Ex-NHL front office exec highlights Montreal Canadiens' playoff ambitions for 2024/25 season

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Jul 24, 2024 19:01 GMT

In an episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, former NHL executive Pierre McGuire discussed the Montreal Canadiens' 2024/25 season. He reviewed their 2023-24 performance, where they had a record of 30-36-16 and missed the playoffs.

McGuire explained the team's ambitious goals to improve their roster through the draft and free agency.

"One of the things that I think they tried to do and were unable to do and you're spot on when you said what you said, Tony, they tried to be aggressive, the draft, they tried to be aggressive going into free agency in terms of the trade market..." McGuire said.

However, the high costs of players made them stay the same.

"The organization that to make the playoffs this coming year will be really difficult. But you want to play meaningful games, right to the middle or the end of March and think they can play those meaningful games. Maybe they're still going to be in the hunt, like the islanders were last year who made it right on the second last day of the season," McGuire continued.

McGuire said a key factor for the Canadiens will be their goal-scoring and pointed out that reaching 250 goals is a crucial benchmark:

"So that's what I think it's going to be important for them but here's the Mendoza line. Tony, that's so critical for everybody to remember, you got to get to 250 goals. If you don't get to 250 goals scored four. You're not going to make it last year that cage only scored 236 goals."

With the team scoring only 236 goals last season, reaching this target is crucial for their playoff hopes.

Montreal Canadiens' Ivan Demidov may join team after 2025 KHL playoffs

Montreal Canadiens fans are curious if Ivan Demidov, their fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, will debut early. The winger has one year left on his contract with SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL.

SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg said he had a detailed Zoom meeting with Canadiens management regarding Demidov's availability.

“I spent an hour and a half on Zoom with representatives of the Montreal Canadiens. Head coach Martin St. Louis was not on the line, but special adviser for hockey operations Vincent Lecavalier, the club president, the general manager and all the executives were there," Rotenberg said (via matchtv.ru).

Rotenberg noted that there was no discussion about Demidov moving to North America early and suggested that rumors about such a move are baseless.

Demidov might join the Montreal Canadiens after the 2025 KHL playoffs and could make an impact in Montreal for the final games of the season.