The Canadiens are the 15th best team in the NHL, according to the league’s website

Dose
Crédit: Cole Caufield scores goal, teammates celebrate

Last year, the Habs surprised many by finding a way to qualify for the playoffs. The club had a huge finish to the season, which earned them the final playoff berth in the East… where they were eliminated in five games by the Capitals.Most importantly, it gave the youngsters the playoff experience, which,however brief,wasa formativeexperiencefor them.Thatsaid, the club has decided to build on this and improve this summer. In addition to Ivan Demidov, who will be playing his first full NHL season, the Habs acquired Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc, among others. So, when you look at this, you can see that the Habs have improved… and it’s interesting to see that the NHL’s official website puts the Habs in its Super 16, its ranking of the league’s top 16 teams.The Habs rank 15th, just ahead of the Blues and just behind the Senators.

[content-ads]Dan Rosen, who wrote the short piece on the Canadiens, mentions that it’s easy to get excited about what’s being built in Montreal. That said, for the first time in years, there will be expectations and pressure in town, and we’ll have to see how the kids can handle it.Because that, too, is part of the learning curve for a young core. Dealing with pressure, especially in a market like Montreal, is far from easy.We’re still a long way from talking about a Stanley Cup in Montreal, we agree. That said, we continue to see a clear progression in the Canadiens’ core, and to see the club ranked as the 15th best team in the league heading into next season is proof enough of that.No, 15th isn’t the end of the world…sowe‘ll see if the Habs can climb the standings over the next few months, but clearly, there’s some exciting stuff in town right now. Let’s see if the club can move to the next level this season, from now on.spacer title=’Overtime’]- Two-year contract for Devon Levi.

– The guys are having fun.

– Action resumes at the National Bank Open.