As the calendar turns to 2026, it’s the time of the year when we all take stock and decide to better ourselves by making resolutions. Granted, more often than not, those are out the window before January is even over, but if the Montreal Canadiens decided to make some resolutions, I believe these should be the ones.
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I know that should go without saying, but for some reason, the Canadiens are struggling to do that. Their goal differential in the second period currently stands at minus-13, and all too often, a great effort in the first frame is wasted because of a second-period collapse.
Thankfully, it wasn’t the case in the Habs’ last game against the Florida Panthers, but it happens so often that it’s almost a surprise when it doesn’t. Their minus-13 differential is the second worst in the league, quite a way away from the St. Louis Blues‘ minus-21, but still, it makes no sense for a team that’s plus-six in the first, plus-four in the third, plus-four in overtime, and plus-one overall to be minus-13 in the second frame.
The Canadiens have grown up a lot over the last few years, and the time for the mid-day nap is long gone. It’s time to be fully awake all game long and to compete like a team that’s after the Stanley Cup.
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The year’s edition of the Canadiens is oozing with talent, and while that’s definitely a blessing, there are times when it can look like a curse. The Habs often seem to be looking for the perfect play rather than for the goal.
Someone like Demidov, who’s a pass-first kind of guy, needs to recognize a golden opportunity when it presents itself, and, in all fairness, he has been better at it of late, but collectively, there needs to be a conscious effort to do so.
The power play currently has a 25% success rate and is in fifth place in the league, but if the Habs were just a little more trigger-happy, it could be even higher.
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The number of times the Canadiens fail to score on the breakaway is staggering, so much so that when a player takes off on his own, there’s no sense of excitement anymore; some fans barely dare to look.
Josh Anderson has a lot of speed, and he has a knack for finding a way to evade coverage and show up all alone in front of the goaltender, but it’s the finishing that’s missing, and that’s the most crucial part.
It may be hard to recreate in-game situations in practice. Still, it’s worth a try. Giving the shooter a head start and launching a couple of defensemen in pursuit shortly after would serve two purposes: improving both sides of the breakaway plays.
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I hope you’ve had a great 2025 and wish you all the best in the year ahead. Thank you for reading along this year, and I look forward to reporting on more Canadiens’ happenings in 2026.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
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