The Canadiens Must Win Before It’s Too Late

A few years ago, people were saying that the Canadiens' future looked bright. That's still the case, of course.

People used to say that the window of opportunity would remain open for quite some time. And once again, I think that has the potential to be true.

But nothing is guaranteed. And I say that because a certain sense of urgency needs to set in.

We agree that we're not talking about the same sense of urgency as with an aging team like the Penguins, for example. But we'll still need to take it to the next level sooner rather than later.

Why? For several reasons.

First, there are few teams currently in the midst of a rebuild. Many teams will be competitive at the same time, which will limit the Habs' chances of winning.

Second, there are gaps in the team's roster that haven't yet been filled. With those gaps, the Habs aren't a major contender for the Stanley Cup.

But above all, there's the salary cap.

After all, the Canadiens absolutely must take advantage of the opportunity presented by Nick Suzuki's arrival to reset the salary structure for the team's stars in order to improve their chances of winning.