The Canadiens pushed deep into the playoffs last season, advancing to the Eastern Conference Final before falling short against the eventual Stanley Cup winners. Despite the setback, the team appears to be refining its approach, recognizing that success in high-pressure postseason matchups demands more than just strong regular-season form. With experience gained from their deep run, they’ll look to apply those lessons as they aim to sustain momentum in this year’s postseason. The challenge remains: can they translate recent growth into a championship-caliber performance?

The Canadiens raised the bar by reaching the Eastern Conference Final last season before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. They’re learning, though, that it’s not always ...