Montreal Canadiens: How They Stacked Up Against a Stacked Atlantic
Seven of the eight teams in the Atlantic Division reached 80 points this year, with four of them reaching the playoffs, including the Bruins, who had one of the best regular seasons in NHL history. To say that the Atlantic was a tough division to play in would be an understatement. But perhaps that’s all the proof the Canadiens need not to rush their rebuild.
This year, the Canadiens played against the Atlantic 26 times and came out with a record of 6-19-1. It’s certainly not an amazing record, but do bear in mind how injured the Canadiens were, on top of already rebuilding. Every other team in their division is further along than the Canadiens, including teams also undergoing rebuilds like Buffalo and Detroit. Sure, you’d like to see a better record, but it’s at least understandable.
Canadiens record vs the Atlantic Division this year. Room for improvement perhaps. Was a tough division this year, as expected. Likely won't be any easier next year with Buffalo and Detroit ready to take another step forward. pic.twitter.com/AfKzTZeMKn
— Ryan Praught (@RyanPraught) April 17, 2023
In the future, the Habs will need to get better in this department though. Under the current playoff format, divisional games can and often are a difference maker in terms of the final standings. After all, the Canadiens are only eligible for five of the eight playoff spots, with three reserved for teams from the Metropolitan division. As such, every game within the division has playoff implications. Take the 2018-19 season for example, the year in which the Canadiens missed the playoffs by two points. They finished four points back of the Leafs, but went 1-1-2 vs them in the regular season. Out of a possible eight points, the Canadiens got four, while the Leafs got seven (they went 3-0-1).
That one regulation loss was a game in which the Canadiens had a 3-0 lead after the first period, on the road. They found a way to blow it, and lost 6-3, which amounts to a four point swing. THe Leafs finished the season with 100 points to the Canadiens 96. Of course, there are more factors into why the Habs missed the playoffs, but that certainly stings.
The moral of the story is there is room for improvement on the Canadiens’ part, a common theme across all areas of the on-ice product, and that’s expected from a rebuilding squad. Sure, it’s nice to beat your rivals, so going a combined 2-9 against the Leafs, Bruins, and Sens does not sit well, but it’s more than that. When the time to compete for the playoffs comes, this is going to be a point of emphasis; it has to be. The Habs will want to, no, need to improve here.
I, for one, am not too worried about the current state, because I don’t think the Canadiens should be rushing to compete. The Atlantic is powerful right now, and I think trying to accelerate and possibly screw up a rebuild to compete is not smart. I think Kent Hughes believes that too. But I do think down the road, this will matter, so I’m keeping an eye on it.
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