Does Montreal make the playoffs in 2021-2022?

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Maybe as a bubble team. I voted no though because that outcome is more amusing.
There will be fatigue from the long playoff run, roster changes and the re-alignment of divisions. Tamps, Toronto and X likely top three spots in Atlantic (Florida Panthers, likely) then Habs clawing for the wildcard with Boston and Ottawa and such.

 

[Habssince89]

We have a tough division but this team is going to be bolstered by the playoff experience, having Caufield in his official rookie season and having other young players knocking on the door. Plus whatever trades or signings Bergevin comes up with. I think the Habs are a solid pick for the playoffs next year. It will be clearer post-expansion too.

 

[Captain97]

Everyone keeps bringing up our regular season record,

We didn't have Cole Caufiled for 46 games and Price only started 17. I'm willing to bet with either of those 2 being around more we'd have comfortably made the playoffs.

I'm also betting we pick up a top 6 winger this off-season. It's crazy a team that just made the finals and took our Vegas along the way is seen as likely missing the playoffs next year.

 

[Muffin]

Everyone keeps bringing up our regular season record,

We didn't have Cole Caufiled for 46 games and Price only started 17. I'm willing to bet with either of those 2 being around more we'd have comfortably made the playoffs.

I'm also betting we pick up a top 6 winger this off-season. It's crazy a team that just made the finals and took our Vegas along the way is seen as likely missing the playoffs next year.

Really not that crazy when it literally just happened to Dallas this year.

 

[Gurglesons]

Who of Tampa, Boston, Florida, and Toronto are missing to get Montreal in?

And that is if the Atlantic gets 4 in which I doubt with how stacked the Metro is.

 

[Super Cake]

No.

If they do make it, it will be in a wild card spot imo.

 

[Captain97]

Really not that crazy when it literally just happened to Dallas this year.

Dallas' season in no way should be considered a valid example considering what their season was.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Are those others Buffalo, New Jersey, CBJ, and Detroit?

Its hilarious to smell the fear sweat coming off Leafs fans at the thought of Montreal making the playoffs again.

I actually have no fear.
Look at your team, you don't have it.

 

[GoLeafsGo96]

Everyone keeps bringing up our regular season record,

We didn't have Cole Caufiled for 46 games and Price only started 17. I'm willing to bet with either of those 2 being around more we'd have comfortably made the playoffs.

I'm also betting we pick up a top 6 winger this off-season. It's crazy a team that just made the finals and took our Vegas along the way is seen as likely missing the playoffs next year.

I genuinely think MTL will be better next year than they were this year.

And yet I still think its more likely than not that they miss.

Top 3 ATL
TB
FLA
TOR (they're a joke, I agree, but regular season hockey over 82 I have them in. They may very well lose in the first round of course, but regular season hockey is just different).

Top 3 MET
CAR
PIT
WSH

WC
BOS
NYI
___
MTL
NYR
PHI

its not that they can't get in - if they get good goaltending they'll be right there battling and could even get in the top 3 of the ATL - but I still think its more likely they miss given the above outlook in the East. It has more to do with how stacked the east is versus the west, IMO.

 

[GordonGraham]

Will be in a battle for 4-5 in their divison with Boston

 

[Midnight Judges]

50/50

 

[Eltuna]

Dallas' season in no way should be considered a valid example considering what their season was.

It happened to the other “Cinderella” run team of the 2010’s in NJ as well, although they lost Parise after they made the finals. It also happened to Edmonton after their Cinderella run (and the winners hat year in Carolina).

Not a given but definitely a possibility, getting a division spot will be really tough for this Montreal team IMO but a wildcard is definitely possible.

 

[Volica]

There are some teams that sort of go late, lose, but then set themselves up to be a competitive team the next season.
I feel like this Montreal team literally gave a miserable Flames team every opportunity to jump past them in the standings and Calgary out-sucked them. While I don't think Montreal's a bad team, I think they're built for the playoffs where they can have Price going every game and have that imposing backend, it's just tough to get into the playoffs without that top end skill (like, Montreal's the antithesis of Toronto, who's built to run people out of the building for 82 games and roll over to show their bellies in the playoffs).

I have a hard time seeing it with the division they're in.

Things we know:
We know what Tampa is.
We know that Toronto is a great regular season team.
We know Boston doesn't know what a bad season looks like.
We know Sabres will bottom feed.
We know the Wings are in the midst of a rebuild.

Things we're pretty certain about:
Ottawa might be one of the best young teams in the NHL and will take a step next year.
Florida might not be a one hit wonder and might be a really good team again this season.

You factor in all the sure-things and the maybe's, and you kind of see Montreal maybe having a shot at a Wildcard if things pan out well?

Then again, the offseason isn't even 24 hours old... so... This Habs team could be very different come October.

 

[Prairie Habs]

I actually have no fear.
Look at your team, you don't have it.

I've been looking at my team for like another month and half after we finished playing each other and we look pretty good.

I'm not sure if we're supposed to tell you leafs fans about this, but the playoffs actually keep going after the first round.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

I don’t think they make it, no

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Everyone keeps bringing up our regular season record,

We didn't have Cole Caufiled for 46 games and Price only started 17. I'm willing to bet with either of those 2 being around more we'd have comfortably made the playoffs.

I'm also betting we pick up a top 6 winger this off-season. It's crazy a team that just made the finals and took our Vegas along the way is seen as likely missing the playoffs next year.

Have you seen Price’s regular season SV%? I also wouldn’t be so sure that Caufield is the difference maker right away that you think he will be.

 

[Rude Dog]

Agreed. But they're in the Stanley Cup Final and we are reverting back to our old ways of saying "well you won't make the playoffs next year and the Leafs will! NA NA NA NA."

We lost in embarrassing fashion again. Let's try some humility and lay off the stupid debates until our group of losers win a playoff round and earn our fanbase back some honor. Until then we have been put on the bench to watch because this year's loss was that brutally pathetic. As far as I'm concern this Leafs team is losing everything until proven otherwise.

How can a single Leafs fan honestly act like we aren't the biggest embarrassment in the NHL right now and try and be smug? Has the social media age completely removed any form of humility and self reflection?

because this thread is about regular season success. Leafs were 18 points better with a positive 39 goals for. Habs were a minus 9. There is good reason to believe the Habs won’t make it. But let’s see what the off season brings for all teams involved.