Price’s first time in the Final, and it could be their last.

But if the Canadiens can head into next season the same way they headed into the Playoffs, it should not be their last appearance in the Final for the next few years.

This team has shown more resilience and passion than any other team in these playoffs (the New York Islanders come close), and that’s a driving force. As they have shown, they also have a lot more than just resilience and passion for the game. They have depth, with a lineup full of skilled players, both youngsters and veterans, and that’s the reason why they got this far in the Playoffs.

This young core of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Alexander Romanov, and much more, will continue to develop. However, as they do so, the veterans will only keep getting older, and the only question becomes: will they still be there when the young core will have developed enough to have a deep playoff run and possibly win a 25th Stanley Cup?

Just like no one has the answer to that, no one can know how next season will go for the Canadiens.

But, if they take it one step at a time, make sure to protect their best players in the Expansion Draft, re-sign who they want to re-sign, make good trades, acquire new talented players, and draft skilled prospects, maybe it will be enough for them to get far and give the veterans another chance at winning the Cup.

However, for the moment being, the Canadiens and their fans have a lot to be proud of. In a season like no other, where the schedule was condensed, where there were barely any practices, and where the team had a COVID-19 outbreak and had to shut down their facilities for a week, they still managed to get to the Stanley Cup Final and give their fans a playoff run they will remember their entire lives.

Before the playoffs started, the city of Montreal felt dead. There was no energy, and simply no life. But the Canadiens managed to bring life back to an entire city and province, and it makes this season that much more special and memorable.

I’m confident that in 10 years or even more, every fan will still remember exactly where they were during each game, and how special every moment felt. But, that’s another story for a different time.

For now, let’s enjoy how normal the Canadiens made the city feel, how far they got this season, and how they can only get further in the future.