Any suggestion the Montreal Canadiens’ defense will be one of the best in the NHL in 2025-26 should be met with a healthy dose of skepticism. At the other end of the spectrum, rumours of the Habs’ ending up one of the worst teams in the league from a defensive standpoint, to the point it might cost them a playoff spot, have been greatly exaggerated.
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Sure, the Canadiens gave up the ninth-most shots per game (29.0) last season. And, while that’s of course far from a recipe for long-term success, there are extenuating circumstances as to why prognosticators should look past that and other admitted red flags (like them being one of the worst offenders in terms of expected goals against per 60 minutes).
It goes well past how the Canadiens overcame those admitted deficiencies on defense to for all intents and purposes shock the hockey world by clinching a postseason berth, one year after finishing fifth from last in the NHL. Generally speaking, there are of course ebbs and flows in performance from year to year to the point a team in a playoff spot one year won’t necessarily make them the next. That’s just the nature of sports. So, the Habs just having finished in the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot can understandably be construed as a sign they’re vulnerable.
Canadiens Replace Savard with Dobson
However, to lean into that line of thinking would be to dismiss the linear growth up the standings (points-wise) the Canadiens have experienced each season since finishing dead last in 2022. This is, according to some sources, the youngest team in NHL history to have made the playoffs that is also poised to be the youngest in the league to start 2025-26. So, the team’s defense, which is anchored by the likes of Calder Memorial Trophy-winner Lane Hutson, is far from at risk of declining.
Related: Canadiens’ Defence Could Be Elite for the Next Decade
In truth, the Canadiens should only get better, especially when you take into consideration the indisputable fact they’re transforming into more of a rush-capable team by effectively replacing the retiring David Savard with Noah Dobson. Critics may point to Savard’s stay-at-home style and defensive awareness as something they’ll miss out on, while Dobson being among the league leaders in turnovers, with one less…
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