For the past week, the Montreal Canadiens were on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. With each opportunity missed, it felt like a spot they were once at a 98% probability to clinch was slipping from their grasp. Their final game of the regular season against the Carolina Hurricanes was their last chance to control their own destiny, and they needed to get at least one point to avoid watching helplessly as Columbus would get a chance to take their spot tonight.
They won’t need to worry about that, as a 4-2 regulation win erased any doubt, and they will meet the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs.
Nick Suzuki goes short side, 2-1 #Habs pic.twitter.com/3462G0PSVQ
— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) April 17, 2025
No matter what happens in that series, this Habs roster has surprisingly exceeded all expectations this season. They wanted to be in the mix – playing meaningful games down the home stretch – and boy are they ever in it now. They’re about to experience something that nobody aside from Brendan Gallagher on the current roster has – a full Bell Centre in the playoffs.
With an average age of 25.95 years, they are the youngest team to make the playoffs in league history. Anything that they do from this point on is pure gravy, and they’ve put the entire league on notice just by getting into the dance. Their cup window hasn’t even opened yet, but the rebuild is clearly ahead of schedule. With high-level young talent leading the way, they’re setting themselves up for a long stretch where they’re going to be a problem in the eastern conference.
Very few predicted that the Habs would find themselves in this position. Fewer still will pick them to do anything with it, but we’ve seen the kind of magic that can happen in Montreal come playoff time. To write this group off would be silly, as they’ve proven to be better than anyone gave them credit for, and they have an army of fans that will make the Bell Centre an absolute mad house for every game that is played there.
For four long years, this fan base has been starving for playoff hockey. We won’t have to wait much longer.
"ÇA VA BIEN, MONTRÉAL?"
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 17, 2025
Nick Suzuki speaks with Canadiens fans after the team clinched their playoff berth 🙌 pic.twitter.com/tlWEODz3YP
Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. As of this writing, I don’t know when we’ll be back, but the rumour is that it’ll be on Monday night. Whenever it is, we’ll be back for game one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals.
