The Montreal Canadiens have been on a winning streak, securing three consecutive wins as they head into the final part of the season. However, they couldn’t afford to falter in their home-and-home series against the Buffalo Sabres.

The series kicked off on Saturday in Buffalo, with Jakub Dobes in the net. He gave a strong performance, making 24 saves out of 26 shots, helping the Canadiens outscore the Sabres 4-2.

Before the Four Nations event, the Canadiens had been experiencing a slump, largely due to the decreased production from the Suzuki line. This was a significant factor that was largely overlooked.

The burden was mostly borne by Suzuki and Cole Caufield, resulting in them losing their energy. However, after getting two weeks of rest, they have bounced back and are now leading the Canadiens in every game.

Since the break, the trio has played four games and their stats are noteworthy: Suzuki has nine points, Caufield has five points, and Juraj Slafkovsky has three points. The Canadiens have scored 18 goals in four games post-break, with the Suzuki line contributing to 10 of these.

The series opener against Buffalo was a stalemate in the first period, but Caufield turned the tide in the second period during a power play. A brilliant play was set up by four skilled players, ending with Lane Hutson intercepting a Buffalo rush and passing the puck 100 feet to Suzuki.

Suzuki passed the puck to Patrik Laine, who perfectly set up Caufield, resulting in his 29th goal of the season, a career-best. He is now on track for a 40-goal season.

Lane Hutson, who had been struggling with only two points in his last nine games, also benefitted from the rest. He has now amassed five points in the four games following the break. Hutson orchestrated a beautiful passing play that led to Montreal tying the game.

Hutson played a crucial role in the Canadiens taking the lead with only two seconds left in the second period. A fantastic pass from Mike Matheson to Alex Newhook resulted in a critical goal. Hutson’s performance in the four games post-break has been stellar, further cementing his status as a key player.

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Jake Evans sealed the Canadiens’ fourth consecutive win with an empty netter.

Every game is crucial for the Canadiens as General Manager Kent Hughes deliberates on how to navigate the trading deadline on March 7. The team is eager to prove that they are contenders for a playoff spot.

The last playoff spot is projected to go to a team with 91 points this season. To match that, the Canadiens need to end the season with 14 wins and eight losses in their final 22 games.

Hughes is aware that this is a significant challenge, but their four consecutive wins have sparked hope among many. The Canadiens will face the Sabres again on Monday, followed by a game against Edmonton on Thursday, their final game before the trade deadline. It remains to be seen if the Canadiens will be sellers or not.

The Canadiens will be without Kirby Dach for the rest of the season due to a knee injury that required surgery. This is the same knee that kept him out for an entire season last year. However, the exact nature of the injury has not been disclosed by the Montreal management.

Without a recovery timeline, it’s difficult to gauge the severity of the injury. It could range from a minor meniscus surgery to serious chronic weakness resulting in another MCL injury. The team has assured that Dach will be fit to play by the beginning of the 2025-26 season in October.

The first surgery was performed in New York City, indicating its seriousness. The second surgery was done in Montreal, possibly suggesting that it was not as complicated. Dach had a challenging season, not just in terms of point totals but also in keeping the puck out of his own net. He ended the year with the second-worst plus/minus in the entire NHL. The Canadiens’ goal differential is minus-23, largely due to the second line.

However, Dach’s struggles could be attributed to a possible lingering issue with his knee throughout the season. This could have impacted his performance which was promising before the unfortunate incident with Jarred Tinordi.

The organization may need to reconsider Dach as the second-line centre if they aim to achieve success quickly. If the team hopes to make the playoffs next season, they must improve from having the worst second-line stats in hockey.

The Canadiens’ other lines are strong, with the first line ranking in the top 10, the third line in the middle of the pack, and the fourth line being the second best in the entire league. The key to the club’s success next season lies in having a solid centre in the “2C” role.

Patrik Laine, one of the wingers on the second line, needs to focus on playing in the offensive zone due to his limited defensive skills. Ivan Demidov, touted as the best prospect not currently in the NHL, is expected to join the Canadiens next season from Russia. He will need a strong centre to guide him as he adapts to the NHL game.

Both Laine and Demidov lack strong defensive skills, so they need more than just a good centre. They require a good two-way centre who can clear and carry the puck, allowing the wingers to excel in their zones.

Owen Beck will likely fill the role for the rest of this season, unless there’s an unexpected blockbuster trade before the March 7 deadline. However, he might be outmatched in this role in his initial games as the second-line centre. In the long run, he might be more suited as a third-line centre.

Michael Hage could potentially be the centre the team is looking for, but that is still two to three years away. This season, Hage has had the best U19 stats in college hockey, alongside James Hagens, who is expected to be a top-five pick in the draft.

However, for the next season, the team lacks a clear choice. General Manager Kent Hughes will have to invest heavily in the unrestricted free-agent market, possibly offering Sam Bennett a lucrative contract, or ask the team owner for patience.

The bottom line is that the Canadiens can be a playoff team next season, but only if they have a solid second line. If they continue to have the worst second line in the league, the rest of the team won’t be able to overcome this structural issue.

It remains to be seen how Hughes will navigate this. So far, he has done an excellent job with no major mistakes made, but the roster still needs to be completed.