From the worst to the best team in the NHL: the two faces of the Canadiens

Inexplicable! Improbable! Disconcerting!

What the Canadiens – who were languishing in the basement – are accomplishing could not have been anticipated at all. Going from the worst team in the league on November 25 (32nd in the standings) to the best in the entire league for the past month is quite something.

Since December 16, the CH has a record of 11-2-1.

(Credit: NHL.com)

During this period, the Montrealers scored 51 goals, just one less than the 52 scored by the Oilers and Blue Jackets, while allowing only 30.

Their two special teams have a combined efficiency rate of 110%!

Jakub Dobes, Patrik Laine, Alexandre Carrier… some additions are at the heart of this turnaround. But Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, Samuel Montembeault, Jake Evans, Joel Armia, and others are also key to the team’s current success.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({« cmd »: « addBanner »});

Are we going to make the playoffs?
This morning, the CH is in 10th place in the East, only one point away from a playoff spot. With two games in hand…

(Credit: NHL.com)

In short, our team is in the mix.

The problem is, it won’t draft top three there are eight teams fighting for the two Wild Card spots in the East: the Blue Jackets, the Bruins, the Senators, the Canadiens, the Red Wings, the Flyers, the Rangers, and the Penguins.

So two of the previously mentioned teams are likely to make the playoffs.

Does that mean the CH has only a 25% chance to extend its season after its 82nd regular match?

No! The Canadiens are on a good roll and are closer to the top eight than the Flyers, Rangers, and Penguins. And they have an easier schedule than some teams directly competing with them.

The reputed site MoneyPuck.com gives the Canadiens a 36% chance of making the playoffs this morning. It sees the Bruins and the Sens making it to the playoffs… but it also sees the CH and the Flyers as the candidates most likely to surpass them.

Let’s remember that MoneyPuck uses advanced statistical calculations to determine its percentages.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({« cmd »: « addBanner »});

The site PlayoffsStatus.com is more generous with the Canadiens’ probabilities. It estimates a 50% chance of seeing the CH play in the playoffs.

According to the site’s calculations, the Canadiens and the Senators have better chances to extend their seasons than the Blue Jackets and the Bruins.

The Flyers, Penguins, and Rangers have very little positive probability, according to PlayoffStatus.com.

In the end, the Tricolore has between a one in three and a one in two chance of participating in the playoffs…

Which makes the odds to that effect on Mise-o-jeu VERY interesting: 4.50.

I think I’m going to go bet a little $20 on the CH.

in brief

– It will be Toronto or L.A.

– Logical.

– Frederik Andersen is back.