The Montreal Canadiens are facing a difficult period in their season, marked by a demanding schedule that presents significant challenges. With numerous games against strong opponents and a high number of back-to-back contests, the team's ability to maintain consistency and compete for a playoff spot is being tested. This situation requires a focused effort and strong performances from all players to navigate the remaining games effectively.
Current Standings and Playoff Picture
As of the latest reports, the Canadiens have accumulated 72 points after 57 games. This places them in a precarious position relative to the playoff cut-off. For context, last year at a similar point in the season, the team had fewer points and was further from a playoff berth. The current performance contrasts with a recent stretch where the team experienced a downturn, losing eight of their last ten games, although this trend may have been preceding the analysis of the schedule's difficulty.
Schedule Demands: Road Games and Back-to-Backs
A significant factor contributing to the Canadiens' challenging path is the distribution of their remaining 36 games.
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Road Play: Exactly half of these remaining games, 18 in total, will be played away from home.
Back-to-Backs: The team is scheduled to play in two sets of back-to-back games, with each set including one home game and one away game. This is a notable increase compared to previous seasons, with NHL teams on average playing one more back-to-back this season. The Canadiens have been identified as having no other team with more back-to-back games on their schedule.
This high frequency of back-to-back games places an onus on backup goaltenders, as their performance will be crucial in securing wins during the second game of these condensed series.
Strength of Opponents
Beyond the logistical challenges, the Canadiens are slated to face several of the league's top teams.
Their remaining schedule includes matchups against strong Eastern Conference contenders such as the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals.
Furthermore, they must play against other elite clubs including the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche again before the season concludes.
Comparative Schedule Difficulty
Multiple analyses have placed the Canadiens' remaining schedule among the most difficult in the National Hockey League.
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One assessment ranks their schedule as the fifth-toughest in the entire NHL between now and the end of the season.
Another perspective notes that the team faces a good chunk of their games against strong clubs.
Contextualizing the Challenge
The difficulty of the Canadiens' schedule is not occurring in isolation. While injuries are a factor that can always impact a team's performance, the scheduling itself presents a tough hand for Montreal. This challenging schedule implies that the team cannot afford a bad streak and must find a way to stay consistent throughout the remainder of the campaign to remain in playoff contention.
Expert Perspectives
"The Habs can't have a bad streak, and they'll have to find a way to stay consistent between now and the end of the campaign. I also say this for a specific reason: between now and the end of the campaign, the Canadiens don't have a super-easy schedule." - Dose.ca Analysis
"This stretch of games will put an onus on having good starts from backup goalies, a key factor to winning the second leg of back-to-back games. That’s not to say they will definitely miss the playoffs next season, but the difficult schedule will certainly muddy the waters." - Montreal Hockey Now Analysis
Conclusion and Implications
The Montreal Canadiens are navigating a period characterized by a statistically demanding schedule. With a substantial number of road games and an NHL-leading number of back-to-back contests, coupled with matchups against formidable opponents, the team faces a significant test. The effectiveness of their backup goaltenders will be a critical factor, and consistent performance will be essential if they are to overcome these scheduling hurdles and pursue a playoff position. The data suggests that while not an insurmountable obstacle, the remaining schedule presents a notable challenge that requires optimal team execution.
Sources
Dose.ca (Article 1): Published 13 hours ago. Link:
https://dose.ca/2026/02/09/the-canadiens-have-one-of-the-toughest-schedules-between-now-and-the-end-of-the-season/Context: This report analyzes the Canadiens' current standing and schedule difficulty in relation to their playoff hopes.
AOL / Daily Hive (Article 2): Seen on AOL. Link:
https://dailyhive.com/montreal/canadiens-worst-remaining-schedules-nhlContext: This article specifically details the breakdown of the Canadiens' remaining games, highlighting road games and opponent strength.
Sportskeeda (Article 3): Published March 19, 2024. Link:
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/nhl/5-nhl-teams-toughest-remaining-schedule-feat-washington-capitalsContext: This article compares the schedules of several NHL teams, including the Canadiens, identifying those with the most difficult remaining paths.
Montreal Hockey Now (Article 4): Published July 16, 2025. Link:
https://montrealhockeynow.com/2025/07/16/montreal-canadiens-given-difficult-2025-26-schedule-back-to-back-games/Context: This report focuses on the Canadiens' schedule for the 2025-26 season, with a particular emphasis on the increased number of back-to-back games and its implications.
Dose.ca (Article 5): Published December 22, 2025. Link:
https://dose.ca/2025/12/22/the-habs-have-the-5th-most-difficult-schedule-in-the-nhl-between-now-and-the-end-of-the-season/Context: This analysis ranks the Canadiens' remaining schedule as the fifth toughest in the NHL and discusses the need for consistency.
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