Following their decision to stand pat at the March 6 NHL trade deadline—as covered previously—the Montreal Canadiens notched a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on March 7. Strong showings from Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki have the team third in the Atlantic Division, setting up a pivotal week ahead.
Building on General Manager Kent Hughes' choice to prioritize long-term rebuild over deadline moves, despite late talks for a major deal involving names like Robert Thomas and Patrik Laine, the Canadiens refocused on the ice. Captain Nick Suzuki endorsed the front office's strategy to preserve team chemistry.
In their first post-deadline game, Montreal staged a comeback win against the Kings, boosting their record to 34-18-10. Slafkovsky scored twice for a career-high 52 points, while Suzuki anchored the offense. This result solidified third place in the Atlantic, positioning them for potential home-ice in the playoffs against contenders like the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Buffalo Sabres.
The week of March 8-15 brings challenges: hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Ottawa Senators next, then back-to-back home games versus the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks—recent road foes—at the Bell Centre.