Canadiens' improbable run continues after clinching playoff spot

Montreal Canadiens players gather to celebrate their win against the Carolina Hurricanes in the third period at Bell Centre. David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Canadiens' improbable run continues after clinching East's last playoff spot

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 17, 2025 12:38 AM ET

If you told Montreal Canadiens fans they would make the playoffs in December, they may have laughed.

According to Kayla Douglas of theScore, the Habs were in last place in the Eastern Conference on Dec. 16 with an 11-16-3 record. Since then, they've rebounded, going 29-15-8.

On Wednesday night, Montreal (40-31-11, 91 points) beat the Carolina Hurricanes (47-29-5, 99 points), 4-2, in a home game, clinching the last spot in the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Canadiens eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets (39-33-9, 87 points).

"Just really proud of our group," Canadiens center Nick Suzuki said in a postgame interview with Sportsnet's Shawn McKenzie. "I think there's not a lot of people that believed in us and didn't think that we could do this. We've been working every single day for this opportunity. To clinch our spot in the last game seems pretty fitting for us."

“To clinch our spot in the last game seems pretty fitting for us.”

Nick Suzuki joins @ShawnMcKenzieSN after the Canadiens clinched their spot in the #StanleyCup Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/tvhV4cp0yq
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 17, 2025

Against Carolina, Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle led the team in goals with two. Suzuki and center Jake Evans also scored goals.

Kaiden Guhle's got his second of the night! The Habs are up by two! ✌️

: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/jyAOwO9FuP
— NHL (@NHL) April 17, 2025

The Canadiens last made the playoffs during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. Montreal made it to the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

The Habs making another deep postseason run seems unlikely. In the first round, they face the Washington Capitals (51-21-9, 111 points), who won the Metropolitan Division. As of Wednesday night, FanDuel Sportsbook lists Washington's Stanley Cup odds at +1000, the third best in the Eastern Conference.

The Capitals also beat the Canadiens in two of their three matchups this season. (They last played on Jan. 10). However, Montreal right winger Brendan Gallagher noted the Habs were a different team in their previous games against Washington.

"That's gonna be a tough challenge for us," Gallagher said, per Douglas. "We played them a bit early on in the year. I would say one of our low points was in Washington, so I think it's a good opportunity for us to show what we've become."

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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