The Habs are Going to the Dance

Firstly, I want to commend all the guys here at AATH who have been doing such a terrific job. Searching high and low for stories & breaking news and posting it for the website as soon as possible. All of the pieces and articles that have been posted so far have been outstanding. It is such a blessing and a privilege to be a part of this team and write about the Montreal Canadiens for no other reason than sharing our personal views on our favorite team.

Now since the guys here have been doing such a fantastic job, and since we try not to copy each others topics, I have decided to just speak my mind in this piece. I love feedback, so please don’t be shy and let me hear your opinion.

The Habs are now 10-4-1 heading into tonight’s bout with the New York Rangers. Even though it is a shortened season, and with 33 more games on the schedule including the game tonight, I do believe that the Habs are most definitely a playoff team.

Clearly I have just made a bold statement, but with the way Montreal has been playing; both home and away, it’s hard to place them out of the top 8. Other teams have started slow out of the gate, and yes the Habs have started very quickly, but I just cannot see them completely falling apart. Of course improvement is needed, but there is never a time when a team plays perfectly. It is impossible for a team to go undefeated all year long, and it is equally impossible for a team to lose every single game. So yes, Les Canadiens will have many struggles down the stretch, but I am a firm believer that Montreal is playoff bound.

TSN & NHL.com have continually placed the Habs in the top 10 in both of their respective power rankings. Coaches and players from around the league have also complimented Montreal for their impressive start to the season. It’s hard to argue the early success the Canadiens have had, and maybe I am looking too far into that success, but I guess only time will tell.

I want to continue my crazy bold statements. I believe with the way the Habs are constructed on paper, and with the way Michel Therrien has the team playing as of late, hold it… I believe the Montreal Canadiens are poised for a serious playoff run.

Yes call me crazy, I truly am insane, but you heard it here first; The Montreal Canadiens will make noise this spring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The depth the Canadiens boast, the grit throughout the roster and of course, the talent both in goal and up front, the Habs really are an ideal playoff team. Am I saying Montreal is poised to raise number 25 to the sky? No I am not. Playoff hockey is rough and tough, and as the 2012 playoffs showed us, goaltending can steal you more than a few series victories. Carey Price is ready for such a feat. The 2012 Stanley Cup Champions were an 8th seed who struggled to score all season long, but once the playoffs came around, they simply dominated on the shoulders of Jonathan Quick. The playoffs are always a surprise and last year is proof that anything can happen.

I am not saying that this team is firing on all cylinders because that is clearly not true. The Habs powerplay has cooled down significantly since the first 5 games, and with that, Markov’s offense has vanished. Somebody needs to let Erik Cole know that the season has started because he is not the wrecking ball power-forward he was last year. Michel Therrien has been average this year, although it’s hard to argue with the record he has as Head Coach so far, there has been plenty of questionable decisions. The ice time management MT has been using so far in my opinion is wrong. You cannot bench PK Subban when you have a powerplay in overtime. That is the definition of stupidity.

In my opinion, the Habs are poised to make the playoffs and make some noise. Their record so far suggests nothing but good things. In the 4 losses so far this season, the Habs have clearly been defeated, and sometimes big losses are terrific building blocks. No one enjoys losing, especially Montreal & their fans. The good thing is that their record is 10-4-1 and not the other way around.

I may be way out to lunch on my bold predictions, but I do believe the Habs are poised to return to the playoffs and make a long run. The playoffs is where history is made, and Montreal is fit for the playoffs. Their team is a team that is built to succeed in a best-of-7 series. Sure the Habs will lose a few here and there, but their wins will out-weigh the losses, and their record is proof of that.

Have your say and leave a comment! Follow me on Twitter @Di_Stefano45