Montreal Canadiens

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Lore & Background

The 2025–26 season marked a turning point for the Canadiens' rebuild. After three years near the bottom of the standings from 2021–22 to 2023–24, the team surprised the league by making the playoffs in 2024–25. They built on that momentum the following year, clinching a postseason berth on April 5, 2026, when the Minnesota Wild defeated the Detroit Red Wings. The Canadiens finished with the sixth-best record in the NHL and third-best in the Atlantic Division. In the first round, they faced the Tampa Bay Lightning and prevailed in a seven-game series, their first postseason series victory in five years. They then defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, again in seven games, to reach the Eastern Conference final. There, the Canadiens' postseason ended, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. Individual milestones highlighted the season: winger Cole Caufield scored 51 goals, becoming the first Canadien to reach the 50-goal mark since Stephane Richer in 1989–90. Team captain Nick Suzuki finished with 101 points, the first 100-point season by a Canadien since Mats Naslund in 1985–86. Caufield received the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player, while Suzuki won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward.

In Their Own Story

The Canadiens entered the 2025–26 season with momentum from an unexpected playoff appearance the year before. On April 5, 2026, they clinched a second consecutive postseason berth when the Minnesota Wild defeated the Detroit Red Wings. The team finished the regular season with the sixth-best record in the NHL and third-best in the Atlantic Division. In the first round of the playoffs, they faced the Tampa Bay Lightning and won a seven-game series, their first postseason series victory in five years. They then defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, again in seven games, to reach the Eastern Conference final. There, the Canadiens' postseason run ended, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. Along the way, Cole Caufield scored 51 goals, becoming the first Canadien to reach 50 goals since Stephane Richer in 1989–90. Nick Suzuki recorded 101 points, the first 100-point season by a Canadien since Mats Naslund in 1985–86. Caufield won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and Suzuki won the Frank J. Selke Trophy.

Reader's Guide

The Canadiens' 2025–26 season was defined by their playoff run and individual achievements. After finishing with the sixth-best record in the NHL and third-best in the Atlantic Division, they entered the playoffs as a team on the rise. In the first round, they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games, marking their first postseason series victory in five years. They followed that by beating the Buffalo Sabres in seven games in the second round. The season ended in the Eastern Conference final, where they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. Key players reached significant milestones: Cole Caufield scored 51 goals, becoming the first Canadien to hit 50 goals since Stephane Richer in 1989–90. Nick Suzuki recorded 101 points, the first 100-point season by a Canadien since Mats Naslund in 1985–86. Caufield won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and Suzuki won the Frank J. Selke Trophy. The preseason schedule was published on June 25, 2025, and the regular season schedule was released on July 16, 2025.

Did You Know?

• The Canadiens clinched a playoff spot on April 5, 2026, after the Minnesota Wild defeated the Detroit Red Wings.
• Cole Caufield scored 51 goals, becoming the first Canadien to reach 50 goals since Stephane Richer in the 1989–90 season.
• Nick Suzuki recorded 101 points, the first 100-point season by a Canadien since Mats Naslund in the 1985–86 season.
• Caufield won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and Suzuki won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the same season.
• The Canadiens won their first postseason series in five years by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.