When will the Habs make the playoffs next? When will we be legitimate contenders?

[JianYang]

Check my post just above. I went through the exercise of the players and their ages against their draft year. I do think they make the playoffs in 25/26 at the earliest unless some big moves happen that gives the Habs a better shot this year.

Thanks, I just read it and think your reasoning is excellent.

I think we are on the same page. The management mindset is likely to change after this season.

 

[Vachon23]

2024-25: 22-25th kin the league
2025-26: Battle for a playoff spot (except if they make a major move)
2026-27: Playoff team

 

[BLONG7]

The big question mark is definitely goaltending. But it's a question mark either way.

Last year :

Player Name	GP	Min	GA	GAA	W	L	T	Svs	Pct	EN	SO
Cayden Primeau	23	1325	66	2.99	8	9	4	665	0.910	0	2
Samuel Montembeault	41	2429	127	3.14	16	15	9	1180	0.903	0	0
Jake Allen	21	1216	74	3.65	6	12	3	612	0.892	0	0

I mean Primeau and Montembeault finished the year 24-24-13. Allen really dragged us down. Can Primeau and Montembeault keep the pace with higher usage is the question mark but Allen was almost an insta lost last year he was awful. If Primeau and MOnteambeault can keep the pace while playing more then we should be close to .500 P%. If not then like you said we could draft 5th again despite progression of the rest of the team.

The 3 goalie system was bad, for all 3 goalies, and the entire team....
Both of the kids in net this year, should play better just by getting more starts, and allowing them to get in some kind of rythym....
My interest will be watching to see if Primeau plays well enough to possibly steal the net from Monty??

The team obviously needs to stay healthy no matter what the goalies or the team does.
I think they are much better this year, but still miss the playoffs..............the following year, is when things start to change big time....

 

[ZUKI]

Curious to get a general feeling from fans here in regards to what your expectations/predictions are for the next few years.

Two questions - so vote twice.

1. When do the Habs qualify for playoffs next?

2. When will Habs be legitimate cup contenders?

Use your own judgement to define what a "legitimate cup contender" is. My 2 cents - using last year as an example, I'd say FLA/Car/NYR/Dal/Col/Veg/Edm were probably the legitimate contenders. Teams who had a legitimate chance to win cup going into playoffs. Some years it could be only 3-4 teams, some years closer to ~8-10, so it depends.

I know it's very hard to predict too far into the future, so I didn't want to give poll options for beyond next 3 years for playoffs, or next 5 years to become contenders.

Please post your thoughts/opinions.

Where are the options " when the Habs will win the Cup in 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 years " ?

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

2024-25: 22-25th kin the league
2025-26: Battle for a playoff spot (except if they make a major move)
2026-27: Playoff team

26-27 we’ll be a contender. For sure

 

[Vachon23]

26-27 we’ll be a contender. For sure

Contender I don’t know but they will be a playoff team I do think yes

Reinbacher, Demidov, Hutson will need to develop like we hope

Dach and Guhle will need to stay healthy

And we will need a major acquisition

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

What's a contender? Until you make it top4 in the playoffs, you are a pretender. I do not believe at any time you have 10 teams in the NHL that are contenders. Maybe 5-6 teams at any year as it may be a revolving door of who I would consider a contender.

Is their a definition that the media carries for who is a contender? The leafs are a good example as they may appear to be contenders, but in reality they are a pretender.

 

[Tyson]

If the roster is bottom-5 without Demidov, we're not going to magically become a contender with Demidov.

Demidov will need a season or two to figure out the NHL, won't happen immediately

 

[Habs]

Honestly am I the only one that misses the top teams in the East vs the Top in the west, and ditch the stupid divisional rankings? Teams with less points getting is is mildly Pejorative Slured, I hate it. Bring back the old format and dump the OT Wins and Losses.

I think we are 3 years away at this point

 

[GrandmaCookie]

26-27 we’ll be a contender. For sure

Contender? We are at the bottom of the league right now and you think "for sure" they are gonna contend in 3 years? When was the last time a team when from bottom of the league to contend for the cup in 3 years ?

 

[bobholly39]

It's very refreshing and encouraging to see so much optimism from this board. I'm so used to people here being extremely negative and down on the team, probably from the Bergevin days.

As of now not a single voter doesn't think we're back in the playoffs within 3 years, and a large majority thikn we're going to be seirous contenders within the next 3-4 years max. That's fun

 

[waitin425]

It's so hard to predict. Essentially we gotta crack the upper echelon of Eastern Conference teams, while also pacing ahead of the teams in the rebuilding phase.

In 3-4 years will we have transcended Florida, Tampa, Toronto, Rangers, Carolina, Boston?

Have we performed this rebuild better than Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa, Columbus?

Will some of those middling teams, Washington, Pittsburgh, Islanders, Philly, Jersey?

I feel like we are doing everything right for a change. But only time will tell.

If I had to predict tiers for the eastern conference in 3-4 years....I'd probably place it like this....

Powerhouses....

New Jersey
Florida
Detroit
Habs
Rangers
Leafs....ughhhh

Playoff Bubbles;

Columbus
Philly
Boston
Carolina
Ottawa
Tampa
Islanders

Descending into the pits of hell (or never left);

Buffalo
Columbus
Washington
Pittsburgh

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Contender? We are at the bottom of the league right now and you think "for sure" they are gonna contend in 3 years? When was the last time a team when from bottom of the league to contend for the cup in 3 years ?

It’s not uncommon for rebuilding teams to ‘take off’ once their players have had a couple of years together.

Nothing’s guaranteed. Not the playoffs, not anything. But this is an awesome group of young players. How can you not be excited?

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

i think we can squeeze in the playoffs next year 2025-2026 season

HuGo being quiet this offseason was the right move i think he makes a splash next offseason when we have alot of money coming off the books

 

[Egresch]

I think we will make the playoffs in 25-26 season, but it will not take very long before we become a contender. Couple playoff losses, but in 27-28 we could be ready. The main point is that teams that are currently leading NHL will get worse- TBL, NYR are getting old, BOS has no prospect pool, CAR, FLA just lost few key pieces. Our main advantage is that we already have young core playing in the NHL. 1st line, Dach, Guhle, Xhekaj, Newhook and many others being very close. Other rebuilding teams are just geting there. Maybe Senators and mainly Devils can be compared to us with L. Hughes, Nemec, J. Hughes, Bratt, Hischier, Mercer.

 

[Gaud]

I think the most interesting part of the vote is that no one (at least when i voted) thinks that mtl will miss the playoffs for the next 3 years.

I am expecting Mtl to be fighting for a wildcard space this year. If i had to bed, it say out of the playoffs, but 87 to 92 pts range.

 

[xX SEYF Xx]

2025-26 season, especially after signing Crosby next July1st!

Your Crystal ball is not working
Mine said Draisaitl

 

[Riddick412]

We know Suzi is the real deal, so no worries there. But CC has yet to prove himself long term, Dach has yet to stay healthy, and Slaf will have to continue to improve for any chance.

It's definitely possible they stay healthy and surprise everyone this year, but I'm banking on next with 4ish years to be legit contenders.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Contender? We are at the bottom of the league right now and you think "for sure" they are gonna contend in 3 years? When was the last time a team when from bottom of the league to contend for the cup in 3 years ?

Did I stutter?!?!?

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Contender? We are at the bottom of the league right now and you think "for sure" they are gonna contend in 3 years? When was the last time a team when from bottom of the league to contend for the cup in 3 years ?

I’m sorry I was joking with the last one lol.

Yes I’m very confident they can contend by then. Too much firepower and much of it will be hitting its prime.

No idea but contender’s fairly broad. That can be a top 5 team in the league. We’re in the latter stages of this rebuild.

Barring serious injuries of course. We have incredible quality and quantity