“Can you feel the love tonight?,” Elton John sang way back in 1994. He may not have been singing about the NHL playoffs, but he might as well have. It is a special feeling to just be part of the post-season. Right now there are 15 teams that have already gone on vacation for the summer in what has arguably been the strangest season in modern NHL history. The Montreal Canadiens, however, are still alive and kicking.
After fighting their way through coaching changes, an unwanted COVID break and more injuries than I can count on my fingers, the Habs squeezed into the post-season as the league’s ugly duckling, having collected just the 18th-most points in the league during the regular season.