As Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovský, Oliver Kapanen, and Alexandre Texier officially label themselves as Olympians, with the former three still looking to add a gold medal to their trophy case, it might be an appropriate time to look at how our boys in red who stayed home could spend their time. The Canadiens currently sit in a tie for second place in the Atlantic Division, but with teams like Buffalo and Boston trailing right behind, they cannot sit around and assume they have their spot secured. Here are 3 things the Habs ought to focus on before mid-April rolls around:
1. Minimize the amount of 1-goal games
Look, we all love an average Monday night where the Habs come back from down 3-0, and Caufield ties the game with 12 seconds left to play. However, down the stretch and especially in the playoffs, this feat will be harder and harder to accomplish. With potential playoff opponents such as Tampa and Carolina, we can't count on miracles to magically appear in order to add two more points to the standings.
Martin St. Louis and the coaching staff need to make it clear to the group that 1) no lead is safe and 2) life is a lot more comfortable and stress-free when your goaltender can stay in his net the entire match.
2. Getting Healthy
The Canadiens seem to always wind up being on the receiving end of long-term injuries, especially when it looks like the players are bound for breakout and career seasons. Whether it's current injuries like Laine and Newhook, or past long-term ones for Guhle and Dach, the whole roster needs to rest up, concentrate on physio and make sure they stay healthy.
In case you missed it, the LTIR/salary cap loophole is no longer, meaning these injured players will have to recover, or risk being either benched or traded. It is evident Kent Hughes is looking for a couple of holes to fill throughout the lineup, so these four need to commit to their road to recovery and reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
3. Consistency Between the Pipes
With Jacob Fowler back in Laval and the trade deadline quickly approaching, there are a ton of questions surrounding the Habs' goaltenders as we approach the home stretch of the 2025-26 regular season. The main point here is consistency, which we have seen very little of, regarding both the level of play and St. Louis's decisions on who is hot and who is not. Regardless of whether it's Dobeš, Montembeault, or someone else claiming the crease in Game 1 of the postseason, it is goaltending that ultimately wins championships in the NHL.