Following a period of success where they were one of the NHL’s best teams, the Montreal Canadiens are now in a freefall. They have dropped five straight games and counting. The team has looked like a shell of the group that was taking down some of the NHL’s top teams nightly. There are several contributing factors to the team’s recent skid. However, they now find themselves in a very unfavourable position, and the season outlook is now grim. Let’s examine why the Montreal Canadiens are in a worst-case scenario.
Montreal Canadiens in Unfavourable Situation
Kaiden Guhle Faces Significant Injury
One of the Canadiens’ top defencemen, Kaiden Guhle, suffered an injury that will likely end his season. Guhle crashed into the boards awkwardly and endured a laceration to his quad. The team has listed him as out indefinitely. Guhle was amid a solid year as he formed the team’s top shutdown pairing with new addition Alexandre Carrier.
The injury comes as bad news for Guhle, who once again finds himself sidelined for an extended period due to injury. It also puts a damper on the Canadiens playoff hopes as a top-four defenceman and penalty killer is likely gone for the year. Guhle isn’t a player for whom the team has no immediate replacement. However, he isn’t the first Habs player to fall victim to a freak injury. Emil Heineman has been sidelined for several weeks after being struck by a vehicle in Utah.
Lack of Production from Key Players
One of the main reasons for the Montreal Canadiens recent struggles has been its key players’ lack of production. Lane Huston hasn’t registered a point in his last five contests. This marks the longest stretch of his rookie career. The Canadiens rely heavily on Hutson’s production from the backend. Their two top goal-scorers haven’t been finding twine recently, either. Cole Caufield has 25 goals on the year and has just one in his last nine contests. Patrik Laine hasn’t scored in his previous six games, and his effort level led to a third-period benching versus the Ducks from head coach Martin St. Louis. Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach have also struggled offensively this season. While their games have rounded out recently, their production and impact still aren’t where they need to be for the team to find success.
The lack of production from the team’s key players has been a major concern. These players are the future of the Canadiens organization, and if they aren’t producing, it becomes worrisome for management and fans alike.
The Canadiens are in No-Man’s Land
Just over a week ago, the Canadiens were primed to compete for a playoff spot. They had found themselves in a wild card position and were only a couple of points out of third place in the Atlantic division. However, after dropping five in a row, their chances look a lot less promising. While the Canadiens have struggled, teams like the Red Wings, Senators, and Blue Jackets have been pulling away in the playoff race. The Montreal Canadiens now sit six points out of the final wildcard spot in the East.
The team sits 22nd overall in the NHL standings, which puts them in a tough position. They are losing traction in the playoff race but are also likely too good to get a top-five pick in the NHL draft. Thankfully, the Canadiens have two first-round picks. They have their own first-rounder as well as a first from Calgary, which they acquired in the Sean Monahan trade. This is one of the few silver linings in a season that is quickly slipping away from the Montreal Canadiens.
Main Photo: Neville E. Guard
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