Canadiens' playoff chase less important than information chase is providing

New York Times

26-02-2025

MONTREAL — Emil Heineman immediately felt uncomfortable with the question.
The Montreal Canadiens improved to 22-17-4 with their rookie fourth-line winger in their lineup with a 4-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, a points percentage of .558, one that would have the Canadiens in a wild-card playoff spot.
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Without Heineman, the Canadiens are 5-9-1, a points percentage of .367, which would be third-worst in the NHL.
It's obviously not that simple, but five games after Heineman was hit by a car in Salt Lake City on Jan. 13, the Canadiens season went seriously south, and in the two games since his return to the lineup, the Canadiens have beaten the Ottawa Senators and the Hurricanes by a combined score of 9-2.
'I don't know,' Heineman answered awkwardly when presented with this information. 'I don't know what to say about that, but I feel like we've been playing well.'
It's obviously not Heineman's injury that was solely responsible for the Canadiens losing eight of their final nine games before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, but his season is in many ways telling of the line the Canadiens are trying to straddle this season. Heineman is helping the Canadiens win games, and he's developing as a young player and proving to management that he deserves to be part of this team's core.
And the things Heineman is good at are the things that coach Martin St. Louis has been stressing all season in an effort to squeeze more wins out of this imperfect roster, the relentless forechecking, the physicality and consistent intensity, the ability to play to his strengths.
'When we started this three years ago, I said that you can't teach a player how to play the game and teach him how to win at the same time,' St. Louis said. 'For Emil, who's coming in at a different time, we're a little further along, he's kind of learning both, which is harder, I find. But I think when you play a style with a more direct approach about the game, it's easier.
'I think he has habits ingrained in him and he has a lot of winning actions on the ice. So it might have been different if he had come in three years ago, but he's kind of had to learn both on the spot this year and he's done a great job.'
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As Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes evaluate this team down the stretch, they are looking to check boxes of who will be part of this moving forward. That has always been the primary point of this season, and the desire to play meaningful games in March was largely to help that evaluation, to see who elevated when it was most needed and who didn't. The fact the Canadiens fell apart shortly after losing their rookie fourth-line winger only re-emphasizes the point that this season is about next season, that this team is not yet good enough to worry about short-term things.
The Canadiens entered the break for the 4 Nations 6 points out of a playoff spot. After winning two straight games coming out of the break, they are 5 points out of a playoff spot. This is no longer the priority for management, even if it is and should be for the coaching staff and players. Checking boxes is the priority for management, and these two wins have provided information for checking those boxes.
It would be fair to conclude that Heineman has already checked a box with his play this season and his impact on the team's success. But when he talks about his success in his rookie season, it is difficult for Heineman to extricate that from his linemates Jake Evans and Joel Armia.
'Physical play has always been part of me, but I feel like moving step by step into the season, I feel like with our line, from my part of this, my forechecking has been better and better,' Heineman said. 'That's been a big part of us as a line. We're all doing a great job on the forecheck and that's how we create chances. That's been a big part for me to always stay hungry and be on my toes.'
The thing is, Heineman's linemates are on the trade market, largely because they are not considered to be players who have checked those boxes. And in the case of Evans, his ability to check a box is complicated. In a vacuum, he has most definitely checked a box with his play, but he is not operating in a vacuum. Evans is due for a new contract, the Canadiens are not close to his camp in contract negotiations, and they have Owen Beck. They are both right-shot centres who are strong on faceoffs, can kill penalties and play a 200-foot game. But Beck's offensive ceiling is likely higher than Evans' and even if it might take him time, he is likely seen as a more than adequate replacement.
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Thus, watching Beck play between Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook against the Hurricanes and more than hold his own provided management with valuable information in making the calculation of which box he checks, particularly in the context of Evans' situation. Beck's ability to recognize game situations and make responsible decisions is something that straddles that line between learning how to win and development that St. Louis was talking about with Heineman, and that is something Beck has been learning all season in the AHL with the Laval Rocket.
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'With a lot of young guys in Laval, it's been stressed on a lot,' Beck said. 'You can kind of get away with it in junior, trying to force a play at the blue line, but at this level, at the AHL level, the puck turns around quick. You've got to know when to pick your spots, and you're going to hear about it if you make a tough turnover.'
That would be music to St. Louis' ears. And to Canadiens management as well.
It's far too early to say Beck checks a box the way Heineman has, but he appears on his way there, which is a factor in how the Evans file is managed.
Then there's Juraj Slafkovský and the box he absolutely must check for this organization. He spent his 4 Nations break thinking about the player he needs to be, how he needs to play angry, and through two games he has largely done that. He had a career-high eight hits against the Senators on Saturday and scored a goal, and he scored again against the Hurricanes, tipping a puck in front of the net and also providing a screen for Lane Hutson's goal.
Une déviation PARFAITE de Juraj Slafkovský et c'est 1 à 0 ! 👌#CARvsMTL sur RDS 📺 pic.twitter.com/MaNdPUguoI
— RDS (@RDSca) February 26, 2025
The two games combined provided a blueprint for the box Slafkovský can check, the box he was drafted No. 1 to check, and the box he realized he must check while sitting on a beach thinking of the player he needs to be when he returns to the Canadiens.
He said he needs to play angry, but what does that mean, exactly?
'I mean just angry in general. Angry to win a game,' he said. 'I feel like if a guy like me plays with anger and emotions, it's way better than sitting there quiet. I feel like I have more energy.'
Maintaining that anger is something Slafkovský felt he needed to work on.
'I didn't have to find it, it was there. It's always there, but I feel like I lose it,' he said. 'If I have a bad shift or I make a bad play, I feel like I lose it. I think today and Saturday, I'm just not focused on the bad plays but focused on keeping that anger and no matter what happens, there's always the next shift and just fly out next time even if I make a mistake or something.'
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Again, in the grand scheme of things, Slafkovský having this revelation is more important than a playoff chase. Heineman returning from injury and being effective is more important than a playoff chase. Beck establishing his NHL potential, Hutson continuing to thrive, Jayden Struble finding a foothold on his NHL identity, Arber Xhekaj playing a solid, projectable game, any questionable box that needs checking being checked is far more important than a playoff chase.
The playoff chase is a bonus and provides a framework for what is important to the Canadiens in these games.
(Photo of Owen Beck: David Kirouac / Imagn Images)