The Montreal Canadiens have returned home after a grueling Western road trip, but what’s truly turning heads isn’t their travel schedule—it’s their position in the NHL standings. With a record of 8 wins and 3 losses, the Habs are currently tied for first place in the Atlantic Division, the Eastern Conference, and the entire league. Yes, you read that right.
Few analysts predicted this scenario when the season began, but after three wins in four games out West—including a dramatic overtime victory against the Seattle Kraken courtesy of Cole Caufield—the Canadiens are suddenly the team to watch. Standout performances from Jakub Dobes, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky have fueled the surge, and now the team is back in Brossard for a crucial practice ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Ottawa Senators.
Head coach Martin St-Louis is expected to use Thursday’s session to fine-tune the lineup, especially after the club reassigned Joshua Roy and Marc Del Gaizo to the Laval Rocket for further development.
The moves suggest the Canadiens are serious about maintaining momentum and not letting early success slip away.
The Bell Centre will be electric this weekend, but the real question is whether Montreal’s unexpected rise is sustainable—or just a temporary high. One thing’s certain: the Canadiens are no longer flying under the radar. They’re home, they’re hungry, and they’re sitting at the top.