The Canadiens are a tough team to figure out, but with recent huge wins over the Devils and Rangers, maybe things are getting figured out. Montreal is currently in third place in the Northeast Division with 55 points based on their 25-23-5 record, which also lands them in a three-way tie for 6th in the East with the Rangers and Flyers, and tied for 15th in the entire league.

At just past the mid-way mark of the season, the positives are up front for Montreal, beginning with the team points and assists leading center, Tomas Plekanec, who has 51 points on 12 goals and 39 assists. Plekanec is followed closely by the Canadiens’ top goal-scorer, leftwing Mike Cammalleri, who has 26 goals and 20 assists. Montreal was looking for rightwing Brian Gionta to bring something to the table this season; hindered by injury early on, Gionta (25 points – 13 goals, 12 assists) is coming on strong since his return eight games ago, with four goals and four assists during that time.

Marc-Andre Bergeron has been the surprise offensive defenseman with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists), while the other three two-end players, defenders Roman Hamrlik 19 points, 14 assists), Jaroslav Spacek (16 points, 13 assists), and Andrei Markov (15 points, 12 assists) all have sufficient numbers and decent plus/minus ratings, keeping in mind, however, that the first two have played most of the season, while Markov has tallied those stats in only 18 games. These are talented two-way defenders that can really make a difference during the second half of the season.

Montreal seems to have many of the tools needed to move up in the standings and gain a playoff berth by the end of the second half, but they need to stay healthy and begin firing on all cylinders at both ends of the ice in order to do so. Get tickets now, and see how the Canadiens finish the first season of their second one hundred years, and if they can threaten the rest of the league and add to their all-time league leading list of NHL Championships.