Canadiens Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Milestone Watch, Battle for the Crown and More – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are currently surging at the perfect time of the year, bringing incredible energy into the final stretch of the regular season. Here are the key storylines surrounding the team and their upcoming schedule for the week of April 5-12, 2026.

Milestone Watch(es)

Cole Caufield, who is currently sitting at 49 goals, is just one goal away from becoming the first Canadiens player to score 50 goals in a single season since Stéphane Richer did it back in the 1989-90 season.

Captain Nick Suzuki needs five points in Montreal’s remaining six regular-season games to become the Canadiens’ first 100-point player since Mats Naslund in the 1985-86 season.

An 8-Game Winning Streak and 100 Points

After a thrilling 4-3 shootout victory against the New Jersey Devils last night (April 4), the Canadiens extended their winning streak to eight games. This victory officially pushed Montreal to the 100-point mark for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

The Battle for the Atlantic Division Crown

The playoffs are looming, and Montreal is fighting intensely for the top spot in the Atlantic Division to secure home-ice advantage. They are currently locked in a tight race, sitting tied with the Buffalo Sabres and just two points behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.

Rookie Sensation Ivan Demidov

Demidov scored his fifth power-play goal of the season against the Devils, marking the most power-play goals by a Canadiens rookie in a single season since Caufield himself in 2021-22.

Jakub Dobes Standing Tall

Goaltender Jakub Dobes is proving vital to the team’s late-season push. He just secured his fifth consecutive win and has been playing with immense confidence, recently earning the NHL’s First Star of the Week honours for his heroics in the crease.

Habs Upcoming Schedule

The upcoming week is heavily advantageous for the Canadiens, as four of their next five games are on home ice at the Bell Centre.

The most critical matchup of the week arrives on Thursday, April 9 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Because the Habs are trailing the Lightning by just two points for the Atlantic Division lead, this game will be a massive four-point swing that could very well decide who takes the division crown. They will wrap up the week by heading to New York to face the Islanders in the first half of a back-to-back.

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