Canadiens Continue Surprising Season With Playoff Berth

The Montreal Canadiens' surprising season continues, as the Habs are heading to the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After defeating the Carolina Hurricanes, the Canadiens secured their first playoff berth since the 2020-2021 season.

The Canadiens clinched their postseason berth in exciting fashion. Top rookie Ivan Demidov debuted against the Blackhawks and wasted no time showing his superstar potential. He recorded the first goal and assist in his NHL career within two periods of action.

As the second Wild Card team in the Eastern Conference, they are set for a matchup with the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals. The two franchises met once previously in the postseason in 2010, with the Canadiens eliminating Washington in seven games.

The last time the Habs made the playoffs, they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, but lost out to the Tampa Bay Lightning. This year's team hopes to meet and build on that success from four years ago.

This year's Montreal team is vastly different from the one that went to the Finals. The core has been rejuvenated beyond the late-season addition of Demidov. The resurgence is led by their captain, Nick Suzuki. He recorded the team's first 80-point season in nearly two decades and is playing some of the best defense among NHL forwards this season. Winger Cole Caufield has ascended to the next level as well. He's finishing a career-best offensive campaign with 37 goals in 80 games.

The team has also been shocked by the emergence of rookie defender Lane Hutson. The 21-year-old puck-mover is leading all NHL rookies in scoring and has quickly become the top defenseman in Montreal. He will be counted on to lead the team's blue line into the postseason and will be key for the team to upset the top-seeded Capitals in the opening round.