Juraj Slafkovsky has been a man on a mission since returning from the break. The Slovak was generating points before the break, but there were nights where he seemed disinterested and didn't get into the physical side of the game. That changed in his first game back, and he carried it over for the past eight games. It's no surprise that the Canadiens earned points in eight of their nine games since returning, and have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
The playoff absence isn't lost on the players in the Canadiens' locker room. The players talked at length after the trade deadline about Kent Hughes giving them the chance to make a run with this group, and it's a good sign they are starting to talk more about the playoffs instead of the rebuild. Slafkovsky scored two goals in the overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night, which gave him 100 career points. When asked about it after the game, Slafkovsky had an opinion that is sure to go over well with the fanbase.
"I'd rather have 50 points but be in the playoffs," Slafkovsky told reporters in the postgame media scrum. He should be proud of the milestone, as he joined an exclusive list with the 100th point. Mario Tremblay is the youngest 100-point scorer in Canadiens history, but Slafkovsky is now second at 20 years and 347 days.
So, how close are the Canadiens to reaching his goal of making the postseason? It'll be a tough test, as five teams are within two points of the last wild card position. The bad news for the Canadiens is that some other teams are beginning to surge, and Montreal has already gone through a bit of a hot streak. The Habs must maintain that form for the rest of the season to stay in the race, which is a difficult thing to ask of them.
It looks like the team who claims that spot must go around 12-5 to beat out the opposition. The Canadiens are already 6-1-2 since the break, which means they would've had to go 18-6-2 over their final 26 games. It isn't an unattainable goal, but it'll take more heroic performances like Slafkovsky's on Wednesday night.