This is make-or-break time for the Montreal Canadiens. They have been in the playoff picture for the majority of this season, but the field is surprisingly getting more crowded in this final stretch. The Canadiens currently hold third place in the strong Atlantic Division with a 38-21-10 record (86 points) through 69 games. That point total is the same as the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders have for the two Wild Card spots. That, and the Detroit Red Wings are just two points back of all three with 84 points through 70 games.
There is so little room for error for the Canadiens. But Montreal is being given good odds of making it into the playoffs.
In a recent article, ESPN's NHL staff discussed the Eastern Conference playoff picture and the chances each team had. Even though the Canadiens face eight playoff teams in their final 13 games this season, ESPN cited that Stathletes projects the Canadiens to finish with the most points out of the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, and Boston Bruins with 101.0. With that projected point total, they'd clinch third place in the Atlantic Division, likely setting up a first-round matchup with the second place team, whether it's the Tampa Bay Lightning or Buffalo Sabres.
Stathletes gives Canadiens high playoff odds in crowded Eastern Conference
It's hard to count out the Canadiens, especially when Cole Caufield has 14 points through nine games so far in March, five of which arrived in a 7-3 win over the New York Islanders last Saturday. The Canadiens have shown they can outscore the opposition, making up for the lackluster goaltending.
But this final stretch is a rough one for the Canadiens. Here are the teams currently in a playoff spot that the Canadiens face in the final stretch of the regular season:
- Tuesday, March 24: vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- Thursday, March 26: vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
- Saturday, March 28: at Nashville Predators
- Sunday, March 29: at Carolina Hurricanes
- Tuesday, March 31: at Tampa Bay Lightning
- Thursday, April 9: vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
- Saturday, April 11: vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
- Sunday, April 12: at New York Islanders
Those are two separate stretches for the Canadiens. In-between, there are four games against the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils (twice), and Florida Panthers, all of whom are well outside of a playoff spot. But then, there's the Philadelphia Flyers, who are the final team the Canadiens face this season. The Flyers are just five points out of a spot, so they have a chance to potentially make a run into one of those spots.
Overall, it's not an easy stretch for the Canadiens. That was evidenced on Sunday, where the Islanders defeated the Blue Jackets 1-0. Let's not forget that the Bruins and Red Wings will be teams Montreal needs to keep an eye on. Those two rivals losing games would certainly benefit the Canadiens and increase their odds of clinching a spot.
The projections have the Canadiens as a lock to make the playoffs. Of course, they will need to keep up at their current pace to do so to clinch a spot for the second season in a row.