Lack of Depth Leads To Canadiens' Exit vs. Capitals

With the Montreal Canadiens' season officially over thanks to a 4-1 series loss against Alex Ovechkin and the Stanley Cup-hopeful Washington Capitals, the burning question is what went wrong for the Habs?

You’d be hard-pressed to find a single soul who will argue the validity of the CH top line - captain Nick Suzuki, flanked by Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky on his wings. 

But a stone's throw away, you have a dramatically different picture. Montreal was destined for a tough playoff run, and the glaring need is/was and has been a second-line centre. Without one, Suzuki and the cast of bottom-six centres were given a big test. 

Though the Capitals will tell you firsthand that the Habs are no joke, head coach Martin St. Louis and general manager Kent Hughes know there is work to be done this offseason. Ivan Demidov needs some linemates, and that isn’t up for debate. 

A centre, and winger, that can play with No. 93 has to be top priority on Hughes' checklist. 

The team's second biggest need is a top-four right-shot defenseman. David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux are options, but a surefire option might be a safer bet. Taking a flyer on another Alexandre Carrier-type player would set the pieces into place on the Canadiens' blueline. 

Montreal was outmuscled, outscored, and their defensive brigade isn’t on par with the Capitals' group. David Savard is hanging up his skates, and it's reasonable to expect another defender might have played his last game for the Habs. 

Hughes has an embarrassment of riches in terms of assets to acquire talent. A stocked prospect cupboard, a rising salary cap and two top-20 picks in the upcoming draft have set the organization up for a big offseason. 

Next up on the calendar is the 2025 NHL Draft lottery, which will determine where the Calgary Flames' pick (acquired in the Sean Monahan trade) lands. Either way, Hughes has two shots to add some final pieces to set the wheels in motion for a shift from wildcard hopefuls to playoff contenders. 

The problems and lessons from the series against the Capitals have to be used as fuel, and something to learn from and improve upon.

Suzuki, Caufield and the young Habs team were there in 2021 and felt the sting of losing 4-1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup final. The loss to the Capitals will only add kerosene to the fire burning inside. 

Onwards and upwards has to be the mentality, and next year, Washington will have a much harder time handling the Habs.