The Montreal Canadiens are entering the midseason break in a much better position this season compared to last. It is just another example of how much this team has grown in a short period of time to be a serious threat in the Eastern Conference.
While the Canadiens did make the playoffs last season, the first time since 2021 when they reached the Stanley Cup Final, they needed an incredible finish down the stretch in the regular season. They had a five-game win streak right after the 4 Nations Face-off, and then over the final 10 games of the season, went 7-1-2.
Anyone watching Montreal going into the 4 Nations Face-off break wouldn't have expected the type of finish they had. They were struggling heading into the break after losing eight of nine and had a 25-26-5 record at that point.
This season has been completely different as they won four of their last five games before the Olympic break and hold a 32-17-8 record. The fact that they are 17 points ahead of where they were playing only one more game to this point in the season has given them the chance to have a different mindset coming out of the break.
The focus coming out of the break is not to just get into the playoffs but try and catch the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Atlantic Division title, as they currently sit six points back of the Lightning.
Canadiens face a pivotal West Coast trip after the Olympic break
The Montreal Canadiens return to the ice with two home games against the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals before hitting the road for a tough three-game road trip over five nights. It starts in San Jose against the Sharks before they play the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings in back-to-back nights.
Last season, the Canadiens faced the pressure of digging out of a hole to get back into the playoff picture. This season, it is a different type of pressure as they aren't trying to get back into a playoff spot but rather hold onto the spot they have.
The Eastern Conference is incredibly competitive this season, but the Canadiens have shown over the first part of the season that they look up to the challenge. It will be interesting to see if the momentum they carried into the Olympic break will continue once they return after the break.