Zizing ‘Em Up: ‘Montreal is back,’ set up to be successful long-term

NHL.com staff writer Mike Zeisberger has been covering the NHL regularly since 1999. Each Monday he will use his extensive network of hockey contacts for his weekly notes column, "Zizing 'Em Up.”

MONTREAL -- As easy as it would be to say that the future is now for the young, dynamic Montreal Canadiens, it’s not.

Not yet.

This weekend was an example of that.

Back-to-back home losses at the raucous Bell Centre, 4-2 to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday and 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, showed the growing pains this young team still is going through. 

It was a wasted opportunity for precious points in an Eastern Conference playoff race that continues to get tighter.

Montreal's brain trust knew there would be blips of adversity like this -- it’s one of the reasons they didn’t make a big splash at the NHL Trade Deadline. They were not going to overpay in terms of surrendering young assets for instant gratification.

At the same time, though, they’re close.

Thanks to the efforts of Montreal’s management team, led by president Jeff Gorton, general manager Kent Hughes and assistant GM John Sedgwick, the Canadiens' window of opportunity to become a Stanley Cup contender is opening in what could be a lengthy run, both financially and in terms of talent.

In the short term, there’s still plenty of work to do. The loss to the Ducks on Sunday left them in third place in the Atlantic Division with 82 points, two behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have a game in hand.

Now, in their biggest game of the season to date, the Canadiens (36-20-10) will host the Boston Bruins at Bell Centre on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, NESN). The Bruins (37-23-6) have 80 points and move ahead of the Canadiens based on tiebreakers with a win.

It's pressure time for a young Montreal team that is looking to make the playoffs for the second straight season.

“We got a taste of it last year and it just makes you hungry for more,” forward Cole Caufield said last week. “Playoff hockey in Montreal is like nothing else.”

The Canadiens were eliminated by the Washington Capitals in five games in the Eastern Conference First Round last April. This time around, the goal is to go much deeper in the postseason, should they get there, of course.

Given that their young core that has been contractually locked up long-term, anything less in the next few springs would be a disappointment.

Consider the cache of skilled players Montreal has who are all younger than 27. Caufield, fellow forwards Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, and defensemen Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson are all under contract until at least 2030, and the salary cap is projected to rise to $113.5 million by 2027-28.

-- Caufield, 25, is signed through 2030-31 with a deal that has an average annual value of $7.85 million.

-- Suzuki, the 26-year-old captain, is signed through 2029-30 ($7.875 AAV).

-- Slafkovsky, the 21-year-old who was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, is under contract until 2032-33 ($7.6 million AAV).

-- Hutson, the 22-year-old who won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year last season, signed an eight-year contract on Oct. 13, 2025 ($8.85 million AAV), which runs through 2033-34.

-- Dobson, the 26-year-old who was acquired from the New York Islanders on June 27, 2025, signed an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million AAV) immediately after the trade. The deal runs through 2032-33.

The Canadiens also have two blue-chip prospects on entry-level contracts who already are leaving their marks at the NHL level: dynamic 20-year-old forward Ivan Demidov, who can become a restricted free agent after next season, and 21-year-old goalie Jacob Fowler, who is under contract through 2027-28. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Montreal attempt to hammer out long-term deals with each.

Add it all up, and you have a cap-friendly, uber-talented, youthful nucleus that will grow together for the next few seasons, especially after getting a feel for the postseason a year ago.

“You can’t buy that playoff experience they all got,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “And I feel like, I mean, we played five games in the playoffs last year, but it felt like 30 for us, based on where we’d come from. So, I think, for them to go through that grind, it was very important.

“We know now that we have a great group of young players who are locked up, and it’s nice to see them grow up together, go through the ups and downs. I think they really care about each other. They help each other out, they pick each other up, they celebrate together.

“From my seat, it’s been an unbelievable experience to watch them grow. It’s been a lot of fun to try to help them out each and every day. They’re great people.”

And they’re ascending.

To that end, with the NHL’s playoff races entering the final month, Suzuki, Caufield and Hutson recently took time out to discuss several topics with NHL.com, including their quest for the postseason, how far they can go and their enthusiasm about playing together for the foreseeable future.

First off, what did your first foray into the NHL playoffs a year ago teach you? And how has that changed your mindsets, if at all, for this current run?

Suzuki: “Most of the guys hadn’t experienced playoff hockey. That was my first experience of being in the Bell Centre for playoffs, a full, electric building. It was a brand new experience for most of us. And it just makes you want to get there even more. This is just a special place to play, especially in the playoffs, and just the vibe around the city is nothing I’d experienced before.”

Caufield: “I wouldn’t say it was a surprise for those of us in the room that we made it last year, but it definitely was something that maybe wasn’t expected. And once you get there, well, I think the hardest thing is getting back this year. And you know, we’re right in the race right now and every point matters. So, that’s what makes it fun.”

Hutson: “Playing in those games, how tight-checking they were, how every little thing can impact a game, that was honestly really cool. The execution level was insane. So, being part of it and being a part of the energy of the city, it was unbelievable and something we want to get back to.”

To your point, can you describe what the atmosphere was like, especially here in Montreal?

Hutson: “Well, I mean, we played those two playoff games here, and it was absolutely insane. And winning a playoff game here, it was just crazy. So, we want to be in a position to do that and do it a lot. Of course, we need to get back there first; I mean, just getting in is a special thing, but it’s even more special when you’re winning big playoff games. At home, on the road, wherever it is, you feel the buzz.”

Caufield: “Even last year, we only got two games here, and we were just dying for another one. And the fans were, too, so we want to give them a chance to come back for the playoffs again and give them more opportunities for them to cheer us on. I mean, you feel the vibe in the city right now. And especially last year in the playoffs, it felt different every night. The Bell Centre is awesome. But you could even feel it outside in the city come playoff time.”

Suzuki: “I think guys learn to appreciate the passion the city has for this hockey team. And I think that you kind of have to live it and experience it on a day-to-day basis to truly appreciate it. And I think players around the League are beginning to recognize that Montreal is back, and that we all love playing here. So, it’s amazing.”

The young core of this team, of which you’re obviously a part of, is built to be together for years. What’s it like to learn together, to grow together, to know you’ll have the chance to do some special things together?

Caufield: “It makes it a lot more fun that way, doing it together, failing together, finding the answers together. And at no point has it ever been easy; we’ve had to work ourselves out of a lot of holes. But again, that’s what makes winning feel that much better.”

Suzuki: “It’s great for us. Just being able to practice together, play together, grow up in the NHL together, I think it goes a long way for building a team that can be really competitive for a long time. And thankfully, we’ve got the right guys in the dressing room. Everyone just wants to work hard and win as much as possible. We have a really good group for that.”

Hutson: “I mean, it’s a pretty good culture we have here. These guys, they pretty much all came before me and locked themselves in because they want to win here. And, in my case, I wanted to join it. And I’m very thankful that I hopefully get to be a part of, you know, trying to win a Stanley Cup here.”

What does it say about management’s confidence in you young guys that they were so proactive in getting you to sign long-term deals?

Caufield: “It’s huge. It says those guys want to be here and be here for a long time. They see where we’re going and so does management, and it makes it all worth it. It shows everybody has bought in for the same reason and understands what we’re trying to do here. It’s pretty cool. And whether it’s this year, the next five years, whatever it is, the plan’s still going to be the same. That’s what makes it fun. And I think we have our crew locked in for at least five more years. That’s what really makes it fun.”

Suzuki: “Management, they’ve kind of been very open about it all along the way. I think it goes a long way when you know that management is listening, and that they can see the positive strides that we’ve made. So, it’s been nice to keep this group together through another Trade Deadline. Just really appreciate everything they’ve done for us.”

Finally, Nick, what’s it been like for you to see this young team grow, especially as the captain? It’s certainly a role you’ve grown into, given how shy and soft spoken you were entering the League.

Suzuki: “It makes it a little easier that almost everyone, it seems, is kind of younger than me. So, I just try to be a role model for them, do things the right way, and lead by example. Just let my play do the talking for me.”

COFFEY TIME

The NHL Alumni Association’s Man of the Year ceremony honoring Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey was a star-studded event Saturday.

Fellow Hall of Famers Doug Gilmour and Jari Kurri led the cast of 75 former NHL players who attended the event at the historic Concert Hall in Toronto. Entertainment was provided by Canadian music icons Tom Cochrane, Sam Roberts and Barney Bentall.

At the end of the evening, all the former players, musicians and other dignitaries on hand went on stage to join Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier, now a singer and guitarist in retirement, to crank out a rendition of "Country Road."

Coffey’s long-time defense partner with the Edmonton Oilers, Charlie Huddy, shared a great yarn on the NHLAA’s social platform about the 2026 Man of the Year. Huddy recalled being called up to the NHL and receiving advice from Coffey.

Huddy said Coffey told him, “If you really want to show the coaches that you want to play in the NHL and can stick around, when that puck’s in our end, I’m just going to stand in front of the net and you work both corners.”

Huddy thought Coffey was toying with him.

“But at the end of the day, it was pretty good advice,” Huddy chuckled.

It certainly was for Coffey, who was a 14-time All-Star, won four Stanley Cup championships, the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman three times, and holds the record for most goals by a defenseman in a season with 48 while playing for Edmonton in 1985-86.

The event was yet another example of how far the Alumni Association has come since former NHL goalie Glenn Healy became executive director in 2017.

Prior to that, the banquets were modest gatherings held at venues such as a Toronto airport hotel. Since then, he’s helped establish the Man of the Year award and special events that have been attended by icons like Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr over the years.

Under Healy’s guidance, the annual Borje Salming Courage Award was also created. The award, which was presented to Hall of Fame forward Mats Sundin in November, goes to a European NHL Alumni member who has been a positive influence in their community and best embodies Börje’s lasting legacy of bravery, courage, and dedication on and off the ice.

Most importantly, the Alumni Association has helped secure health care for its constituents.

Saturday was the latest example of how the Alumni Association continues to grow and thrive in its attempt to help and honor those who helped set the foundation of the sport.

WHO’S HOT

F Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

In the end, who else could it be? In his final NHL season, the 38-year-old center scored twice in a 6-4 loss at the New Jersey Devils on Saturday to become the Kings’ all-time leading scorer. Kopitar became No. 1 by reaching 1,308 points (450 goals, 858 assists) in 1,505 games, passing the 1,307 (550 goals, 757 assists) from Hall of Fame forward Marcel Dionne (1975-87). All that remains to be seen is whether Kopitar and the Kings qualify for the playoffs. For Kopitar, it would be yet another feather in his illustrious cap in what is becoming a memorable final season.

QUOTE/UNQUOTE

“The warmups were packed. You can tell the crowd is so passionate. It’s probably the hockey mecca of the world, so it was fun to win here tonight.” -- San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini on “Hockey Night in Canada” after he had three points in his first Saturday night game at Bell Centre, a 4-2 win against the Canadiens

THE LAST WORD

The World Baseball Classic has provided some wonderful theatre for sports fans, including hockey moments.

Prior to the tournament, Jack Hughes sent Team USA a video message to fire the players up. The New Jersey Devils forward, of course, scored the overtime goal to secure the goal medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

On the other side, Team Canada captain Josh Naylor of the Seattle Mariners wore a variety of hockey jerseys to the stadiums and during workouts, including Wayne Gretzky, Jarome Iginla and Paul Kariya versions.

According to Sportsnet, Canada received its own video, this one from Hockey Canada, prior to its 5-3 defeat to the U.S. on Friday. Featured on the video were messages from Iginla, Canada hockey coach Jon Cooper and captain Sidney Crosby.

More confirmation that it’s a hockey world and we’re just all living in it.