Finally, the NHL playoffs are here. With it comes questions and beliefs from fans about their team. The wildcard orbit in the Eastern Conference quickly turned into a one-spot race that the Montreal Canadiens would eventually fill in the final game of the regular season. The Ottawa Senators had the ease of mind as they held the number one spot for the season’s final month. How exactly did each team squeak or coast into the postseason? The journey for both wasn’t easy, as is anything playoff-related in the NHL.
The Ottawa Senators
It’s no secret that the Senators were all but a playoff lock for the four weeks leading up to the NHL playoffs. They had played miles above the rest of the teams vying for a wildcard spot, and thus were rewarded with the number one spot. The Sens are now back in the postseason for the first time since 2017. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows in the capital, though, as they fell out of the playoff picture with just over five weeks remaining in the season. So what changed in Ottawa, and how were they able to easily get the first wildcard spot?
Ottawa’s trade deadline move, which added Dylan Cozens to the roster, was one of the best moves made this season. Cozens has fit in perfectly with this team and fits the team identity extremely well. In the 21 regular-season games he played with the Sens, Cozens had 16 points while centering the second line and first power-play unit. This scoring boost helped Ottawa to finish out the season 14-5-2, en route to the NHL playoffs.
Once the Sens got a firm grip on that first wildcard slot, they never gave it back up. In that time, they were able to sit back and enjoy the chaos that was the chase for the second wild card position. Lots of teams came close, but in the end, there was only one team that could make it.
The Montreal Canadiens
What a ride for Montreal fans. This was a team that was left off the initial wildcard orbit due to them being so far back in the standings. Slowly, however, they started to climb. Still, nobody really expected them to be a real threat to make the playoffs. That was before they rattled off a six-game winning streak, which all but cemented them a spot in the NHL playoffs. Montreal almost choked away their spot in the final four games, but managed to hang on, and will now face the Washington Capitals in round one.
A big part of the Canadiens’ quick rise to the top has a lot to do with their young core. A young first line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky absolutely took over down the stretch. They’ve scored more goals together than any other line has this season, and have the potential to be the game changers Montreal will desperately need in their first playoff run since their finals run in 2021.
The elephant in the room is ironic due to his size. Lane Hutson has been the offensive defenseman that the Canadiens have so desperately needed. Tying the record for most points by a rookie defender, the impact Hutson has on this team speaks for itself. He is effortlessly able to generate scoring chances in the offensive zone, and on the other end, he is great at breaking the puck out. Yes, his defense still has a long way to go, but if he can find an extra gear, he will be exceptionally dangerous against the Capitals.
Oh, and that Ivan Demidov kid should be pretty good too.
End Of My NHL Playoff Preview Rant
Both these teams had a long and difficult path to the NHL playoffs. Now that they’re here, though, there is reason to believe that both these teams could do some serious damage in round one. Even if they don’t, though, these are both still young teams that have their best days still ahead of them.
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