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Habs Wrap: Crucial Experience, Bright Future, Playoff Run
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- Habs Wrap: Crucial Experience, Bright Future, Playoff Run
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
MONTREAL — It feels like every hour features more Montreal Canadiens news, and we're all bound to miss a story or two. On Sundays, we recap the relevant NHL news you may have missed, to help you stay in the Canadiens loop.
We would also like to thank all the fantastic Canadiens fans who have supported us throughout the extended playoff run. Dressing room clean-out day is set to take place on Monday, therefore we will take a short break on Sunday to regroup before returning to our regularly scheduled coverage.
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Montreal Canadiens News And Notes
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The Habs kept Game 3 close, but that was mostly due to Jakub Dobes ' work in the net. The fact of the matter is that the Carolina Hurricanes outshot them by a very wide margin, and the 3-2 overtime loss was flattering when evaluating towards the Canadiens. [ Lack Of Shots Cost Habs In Game 3 ]
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Prior to puck drop in Game 3, head coach Martin St-Louis mentioned he'd rather see his team lose due to a poor start, rather than seeing them fumble a lead towards the end of the game. Let's be perfectly honest, neither is ideal, and the Habs must do a better job at the start of games if they're to keep their impressive playoff push going. [ Canadiens Head Coach St-Louis Discusses Physicality, Poor Starts ]
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The Montreal Victoire were honoured on Monday night at the Bell Centre, following their Walter Cup Championship in the PWHL. Montreal beat the Ottawa Charge 3-1 in the final, marking the first time a Canadian team captured the ultimate prize.
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Former Canadiens defenceman Josh Gorges shared a fantastic story from his time in Montreal. In particular, he discussed the impact of having a legendary player such as Mr. Béliveau around to motivate the team.
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According to one estimate, a 30-second ad on TVA Sports (Quebec) will cost roughly between $25,000 and $45,000. It's not particularly surprising, as the Habs tend to drive a few aspects of the economy in the province. If Montreal is winning, it's good news for all advertisers. [ Luc Dupont ]
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Newfoundlander Alex Newhook caught up with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman to discuss his success in the playoffs. The 25-year-old forward has scored seven goals in the playoffs, including back-to-back series-clinching markers.
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There was a familiar at the Bell Centre following the F1 weekend. Montreal-native Lance Stroll took in Game 3, as he was already in town for the race.
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With all due respect to Gianni Infantino, which is very little, it's rich that he showed up at the F1 event in Montreal, because FIFA wanted the city to cancel the F1 weekend if they were to serve as one of Canada's host cities for the upcoming World Cup.
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There's one clear-cut issue holding the Canadiens back in the playoffs: the lack of shots. A few players have actually managed to improve their shot rate, but for the most part, Montreal's forwards are shooting considerably less now that they're done with the regular season. Sniper Cole Caufield is one of the biggest problems, with his shot rate essentially collapsing in the playoffs. [ The Biggest Problem Holding Back The Canadiens In the Playoffs ]
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If the Habs want to add more physicality, chaos, and shot production to the mix, they need to look no further than Brendan Gallagher and Arber Xhekaj . Even when used sparingly, both Xhekaj and Gallagher bring important elements to table, in situations that are clearly weaknesses for the organization. [ Two Canadiens Players Who Could Help Them Beat The Hurricanes ]
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Speaking of Xhekaj, he was busy in Brossard practicing alongside the other Black Aces, including defenceman David Reinbacher .
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All things considered, Canadiens defencemen have enjoyed a relatively solid performance in the playoffs, though it's clear the quality of competition is on the rise.
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Reinbacher and Xhekaj aren't the only Black Aces ready to jump into the fire if called upon. Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj, and Oliver Kapanen were also busy in Brossard on Tuesday.
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Engstrom definitely doesn't have any issues with accuracy!
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Head coach Martin St-Louis is not wrong in suggesting the Canadiens are not dead. Far from it, really. And yet, the onus is on him to have his team ready to start Game 4 on the right foot.
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We thought the first line may have a breakout night versus the Hurricanes in Game 4. We were wrong. They actually had decent underlying numbers, but the process was not enough to compensate for the lack of results. Additionally, the lines were changed midway through the game. [ Analysis: Canadiens Star Players Poised To Breakout Vs Hurricanes ]
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Heading into Game 4, some suggested a few lineup changes were in order, with the possibility of adding players such as Arber Xhekaj and Brendan Gallagher to the mix, in a bid to improve the team's shot rate and physicality. Head coach Martin St-Louis opted to roll with the exact same lineup he used in Game 3. [ Canadiens Vs. Hurricanes G4: Backs Against The Wall ]
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Jakub Dobes showed up for Game 4, and had an excellent outing. Unfortunately for the Habs, he's just about the only player who offered an honest effort versus the Hurricanes. [ Canadiens Highlights: Meet The New Habs, The Same As The Old ]
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Former netminder Jaroslav Halak , who enjoyed a fantastic playoff run as a 25-year-old netminder, was the player chosen to get things going at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night.
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Speaking of which, Wednesday was also Dobes' 25th birthday! And though the Habs lost, he definitely wasn't part of the problem, he was part of the solution.
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Some players end up rubbing you the wrong way, but there's very little to dislike about Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers . He's the same player who protected Jake Evans when Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele delivered one of the ugliest hits in recent playoff history.
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The PWHL Champions, Montreal Victoire, have protected the most obvious candidates ahead of the most recent expansion draft: Marie-Phillip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Ann-Renee Desbiens.
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This may not give much solace to Canadiens fans, but Hurricanes head coach Rob Brind'amour was a big Habs supporter growing up.
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ICYMI: If the Habs want to add more physicality, chaos, and shot production to the mix, they need to look no further than Brendan Gallagher and Arber Xhekaj. Even when used sparingly, both Xhekaj and Gallagher bring important elements to table, in situations that are clearly weaknesses for the organization. [ Two Canadiens Players Who Could Help Them Beat The Hurricanes ]
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Even though the Habs are trailing the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Final, it's fair to suggest the youngest team in the league is in the process of gaining important experience. It took the Hurricanes several years to make it to this point, a lesson worth remembering. [ Canadiens Learning Crucial Lessons In Eastern Conference Final ]
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There was some very sad news to report on Thursday. Former Hab Claude Lemieux passed away at the age of 60. Lemieux was a four-time Stanley Cup winner, and was the player who carried the torch into the Bell Centre ahead of Game 3 just a few days ago. [ Former Hab Lemieux Passes Away Days After Carrying Torch ]
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Several of Lemieux's former teammates, include Chris Nilan, expressed their sadness at his passing.
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Fresh off a season that saw him score 16 goals and 26 assists in 59 games, Canadiens prospect Alexander Zharovsky was named the Rookie of the Year in the KHL. This is the second consecutive season in which a Habs prospect has taken home the illustrious award ( Ivan Demidov , 2025).
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Zharovsky was voted as the No.3 prospect in the system by Canadiens fans earlier in the season. [ Canadiens Top 20 Prospects: No.3 – Brilliant Alexander Zharovsky ]
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Don't be shocked if Jakub Dobes takes matters into his own hands on Friday!
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Speaking of Montreal's rookie netminder, all things considered, he's enjoying quite the impressive run, and that goes beyond his playoff excellence.
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Heading into Game 5 versus the Carolina Hurricanes, all eyes were on the Canadiens' top line. They produced a decent amount of points in the playoffs, but their 5v5 results left a lot to be desired. [ All Eyes On First Line As Canadiens Face Elimination ]
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Rather than attempting to change his lineup after three straight losses, head coach Martin St-Louis reloaded with the very same players for Game 5. [ Canadiens Vs Hurricanes G5 Preview: Adversity On Tap, Xhekaj ]
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The Habs suffered the same result as previous games, being outplayed, outshot, and outchanced by a wide margin. In the end, the Hurricanes emerged with a well-deserved 6-1 win, not to mention a ticket to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. [ Canadiens Highlights: That'll Do, Habs, That'll Do ]
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Fresh off a playoff elimination, it may not feel like the Habs in an encouraging situation, but all things considered, their future is incredibly bright. They're the youngest team in the league, and they're still not done rebuilding. [ Canadiens Evolution: Silver Linings Impossible To Ignore ]
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Speaking of the future, it's always important to get an outside opinion on the situation, and most pundits agree the Habs are set up for success.
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Even though the season ended on a rough note, it's impossible to deny they're one of the most exciting, encouraging teams in the NHL. The future is incredibly bright for the Montreal Canadiens. [ Canadiens Silver Linings Impossible To Ignore ]
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