Nick Suzuki's Montreal Canadiens have been cruising in the win column, and aside from the shootout loss to the Dallas Stars, the Habs climb out of the basement to the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
Suzuki, 25, has experienced the pinnacle of NHL hockey and felt defeat in the Stanley Cup final. A large part of his leadership is his ability to stay even-keeled, never too high or too low. But Suzuki knows that the Habs aren't winning these games by accident, and because of that, he feels a shift throughout the dressing room.
The Canadiens are firing on all cylinders, each line contributing to the offence, and the three defence pairs playing at a high level. It's no wonder that the Canadiens are feeling good about themselves - since the goalie situation was resolved - they have a strong belief in their masked men. Kirby Dach is finally starting to find his groove, and Laine is also healthy.
Nick Suzuki is feeling confident about the Canadiens recent success.
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 13, 2025
Will the Habs make the playoffs this year? pic.twitter.com/qKwEXYrWy5
You have to think that the top line is also pretty happy that the second line has picked up their play. The Canadiens are in the mix for a playoff spot right now, and a balanced attack will go a long way in helping them play beyond April. Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook and Dach can truly elevate the Habs' offensive attack and help them establish themselves as a playoff contender.
I think a big reason for optimism in Montreal is the fact that the team feels more like brothers than teammates. Each player holds one another accountable, and the players are feeling good about themselves, because they have dealt with adversity, and are finding success now. Each player is doing their job, and there is somewhat of a toughness, and resiliency that this team exudes, which helps them through the tough times.
Montreal is already believing in themselves before each game, and the team is only growing and getting better. We talk about waiting until the future all the time, but the drafting has been very strong. There are a handful of players that are on their way, and when they arrive the Habs are going to have a well-balanced attack.
Cole Caufield is back
I tend to agree with Grant McCagg here, who believes that Cole Caufield just needed some time to get back to 100 %. With such a major surgery, though the shoulder has healed, there is likely stiffness and the muscle needs to be re-strengthened. Now that Caufield has adjusted to life with the repair, and rehabbed and strengthened the area, he is hitting his spots.
I think the main reason Caufield has regained his scoring touch is that he is now fully recovered from his major shoulder surgery. His shot was not 100 percent last year - there was a little less velocity on it, which can be the difference between scoring and just missing.
— Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) January 14, 2025
He never forgot how to shoot, that is something that has been worked on and done his best to get into open areas to do so. After years of getting to open spaces and using his offensive instincts to overwhelm opponents, he isn't going to lose that touch. WIth his power back, everything has come full circle, and hitting 40 goals doesn't seem so far out of reach.