Montreal Canadiens Standings: NHL Rank & Playoff Chances 2026

The Montreal Canadiens surprised a lot of people this season. After missing the playoffs in 2024 and finishing last in the Atlantic Division, they turned things around in dramatic fashion — finishing with 106 points and landing a first-round date with the Tampa Bay Lightning. As of late April 2026, their playoff series with Tampa Bay is tied at one game apiece, with Game 3 set for Friday night in Montreal. Here’s everything you need to know about where the Canadiens stand, how they got here, and what comes next.

Games Played: 82 ·
Wins: 48 ·
Points: 106 ·
Conference Position: 34 ·
Goal Differential: +27

Montreal finished the regular season with a 48-24-10 record and 106 points, placing third in the Atlantic Division. Here’s the full statistical breakdown:

What rank does the Canadien hold?

The Montreal Canadiens finished the 2025-26 regular season in third place in the Atlantic Division with 106 points — a record of 48 wins, 24 losses, and 10 overtime defeats. That put them at the top of the Eastern Conference’s wild card picture heading into the postseason.

NHL playoff qualification works like this: the top three teams in each of the eight divisions automatically qualify. The remaining four spots in each conference go to the two highest-ranked wild card teams per conference. With Buffalo winning the Atlantic at 109 points and Tampa Bay finishing second with the same 106 points as Montreal, the Canadiens locked in their spot via the wild card route.

Compared to the rest of the league, Montreal sits well behind the top Western Conference teams. The Colorado Avalanche led the NHL with 121 points, while the Carolina Hurricanes topped the East with 113. The implication: Montreal is a good team having a strong season, but they’re not yet in the class of the conference’s top tier.

Division position

• Buffalo Sabres: 109 points (Atlantic winner)
• Tampa Bay Lightning: 106 points (2nd in Atlantic)
• Montreal Canadiens: 106 points (3rd in Atlantic)

Conference ranking

In the Eastern Conference, Montreal landed in a wild card spot that set up their first-round matchup against Tampa Bay — the team they tied with in points but lost the tiebreaker to. That 106-point deadlock meant the Lightning earned home-ice advantage in the series.

League standing

At 48 wins and a plus-27 goal differential, the Canadiens ranked among the NHL’s top 10 teams in goal production (283 goals for). Their 256 goals against, however, kept them out of the true elite tier. What this means: Montreal can score with anyone, but defensive consistency at five-on-five remains a work in progress.

Do the Montreal Canadiens have a chance to make the playoffs?

They already did. Montreal clinched their playoff berth during the final weeks of the regular season. As of late April 2026, they’re in the thick of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with the Canadiens-Lightning matchup already delivering drama — both Game 1 and Game 2 went to overtime, with Montreal winning the opener and Tampa Bay evening things up in Game 2.

The Canadiens’ path to the postseason was not without tension. A mid-season surge powered by Nick Suzuki’s breakout and Juraj Slafkovsky’s emergence as a consistent 30-goal threat carried them from wild card territory into a secure position. Their 93.2% playoff probability as of mid-April reflected both their strong record and a favorable remaining schedule.

Current odds

At +3500 to win the Stanley Cup, according to ESPN, Montreal carries longer odds than most playoff teams. The Lightning sit at +650, making Tampa Bay the clear favorite in this first-round series. The catch: the Canadiens have already beaten Tampa Bay twice during the regular season — 4-1 on March 31 and 2-1 on April 9 — so the matchup does not intimidate them.

Remaining schedule factors

With the regular season complete and the playoffs underway, the remaining “schedule” is the series itself. Game 3 tips off Friday at 7 p.m. ET at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The Canadiens have home-ice advantage for at least the next two games.

Key metrics

Nick Suzuki’s 100-point season — the first by a Canadiens player in 40 years — stands as the headline number. Cole Caufield’s 50-plus goals provide the finishing touch. The combination gives Montreal one of the most dangerous top lines in the Eastern Conference, which is why even oddsmakers who favor Tampa Bay recommend Montreal +1.5 on the series spread at -105.

What is the percentage chance of the Canadiens making the playoffs?

At this point in the 2025-26 season, Montreal’s playoff chances are 100% — they have qualified. The more relevant question is their probability of advancing past the first round and deeper into the postseason.

During the regular season, probabilistic models like MoneyPuck placed Montreal’s playoff qualification odds around 46.8% in earlier projections, rising to over 93% by mid-April as their position solidified. Now that the Canadiens are in the bracket, those figures are irrelevant — what matters is series win probability.

Probability models

The ESPN consensus pick favors Tampa Bay: 22 of 27 analysts predicted the Lightning would win the series. Individual expert picks include Lightning in five from Sean Allen. However, the betting line on Montreal +1.5 on the series spread at -105 suggests the market believes Montreal can at least push this to six or seven games, even if Tampa Bay ultimately advances.

Scenario analysis

Two paths to a Canadiens series win exist. The first is straightforward: Suzuki and Caufield continue their high-level production while goaltending holds up. The second is situational — if Tampa Bay’s veteran core shows fatigue or if Montreal’s depth players step up in key moments, the gap between these two teams narrows considerably. The Canadiens’ bottom six forwards lag behind Tampa Bay’s in experience, which could become a factor if the series extends to seven games.

Expert projections

The majority of expert sentiment leans toward Tampa Bay, but not unanimously. Some analysts, including Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, noted that Montreal might have the best line in hockey with Suzuki centering Caufield and Slafkovsky. That kind of top-end talent can overcome experience disadvantages in a short series.

Are the Canadiens making the playoffs?

Yes. The Canadiens are in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs and are currently playing the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. As of April 24, 2026, the series is tied at one game apiece, with Game 3 scheduled for Friday evening in Montreal.

This marks Montreal’s second consecutive playoff appearance — they made the postseason in 2025, losing to the Washington Capitals in the first round. Before that, the Canadiens missed the playoffs entirely in 2024, finishing last in the Atlantic Division with just 76 points. The turnaround from 76 points to 106 points represents one of the most dramatic single-season improvements in recent NHL history.

Current status

The Canadiens-Lightning series has delivered exactly the drama fans hoped for. Game 1 went to overtime, with Montreal emerging victorious. Game 2 also went to overtime, but Tampa Bay evened the series. Both teams have shown resilience, and the Bell Centre crowd in Game 3 will be a factor.

Clinching scenarios

To advance, Montreal needs to win four games before Tampa Bay does. The Canadiens will have home-ice advantage for Games 3 and 4. If the series goes to a seventh game, it would return to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning hold the tiebreaker edge due to the regular-season point tie.

Elimination risks

Montreal’s biggest risk is the experience gap. The Lightning have won two Stanley Cups in recent years and have veterans who have been through playoff wars. The Canadiens’ most recent series win came in 2021, when they reached the Stanley Cup Final. Several key players from that run are no longer on the roster. If the series becomes a grinding, low-scoring affair, Tampa Bay’s experience could tip the balance.

Will the Montreal Canadiens participate in the playoffs in 2026?

They already are. The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs began in late April, and Montreal is an active participant. Their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning is underway, tied at one game apiece as of late April 2026. For those interested in the Montreal Canadiens’ performance, you can find the latest results here: cases de venda em Chilliwack.

Beyond this year, the Canadiens’ trajectory suggests continued playoff relevance. Suzuki is signed long-term as captain. Caufield and Slafkovsky are young, ascending players. Rookie Ivan Demidov, the second-best rookie in the league this season, adds future upside. The Canadiens have 86 all-time playoff appearances, and this year’s run keeps them in that historic conversation.

2026 projections

Even with a first-round exit, Montreal projects as a playoff team in 2026-27. The core is young, the goaltending situation is stable, and the organization’s draft capital has improved. The question is not whether Montreal will be competitive next year — it is whether they can build enough depth to challenge for the Atlantic Division title rather than settling for a wild card spot.

Roster and draft outlook

The Canadiens’ top line is set for years: Suzuki, Caufield, and Slafkovsky form a young, high-upside trio that already carries a top-10 offense. The concern is the bottom six. As ESPN analysts noted, Montreal’s supporting cast lacks the playoff-tested depth of Tampa Bay’s forward group. Addressing that gap — through free agency, trade, or prospect development — is the team’s next major challenge.

Path to playoffs

For now, the path runs through Tampa Bay. Win this series, and the Hurricanes await. Win that, and a potential date with the league’s best — whether Colorado or another Western power — would test just how far Montreal has come. The Canadiens have not won a championship since 1993, and while 2026 is unlikely to end that drought, this run establishes them as a legitimate threat in the years ahead.

Clarity section

Expert perspectives

Montreal had a historically good season offensively, including captain Nick Suzuki eclipsing the 100-point mark. He was the first Canadiens player to do that in 40 years.

— ESPN Staff, NHL Analysts

Montreal might have the best line in the NHL: Nick Suzuki.

— Greg Wyshynski, ESPN NHL Writer

The Tampa Bay Lightning salvaged their odds by evening their series with the Montreal Canadiens (35-1).

— ESPN Betting, Sports Betting Analysts

Canadiens money line (+155). Montreal has beaten Tampa Bay twice since the final day of last month.

— CBS Sports Betting, Betting Experts

Bottom line

The Montreal Canadiens are a better team than anyone expected heading into 2025-26, and their 106-point season — powered by Nick Suzuki’s 100-point breakthrough and Cole Caufield’s 50-goal campaign — has them in the playoffs for the second straight year. They enter Game 3 of their first-round series against Tampa Bay tied at one game apiece, with home-ice suddenly meaningful. The Lightning remain the favorite, backed by 22 of 27 ESPN experts and superior playoff experience. But Montreal has already beaten Tampa Bay twice this season, and their top line can match anyone in the NHL. For Canadiens fans, the message is clear: this is not a rebuilding year anymore. The foundation is set. The question now is how far this core can go — and whether management will give them the supporting cast they need to go all the way.

Related reading: Statistiques de la Liga – 2024/25 Standings, Top Scorers

After a 48-24-10 regular season detailed in Canadiens 2025-26 playoff standings, the Canadiens secured third in the Atlantic and a wild card spot versus Tampa Bay.

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