Playoffs Positivity Thread .......... Re-Poll, option to change your vote is open as of Jan 7

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Will the Habs make the playoffs?


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    254
Playoffs or not, I can't think of a better case scenario for our team to find itself in. This team has rebounded exceedingly well from our brutal start to the season. The team is developing an identity and is progressing across the board. These high pressure games in this incredibly tight race is going to do wonders for the experience factor.

Hutson's emergence as a bonified star is obviously fantastic for this team going forward.

Having Laine on this team with Dach and Newhook's respective games rounding back into form has added much needed depth. Our top 6 is in way better shape than before. The crazy part is, we don't even have our crown jewel here yet in Demidov, what he's showing in the KHL this year is beyond remarkable. Adding him to this upcoming squad, that's clearly on the rise, is such a tantalizing prospect.

Lots of hockey left this year for us to enjoy, (hopefully playoffs) but to me this season is already shaping up as a resounding success, management and the coaching staff couldn't have possibly expected much more than what this team has already shown them thus far.

It's great to be a habs fan again, and the best part is we're only just beginning.

Fun times ahead.
 
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I hope we ride this squad and push for the playoffs. Obviously, I hope it all works out with Evans and Armia etc, but its not my main concern.

My main concern is making the playoffs THIS year. I think it sets the expectations going forward that its playoffs or bust, no more missing the playoffs with this core. Things are on the up and up, if they can make it with Suzuki/CC/Slaf/Dach/Guhle/Hutson/Heineman/Arber/Newhook all being 25 and under AND no Demidov yet, then there is no excuse to miss the playoffs ever again for the next 5+ years.

Most of those guys have never been in the playoffs, we need to get them there so that they have experience and confidence that they are legitimate SC contenders moving forward.
 
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I forgot how rooting for a good team is fun! Never give up on the Habs since the rebuild but holy shit its fun to watch my Habs playing inspiring hockey again. Im 31 years old, born august of 1993 so I never been able to watch my team win a Stanley Cup. Even with the few good playoffs runs of the last 15 years its the very first time I really believe that we can be legitimate contender in the next 5 years.

Its been a long time since my last post but god damn its fun watching hockey lately. The best part its that its only the beginning our best prospect are not in their prime or even not in the NHL.

Its a good time to be a Habs fan!
 
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I thought coaching was “a serious problem”?

Good times…
It was, now it’s not.

If we didn’t start the season dead last, the Habs would be cruising the division and not in a dog fight for WC2.

It’s not. The team has fully bought in MSL’s system and the system works.
There is definitely an element of adapting to MSL and his new coach Grillo. If it is the case that they needed time to gel, all the better that it was this season and not a later season where patience would come at a premium.
 
This is asked every two days, how can't people have seen the answer by now?
And the answer is NO, unless SKA release him or somehow the Habs are still playing after May 31st.

Not likely yes. This was asked to Hughes and he also said he is under contract until May 31st. The interesting part to this is if SKA looses in the 2nd round. That's officially the end of the year for Demidov in the KHL and around the time the Habs are playing their last regular season game.

It's not impossible but Hughes could not talk about it. Bad idea to talk about the potential options he might have with the Russian star while he is still under contract and playing games with them. However, the chances are very low... SKA is likely going on a run and their playoffs overlap our regular season. Once the NHL playoffs start, we can sign Demidov but he can't play until next year. It was like that with Romanov

It was, now it’s not.

If we didn’t start the season dead last, the Habs would be cruising the division and not in a dog fight for WC2.


There is definitely an element of adapting to MSL and his new coach Grillo. If it is the case that they needed time to gel, all the better that it was this season and not a later season where patience would come at a premium.

Your boy Slaf had a great game last night eh?
 
Couple big ones tonight. BOS @ NJ and CBJ @ TOR.

Panthers are still visible in the distance and they play in LA.

Let's see those regulation losses!
 
Hypothetically we make the playoffs this season.

Here are the likely playoff teams in the east:

Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay, Washington, Carolina, New Jersey, and a Wildcard 1 team (too many options to pick from).

How do we feel about our chances vs any of those teams in the playoffs? I find the East to be pretty wide open this season. This teams that would scare me in playoffs are Edmonton, Colorado, Vegas....lots of west teams.

Here's my take on those 6 teams;

1. Toronto. Maple Leafs would be favorites against us, but with their playoff history, they are definitely beatable, by us or others.

2. Florida. Probably the toughest challenge on paper. Flipside is, after making back to back finals, I fully expect them to lose early this year, with a bit of a cup hangover. I see them as a round 1 or round 2 loss, whether to us or someone else, so I could see them being beat

3. Tampa. Tampa is weird....still a phenomenal core, but 2 straight quick playoff losses. We also just beat them twice recently. I'd definitely have Tampa as favorites, but I wonder if we can compete here too?

4. Washington is a paper champion. Phenomenal regular season, but is the record better than the team? I don't see them as one of the top cup contenders this year

5. Carolina is difficult. Super solid team, that's super consistent year to year. I don't know that I see them making the finals, but I also don't see them losing in round 1, nor maybe even round 2. They would be tough to beat

6. NJ. this one is a bit unpredictable. Great roster on paper, but also quite young. Missed playoffs last year. I could see them choke and lose in round 1, but I could also see them go to the finals...very unpredictable.

I'm certainly not saying we'd be favorites in the playoffs, I just think the East is a lot more unpredictable this year, with not many teams that seem unbeatable. Whether it's the Habs or someone else, I think there could be a lot of playoff surprises.

It would be a fun year to qualify for playoffs if we can hold on.
 
2023-2024 Record after 47 games- 19 W- 21 L- 7 OTL = 45 PTS

2024-2025 Record after 47 games- 24 W- 19 L- 4 OTL = 52 PTS

Habs Record since November 11th (32 games)- 20 W- 10 L- 2 OTL
 
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Lightning lost!

Sens lost!

Wings lost!
The Sens lost is not good, that means the Rangers won and they are 1 win away from a WC now. In a race, the horses in front of you aren't the ones who are dangerous to your position, it's the one behind you that are.
 

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