* The Canadiens clinched the 16th and final berth in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and are back in the postseason for the first time since their run to the 2021 Final, but will host playoff hockey at a full Bell Centre for the first time since 2017.
* The 2024-25 regular season marked the first under the 16-team playoff format (since 1979-80) where three teams clinched a playoff spot in their final game of the season, with Montreal, Minnesota and St. Louis all achieving the feat since Tuesday.
* Connor Hellebuyck captured his second straight William M. Jennings Trophy, while Nikita Kucherov and Leon Draisaitl can clinch the Art Ross and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, respectively, when the regular season wraps up tonight.
Canadiens Climb NHL Standings to Clinch Conference’s Last Playoff Berth
Kaiden Guhle got his first career multi-goal game while Nick Suzuki (1-1—2) and Lane Hutson (0-1—1) also found the score sheet as the Canadiens (40-31-11, 91 points) became the 16th and final team to clinch a berth in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs by virtue of earning at least one point against the Hurricanes.
* Montreal, which occupied last place in the NHL standings as late as through Nov. 15, 2024, clinched a playoff berth during its final game in a season for the first time since 2009-10, when the Canadiens went on to upset the Presidents’ Trophy winners in the opening round (more on that below). The 2025 postseason marks the third in the last 20 years to feature five Canadian teams (also 2017 & 2015; excluding 2020).
* Suzuki became the second Canadiens player to reach 30 tallies this season (also Cole Caufield), meaning Montreal will enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs with multiple 30-goal scorers for the first time since 1995-96 (Vincent Damphousse & Pierre Turgeon). Hutson recorded his 60th assist to tie the single-season NHL record for most by a rookie defenseman, a mark set by Larry Murphy (60 in 1980-81).
* Brendan Gallagher, the longest-tenured member of Montreal’s roster, is set to make his seventh career postseason appearance.Gallagher shared a special moment with Canadiens fan Lucie Lachance after the game when Lachance returned his old Hockey Fights Cancer sweater in memory of Gallagher’s late mother, Della.
CANADIENS’ BERTH LOCKS IN FINAL FIRST ROUND MATCHUP, PLAYOFF BRACKET
Montreal will contest its second Stanley Cup Playoffs series against Washington and first since the 2010 Conference Quarterfinals, when the Canadiens rallied from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Presidents’ Trophy winners. Montreal was victorious in its last series versus a conference’s No. 1-ranked team (2014 R2) as well as a division’s top-seeded club (2021 R1) – the latter round saw Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Brendan Gallagher and the Canadiens rally past the Maple Leafs during the franchise’s most-recent postseason appearance.
* As the 16 playoff teams prepare to face off in division rivalries and cross-border competition, fans can now make their postseason predictions and vie for the grand prize – the opportunity to attend a 2025-26 NHL event – in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge. Brackets are now open for fans to create and submit their predictions for each playoff series at NHL.com/Bracket or via the NHL App.
* The NHL announced that Game 1 of the First Round series between the Blues and Jets is scheduled for Saturday, April 19 (6 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, Max, SN, CBC, TVAS), followed by the Avalanche and Stars opening their postseason matchup later that night (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, Max, SN, SN360, TVAS). The complete First Round schedule will be announced when available.
Hellebuyck wins second straight William M. Jennings Trophy
Connor Hellebuyck had 30 saves to capture his second straight William M. Jennings Trophy, presented annually “to the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team(s) with the fewest goals scored against it during the regular season.” Winnipeg concluded the campaign with a League-low 191 goals against, 10 fewer than the next-closest team entering Thursday (LAK: 201).
* Hellebuyck became the fifth goaltender to win the award in consecutive seasons since it was first presented in 1981-82, following Martin Brodeur (1996-97 to 1997-98 & 2002-03 to 2003-04), Roman Turek (1998-99 to 1999-00), Patrick Roy (1986-87 to 1988-89) and Brian Hayward (1986-87 to 1988-89).Hellebuyck, however, became the first to repeat as the lone recipient in each campaign. Click here to read more.
McDAVID CONCLUDES 2024-25 ON TORRID PACE TO COLLECT EIGHTH 100-POINT SEASON
Connor McDavid (0-1—1) returned to the Oilers’ lineup on April 9 and has since concluded his regular season 10 points in his final four games to reach the 100-point mark for eighth time in his career and fifth consecutive time since 2020-21 – a streak that started within a 56-game campaign. The Edmonton captain became the 13th player in NHL history with at least five consecutive 100-point seasons and first since Steve Yzerman extended his run to six in 1992-93.
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* NHL, Chipotle announce multi-year North American partnership
TWO MORE NHL AWARD WINNERS WILL BE Clinched ON FINAL DAY OF SEASON
The Art Ross and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winners will be confirmed during the final day of the regular season. The slate also features an ESPN doubleheader, which could open with Alex Ovechkin playing his first contest against Sidney Crosby since they overtook Wayne Gretzky for the most goals and point-per-game seasons in NHL history, respectively.
* Nikita Kucherov (37-84—121 in 77 GP) has a 21-point lead on the next-closest player in action Thursday (Mitch Marner: 27-73—100 in 80 GP), while idle Leon Draisaitl (52-54—106 in 71 GP) has a seven-goal cushion on Marner’s teammate, William Nylander (45). Kucherov can earn his third career Art Ross Trophy to pass Martin St. Louis (2) for the most in franchise history and Draisaitl can add a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy to his resume which already includes winning the Art Ross, Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award in 2019-20.
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