The wait is over for Montreal Canadiens fans. After a dramatic end to the regular season and squandering three consecutive opportunities to secure their Stanley Cup Playoff spot, jeopardizing their chances as the Columbus Blue Jackets nipped at their heels, the Montreal Canadiens have finally done it. With a crucial 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, the storied club is returning to the coveted postseason party.
Fourth time’s the charm for Montreal, whose playoff berth marks their first since their improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. That unexpected journey was followed by the start of a deep rebuild that kept the club in the league’s basement for much of the past three seasons.
Even this 2024-25 season was no exception in its early stages, with the Canadiens sitting in last overall in the NHL as late as mid-November. However, from that point on, the team steadily gained ground, climbing the standings to clinch their playoff spot in their 82nd and final game.
The atmosphere at the Bell Centre was electric. The Canadiens needed at least one point against a Hurricanes team that opted to rest several of their key players. Montreal came out determined to secure the win, and the unlikely hero of the night was young defenseman Kaiden Guhle, who registered his first career two-goal game.
Alongside Guhle, captain Nick Suzuki once again led the way, contributing a goal (his 30th) and an assist to cap off his best statistical year with 89 points, the most for a Canadiens player since 1995-96. With both Suzuki and Cole Caufield reaching the 30-goal mark, Montreal enters the playoffs with multiple 30-goal scorers for the first time since the 1995-96 campaign.
Promising rookie defenseman Lane Hutson also chipped in with an assist, reaching 60 on the season, tying the NHL’s all-time record for a rookie defenseman. In net, Sam Montembeault made 27 saves to secure the victory that eliminated the Blue Jackets and clinched the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The relief was palpable after the final buzzer, with the home crowd erupting in celebration.
«I’m just proud because it wasn’t one year, it wasn’t one team, this goes back three, four years of really battling together,» said Brendan Gallagher, the longest-tenured player on the roster, set for his seventh playoff appearance. «I’m just so happy for these guys, because they’re going to experience this city in playoff time.»
The win capped off an excellent home stretch (10-0-2 in their last 12 games at the Bell Centre), although it came after days of anxiety. A previous six-game winning streak was overshadowed by three consecutive losses that put their playoff hopes in jeopardy, while Columbus surged with five straight victories.
Captain Suzuki echoed the team’s sentiment: «It’s been tough. It took us a few more games than we wanted, but that’s kind of been the story of our season. To win the game at home to clinch, I don’t think we could have written it up any better.» Looking ahead to the playoffs, he added, «We believe in each other, that we’re not just going to lay down against the No. 1 seed, so I’m excited for the opportunity.»
Suzuki also highlighted the significance of the achievement within the team’s rebuilding process: «For me, it means a lot. Since we started this rebuild, we’ve had some tough days. For our group to come together like this… and make the playoffs when a lot of people doubted us, I’m really impressed and proud.» He thanked the fans, saying, «They’ve been with us all season… They showed tonight… that they’re the best fans in the league for a reason. They’ve really helped us.»
This 2024-25 season marks the first time since 1979-80 (16-team format) that three teams (MIN, STL, MTL) clinched a playoff berth in their final game. With an average age of 26.1 years, the Canadiens will be the youngest team in the postseason.
Now, Montreal prepares to face the Washington Capitals, the Metropolitan Division champions and the Eastern Conference’s top seed. It will be the second playoff series between the two teams and the first since the 2010 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, when the eighth-seeded Canadiens upset the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals in seven games. While history offers an intriguing precedent, the challenge against the powerful Capitals will be immense. The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin this Saturday.