Based on how tight things are in the Atlantic, it would really suck (for lack of a better term) were the Canadiens to lose ground in the race to a playoff spot, when they were at a disadvantage from the jump relative to their division rivals, who each will have ended up playing fewer sets when all is said and done.<\/p>\n
9. Points Percentage: .632<\/p>\n
While the aforementioned 5-3-2 record isn\u2019t bad per se, it amounts to a .600 points percentage. As an illustration of how fatigue can adversely impact a team (in full acknowledgement that fatigue impacts different teams in different ways), the Canadiens are currently earning 63.2% of points up for grabs. Over a full 82-game schedule, that prorates to almost 104 points\u2026 and over five more points than the 98 they would earning playing .600 hockey over a full season. Currently in second place in the Atlantic with 72 points, five less points would drop the Habs below the fourth-place Boston Bruins, who are currently holding down the second wild-card spot.<\/p>\n
The precariousness of the Canadiens\u2019 current position in the standings notwithstanding, they must be applauded for improving year over year. Between Dec. 3, 2024, when they started the day in last place in the Eastern Conference, and the end of the regular season, when they finished in the aforementioned second Eastern Conference wild-card spot, they played .621 hockey. What\u2019s most impressive is that is a points percentage on par with last season\u2019s Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning, who are the class of the league so far in 2025-26. The Habs are at least playing better than each of those teams did in 2024-25, which is an accomplishment in its own right.<\/p>\n
8. Save Percentage: .883<\/p>\n
What is both impressive and a black stain on the Canadiens\u2019 performance so far is they\u2019ve accomplished all they have with sub-par goaltending. They currently own a team save percentage (SV%) of .883. The league average is currently .896, which puts the Habs in 24th place.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that last year\u2019s starter, Sam Montembeault<\/a>, has struggled significantly, after he made Canada\u2019s 4 Nations Face-Off team on the strength of his stellar play that saw him finish the season among the league leaders in terms of goals saved above expected. He finished 2024-25 with a 31-24-7 record, 2.80 goals-against average (GAA) and .902 SV%. <\/p>\n This season, Montembeault is 10-8-2, with a 3.34 GAA and .875 SV%, having been sent down to the American Hockey League at one point and eventually having lost his starting job to Jakub Dobes by most accounts, after an especially disheartening loss to the division-rival Boston Bruins<\/a> in late January, when he gave up the game-tying and game-winning goals late in the third period, within 12 seconds of one another<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related: Canadiens Hoping History Repeats Itself After Goalie Coach Change<\/a><\/p>\n While Dobes has been better, especially in terms of his winning percentage at 18-5-4, his .892 SV% also leaves something to be desired, prompting many Canadiens fans to ponder how much higher in the standings they\u2019d be with even average goaltending. It\u2019s a fair question, especially when you consider the Habs give up a respectable 27.3 shots per game (ranked 13th).<\/p>\n 7. Penalty Differential: -24<\/p>\n Now, it\u2019s not all on the goaltending. In the game in question for example, defenseman Alexandre Carrier took a penalty right after the Bruins had tied it, leading to the game-winning goal being scored on the ensuing play. Granted, it was a shot Montembeault should have had, but he shouldn\u2019t have been put in that position and it\u2019s a recurring position in which both he and Dobes have been put, with the Habs having taken 24 more penalties than they\u2019ve drawn, third-worst in the league.<\/p>\n Ironically, the Bruins are worst in the league at -45. However, based on stats compiled by Andrew Berkshire of Habs Eyes on the Prize<\/a>, the Canadiens still get the shortest end of the stick of all Atlantic teams when it comes to \u201cgame management\u201d on the part of referees<\/a>. The Habs are the only team in the division to receive less than half of the power plays relative to opponents when they\u2019re trailing.<\/p>\n Whether that\u2019s an odd quirk, a reflection of the team\u2019s poor discipline or subconscious bias on the part of officials after they were called out by everyone with eyes following an especially egregious showing in a game between the Canadiens and Oilers in October<\/a>, who\u2019s to say? Based on how the Canadiens have seemingly attracted the ire of referees since speaking the truth, it probably shouldn\u2019t be them.<\/p>\n 6. Second-Period Goal Differential: -8<\/p>\n While the situation has gotten slightly better since the start of December, the second period remains the worst by the Canadiens<\/a>. It\u2019s also one of the worst second periods in the entire league. While seven teams have worse second-period differentials, all those teams currently find themselves out of the playoff picture (San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues).<\/p>\n You\u2019d think, based on their record, that the Canadiens are better than that. They shouldn\u2019t be setting themselves up for failure in the third period like that, even if that period is one of their best.<\/p>\n 5. Number of Comeback Wins: 19<\/p>\n In actuality, the Canadiens\u2019 first period is their best (+10 goal differential). However, their third (+7) isn\u2019t far behind. The fact that the Habs co-lead the NHL in third-period comebacks with eight (Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights) is more reflective of their horrible second\u2026 and their general penchant for turning deficits into eventual victories. They lead the entire league with 19 wins when trailing at any point<\/a>. <\/p>\n The fact that they\u2019ve needed extra time to secure eight of those victories after having fallen behind may make for exciting hockey. It may end up hurting them in the standings in the end, though.<\/p>\n 4. Number of Regulation Wins: 21<\/p>\n The first tiebreaker is points percentage. It\u2019s the reason why the Canadiens currently lead the Detroit Red Wings in the standings and are holding down second place in the Atlantic despite both teams having earned 72 points so far. It just so happens the Wings have played one more game. So, the Habs are considered the superior team for all intents and purposes.<\/p>\n Come the end of the season though, that first tiebreaker means nothing, because everyone will have played 82 games. The focus shifts to the second tiebreaker, then: regulation wins. Because the Canadiens owe overtime (and the shootout) to so many of their victories, they\u2019ve only been able to secure wins in regulation 21 times, which is the lowest amount of any Eastern Conference playoff team. And, while there is something to be said for an ability to score in overtime come the playoffs, the fact they\u2019re so adept at playing three-on-three hockey also means little once things switch to a five-on-five format in the postseason.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0Points by Defensemen: 156<\/p>\n Thankfully, there\u2019s more to be said for an ability to score overall. And the Canadiens boast one of the most dynamic offenses in the league with a third-ranked 197 goals scored (3.46 per game). It should be no shock their elite transitional game originates from an incredibly mobile back-end with 156 points scored by defenseman<\/a>, which ranks second (Avalanche).<\/p>\n Obviously, Lane Hutson<\/a> leads the way with 58 points (10 goals) in 57 games to rank third in the NHL among defensemen. However, last offseason\u2019s prized acquisition, Noah Dobson (38), is no slouch and has come largely as advertised as a top-pairing right-handed defenseman, who has complemented Mike Matheson (28) very well on what has been head coach Martin St. Louis\u2019 most-used pairing this season. Just like how most plays typically originate from a puck-moving defenseman though, that is just the beginning.<\/p>\n 2. Number of 40-Point Scorers: 5<\/p>\n In some ways, these Canadiens fall short of matching the offense of the 2007-08 edition<\/a>, which ended that season with seven 50-point scorers. It looks like these Habs may end up with \u201cjust\u201d six, but they ended January leading the league with five 40-point scorers: Nick Suzuki (65), Hutson, Cole Caufield (57), Ivan Demidov (46) and Juraj Slafkovsky (45).<\/p>\n While Suzuki, Hutson and Caufield are already at 50, Demidov and Slafkovsky look like shoo-ins to join them. Dobson (38) is on his way, while Oliver Kapanen (31) is a long shot. Still, the team\u2019s per-game scoring clip points to a deeper offense overall compared to what the team was working with nearly two decades ago. And they may yet eclipse them in another, more significant way, with five 70-point scorers.<\/p>\n Le Canadien pourrait potentiellement avoir 5 marqueurs de 70 points ou plus \u00e0 la fin de la saison\u2026quelque chose qui ne s’est pas vu \u00e0 Montr\u00e9al depuis 1976-77!\ud83d\ude33#lesickpodcast<\/a> @TonyMarinaro<\/a> @Antho_Martineau<\/a> @alavoiemartel<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ynSFcE4BRf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) February 6, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n The 2007-08 team only had one (Alexei Kovalev). Think about that for a second\u2026 and how this specific team is only getting better with each passing season. Then smile from ear to ear if you feel so inclined. You\u2019d have good reason.<\/p>\n 1. Average Age on Opening Night: 25.8 Years<\/p>\n Indeed, the Canadiens opened 2025-26 as the youngest team in the NHL<\/a>. The core (Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Hutson, Dobson, Kaiden Guhle) is locked up until 2030. If Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes follows the same MO, Demidov will probably follow in their footsteps soon. <\/p>\n They\u2019ve also got relatively blue-chip prospects (Jacob Fowler, Michael Hage, David Reinbacher) projected to vie for roster spots across the lineup in the not-too-distant future. You\u2019d be forgiven for forgetting to relish the present, which isn\u2019t half-bad either.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to take a breather before the home stretch. Things are about to get good.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sam-Montembeault-Canadiens-1200x800.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault \u2013 (Jess Starr<\/a>\/The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n![\"Juraj](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Juraj-Slafkovsky-Ivan-Demidov-Lane-Hutson-Canadiens-1200x800.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens forwards Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov and defenseman Lane Hutson \u2013 (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"SUBSCRIBE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Canadiens_Banner-1200x122.jpg\")
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