Former NHL player-turned TSN Hockey Analyst, Carlo Colaiacovo teed up a chat about a potential Washington Capitals-Montreal Canadiens first-round matchup on a recent segment during the flagship show.
Colaiacovo believes that the Habs might surprise the Capitals, and the history is on their side, as Alex Ovechkin remembers vividly. The collection of those rough early playoff exits fuelled the fire that pushed Ovechkin to his crowned jewel first Stanley Cup. The Montreal Canadiens are the eighth seed, and the Capitals are one of the juggernauts clubs atop the Metropolitan Division.
Montreal has been turning heads, and that has been predominantly without the services of a bona fide second line. With Patrik Laine, I have confidence in his ability, and I like Emil Heineman in the Habs top six, but they don’t have a natural fit for the second-line centre role. Enter Oliver Kapanen, who I believe is ahead of Owen Beck developmentally, due to his experience professionally, while Beck played in the CHL.
Having said that, I think Beck is pretty close to NHL-ready, and a great run with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League playoffs could establish his readiness for Watchers. Of course, his performance at training camp in September will be the ultimate determinant factor. But if he is ready, and Kapanen is ahead of him, I see a natural fit on the second line for the 21-year-old Finnish countrymen born in enemy territory in Sundsvall, Sweden.
Lane Hutson has been on fire with six points in his last two games, and Nick Suzuki has five in that span. Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky have also chipped in on offence, and knowing that they can play better is encouraging because the pair getting hot down the stretch would be huge for the Habs. Patrik Laine is scoring too, and Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher have thrived with their heart-on-their-sleeve approach and never-give-up attitude.
Kaiden Guhle returned the lineup, and Alexandre Carrier has been steady as they come, since joining the club after Nashville trade him for Justin Barron earlier in the season. Jayden Struble has looked pretty strong too, playing a great Robin to Hutson's Batman.
This team has a lot of promise, and a nice mix of pieces, with Stanley Cup champion David Savard patrolling the blueline, and Mike Matheson, who has had success in international competition. Funny thing for Savard who won the Cup against the Habs, then joined them soon after.
Montembeault wasn't with the Habs back in 2020-21 when they went to the Stanley Cup final, but he knows pretty well that the guys are still affected by it. And the players who remain from that roster, still have a burning desire to prove everybody wrong and get back there even if it means after squeezing into the final wildcard spot.
Why not the Canadiens?
If there is any way that the Habs can get Ivan Demidov to Montreal immediately, he could join the club for the ultimate, I have arrived tour. He could help the Habs, who are already hell-bent on making a massive splash through the final nine games of the season.
I’ll say it again: Ivan Demidov’s off-puck rotations and his ability to create from any position are going to be his money-maker in the NHL.
— Hadi Kalakeche (@HadiK_Scouting) April 2, 2025
The skill is awesome, but this? This is what makes a player succeed in a league as dynamic as the NHL. #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/Zpq4t0DnxH
The Canadiens have a nice balance of young players, who have played to a high level of competition at every level they have reached. Caufield and Suzuki know the pain of losing in the Stanley Cup round of the playoffs. They also have veterans like Gallagher and Anderson, who are playoff-built players.
And they have Oliver Kapanen joining the fold, which will help with centre strength and depth. If Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes can hold down the fort between the pipes for Martin St. Louis, I think the Habs could make some noise, especially if they secure their spot, and end up facing the Capitals in the first round.