Canadiens ready to take 'next step': Kaiden Guhle
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'I think a lot of us are over the rebuild talk,' Guhle said during Friday's season-ending media availability. 'I think we're ready to go now. It was the first playoff appearance for a lot of us. It was a really good experience for a lot of us to get into these meaningful games. I think we're ready to take that next step for sure.'
It wasn't the easiest of seasons for the Canadiens collectively and Guhle individually. He had an appendectomy in September and then lacerated the quadriceps muscle in his leg during a Jan. 28 game against Winnipeg. Surgery was required the next day and he returned one month later.
The Canadiens' first-round (16th overall) draft choice in 2020 had six goals and 18 points in 55 games.
As for the Canadiens, they rebounded after the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament to capture the Eastern Conference's final wild-card berth, making the playoffs for the first time since 2021. While Montreal fell to Washington in five games, the series was competitive.
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