Canadiens More Than a One-Line Team in 2025 Playoff Chase

Of course, in the absence of controversy, with everything going as well as it has, well… fill in the blanks as you like.  Now, granted, Laine has been a lightning rod for controversy in the past, now on his third team at Age 26. Less-than-ideal circumstances admittedly surrounded his departure from out of Columbus. And there’s no disputing he could have exercised better judgment before calling out the Blue Jackets ahead of their game on Dec. 23 against the Canadiens, resulting in him reportedly having gotten targeted physically by his former team (and the Habs ultimately losing).

However, there is absolutely no disputing the Canadiens are stronger as a team with Laine in the lineup. Any suggestions he’s a distraction would be parroting previous party lines that helped justify the trades of players like Michael Cammalleri in 2012 and Guy Carbonneau, at least if we’re to believe the latter giving a journalist a one-fingered salute was the reasoning behind his offseason trade to the St. Louis Blues, back in 1994. If only someone had a time machine to go back to that exact point and ask Carbonneau just what he was thinking. It’s hard to imagine.

Canadiens Stronger from Top to Bottom

Now, to be fair, Laine’s goal against the Panthers last weekend came on the power play, with Caufield earning a secondary assist. So, it’s not like Laine is carrying a line on his own. However, a Laine-infused power play, which is clicking at over 20% (21.7%) when it hasn’t over a full season since 2017-18, further drives home the point that the Canadiens, who may admittedly be lacking a legitimate pivot to centre the guy right now, are more dangerous than many might like to think.

Special teams overall have vastly improved over recent seasons. The penalty kill is a 10th-ranked 81.4%, when it hasn’t been above 80% since 2018-19. The fact no one on that aforementioned top line ranks in the Top 10 in terms of shorthanded ice time per game (Suzuki is No. 11, with 0:40) alone goes to show the Canadiens are deeper than just three players.

And a large reason for the team’s renewed penalty-killing prowess is that shots against are down too, speaking to the team’s improved defense. They’re at a 23rd-ranked 29.0, when they were last under 30 in 2020-21 (28.2) ahead of their magical run to the Stanley Cup Final. And, with goalie Sam Montembeault on a bit of a heater himself, 6-0-1 since the aforementioned tournament, with a .928 save percentage, it’s clear to see the team is firing on multiple cylinders right now.

Canadiens Need Laine’s Scoring

As has been previously established by, you know, everyone’s eyes, Montembeault is no Carey Price. That’s reflected in his overall stat line and the makeup of the team. Gone are the days when ex-general manager Marc Bergevin insulated his all-star goalie with a stay-at-home defense at the expense of the team’s offensive ability, when Price, for all of his talent, never once scored a goal.

Speaking of that 2021 Stanley Cup Final run, the Canadiens and Price showed that, in losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, you also need goal scorers and depth en masse. Laine helps give them both. It would be a different issue if there was anything substantial other than a heated exchange during practice to go on, but, looking at the on-ice product, if all anyone is really drawing on to come to the conclusion that Laine must go is his history, before he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to focus on his mental health, those people are unfortunately not contributing much of anything positive to the situation… in sharp contrast to Laine, who actually is.

Of course, it’s not a journalist’s job to necessarily contribute something positive or cheerlead but rather to report facts to inform the public. So, the question is, are there any facts that suggest Laine is more trouble than he’s worth? When without him, the Canadiens would effectively be without a second line, with Kirby Dach injured and having suffered through his share of struggles even when healthy this season?

The actual fact is, while the Canadiens aren’t a one-line team, Laine is the only consistent offensive threat up front off it. Even if it’s only on the power play, his contributions have been vital to the team’s success over the last few months. To deny that would be to deny their 24-14-4 record since his debut (20-12-4 with him in the lineup). And, if the Habs do make the playoffs for the first time since reaching the 2021 Final, Laine will have figured largely in that accomplishment whether his critics choose to acknowledge it or not.

Ultimately, while some in the media make use of Laine, the Canadiens are making better use of him on the ice. When they first acquired him, it would have objectively been hard for anyone to envision his first season turning into as much of a success as it has. Take away his injury in training camp and the nonsensical noise everyone is hearing now, and a best-case scenario is unfolding as we speak. That in and of itself may defy logic based on how the Habs looked early this season without him, but things can change. Some people can too.