Canadiens Week Ahead: Schedule and News – Milestone Watch, Crown Battle and More – Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are currently riding high at the right time of the year, bringing incredible energy to the final stretch of the regular season. Here are the key storylines surrounding the team and their upcoming schedule for the week of April 5-12, 2026.

Milestone watch

Cole Caufield, currently sitting at 49 goals, is just one goal away from becoming the first Canadiens player to score 50 goals in a season since Stéphane Richer did it back in the 1989-90 season.

Captain Nick Suzuki needs five points in the remaining six games of Montreal’s regular season to become the first Canadiens player with 100 points since Mats Naslund in the 1985-86 season.

8 game winning streak and 100 points

After a thrilling 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils last night (April 4), the Canadiens extended their winning streak to eight games. The win officially pushed Montreal to 100 points for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

Battle for the Atlantic Division Crown

The playoffs are coming up, and Montreal is fighting hard for the top spot in the Atlantic Division to secure home ice. They are currently locked in a tight race, sitting tied with the Buffalo Sabers and just two points behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.

Rookie Sensation Ivan Demidov

Demidov scored his fifth power-play goal of the season against the Devils, marking the most power-play goals by a Canadiens rookie in a single season since Caufield in 2021-22.

Jakub Dobes Stands Tall

Goalkeeper Jakub Dobes is proving vital to the team’s late season push. He just got his fifth straight win and has been playing with a lot of confidence, recently being honored with the NHL’s First Star of the Week award for his heroics in the game.

Habs Future Future

Next week is very beneficial for the Canadiens, as four of their next five games are on home ice at the Bell Centre.

The most important matchup of the week will come on Thursday, April 9 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Because the Habs trail the Lightning by just two points for the Atlantic Division lead, this game will be a huge four-point swing that could well decide who takes the division title. They will wrap up the week by heading to New York to face the Islanders in the first half of a back-to-back.

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