The Montreal Canadiens fell to 4-7-1 after losing 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena. Currently at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, their situation seems unlikely to improve.
Without a turnaround, the Canadiens risk extending their postseason drought, the last time they qualified being during their unexpected journey to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final in the 2020-21 NHL season.
Their difficulties have drawn remarks from former NHL defenseman and current analyst Kevin Bieksa, who primarily played for the Vancouver Canucks and later for the Anaheim Ducks. Bieksa noted that he sees more regression than progress in Montreal’s performance, stating in a post on X, “For me, Montreal is very concerning right now. When a young team is losing but showing progress, that’s understandable. But what’s the opposite of progress? Regression.”
He added, “There seems to be a lot of regression right now. The only player I see progressing is Cole Caufield. Everyone else has plateaued. Consider [Kaiden] Guhle and some of the other young players, even [Nick] Suzuki; he seems to have stalled too.”
If improvements don’t materialize, Canadiens management will face tough choices regarding their coaching staff and players. Head coach Martin St. Louis tried to highlight the positives after the defeat against the Penguins, remarking, as reported by The New York Times, that he felt the team showed promise for future performances, despite the loss.
“Of course, you would have liked to get a result tonight because I felt the guys deserved something, we just didn’t get that,” St. Louis expressed. “But it’s a hard league. I feel like it’s a really good sign and a step in the right direction. Now it’s just about maintaining that. If we can do that, I believe we will start moving forward.”
Nonetheless, the team has yet to demonstrate any tangible signs that they can compete for a playoff spot.
