The Stanley Cup Playoffs are all about surprises. Every spring, teams defy expectations, underdogs rise, and new heroes are born. As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to face off against the Washington Capitals in the first round, few are giving them a real shot. After all, there’s a 20-point gap between these two teams in the regular-season standings, the Capitals are proven, seasoned, and statistically dominant. But hockey isn’t played on paper, and Montreal has more than a few reasons to believe they can pull off the upset.
Sam Montembeault
Every year, it seems there’s a goaltender who takes the playoffs by storm, someone who wasn’t in the Vezina Trophy conversation during the regular season but suddenly morphs into an unstoppable force in April and May. In 2023, it was Adin Hill. In 2019, it was Jordan Binnington. This year? It could very well be Samuel Montembeault.
Montembeault has been a steady presence in the Canadiens’ crease all season, but now he has a chance to make his mark on the biggest stage. He’s shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season, especially in games where he faced a high shot volume. His calm demeanour and quick reflexes give the Canadiens a real chance to steal games they otherwise shouldn’t win.
Goaltending is the great equalizer in the playoffs. A hot goalie can shift momentum, steal a game, or even win a series outright. If Montembeault finds his rhythm early in this series and maintains that level, it changes everything. The Capitals have offensive firepower, yes, but they’ve also been known to go quiet when faced with strong goaltending. If Montembeault can elevate his game, Montreal’s chances skyrocket.
Canadiens’ Young Guns
Montreal’s roster is built around its youth. While that might raise concerns about inexperience in a playoff setting, it also brings an element of unpredictability and hunger that veteran-heavy teams sometimes lack. The Canadiens’ hopes don’t just rest on one player — they rest on a core of young, dynamic talents ready to prove themselves on hockey’s biggest stage.
Lane Hutson — freshly arrived and already turning heads — brings elite skating, offensive instincts, and power-play upside from the blue line. If he adjusts quickly to the NHL playoff pace, his ability to drive transition and create offense will be invaluable.
Ivan Demidov, who joined late in the season, brings the kind of high-end skill that can tilt a game with a single shift. His creativity and vision could be the wild card that catches Washington off guard. Not even two weeks ago he was in the Kontinental Hockey League playoffs with SKA St. Petersburg.
