The Canadiens have begun the season on a challenging note. While individual players like Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson are performing well, the team’s overall performance has been lacking, achieving only two victories in six matches.
The Canadiens are particularly struggling in five-on-five situations, with a negative goal differential that ranks them 26th in the NHL, tied with two other teams. A significant factor contributing to their struggles at even strength is their poor face-off performance. Without puck possession, the team finds itself expending unnecessary energy chasing the puck, which is counterproductive for a squad that values speed and control.
On a positive note, the special teams have been a bright spot so far this season. The Canadiens’ power play is currently ranked 12th in the league, averaging 21.6%. This is a considerable improvement, especially when recalling that the team did not score a single power-play goal during the preseason despite thirty attempts, leading many fans and analysts to question whether head coach Martin St-Louis was the right choice, especially after he took over power-play duties following Alex Burrows’ departure in July.
Additionally, the Canadiens boast the second-best shorthanded penalty kill in the NHL at 90.9%, just behind the Dallas Stars.
Considering the management’s goal of achieving a combined power-play and penalty kill efficiency of around 100%, their current average of 112.5% shows that they have exceeded expectations so far.
It’s encouraging to see the special teams performing well after last season’s struggles when the Canadiens ranked 27th in power play effectiveness and 24th in penalty killing, with rates of 17.5% and 76.5%, respectively. These aspects have been persistent issues for the team, and improvement was essential for competitiveness. Now, the hope is for better five-on-five results so the Canadiens can truly contend in the season.
