NHL insider drops hot take on Washington Capitals overpowering Montreal Canadiens in 2025 playoffs Round 1 clash

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Apr 19, 2025 22:06 GMT

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NHL insider Elliotte Friedman spoke about the Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens series. The Capitals finished the regular season with a 51-22-9 record. They clinched a playoff spot early and had time to rest. However, they lost eight of their last 12 games.

On the other hand, Montreal reached the playoffs after a strong finish. It had a 14-5-6 record after the 4 Nations break. The Canadiens made the playoffs on the second-to-last day. They beat Carolina 4–2 to secure their spot.

On Saturday's episode of "32 Thoughts," Friedman said the Washington Capitals are strong but have some weak points.

"I think they (Habs) go into it and there's no pressure on them, and nobody has any expectations. I think you can just go... after you know, the capitals for all their successes, and the great season they had, they've been very leaky lately." Friedcman said.

"They've really struggled keeping the puck out of their net, giving up chances. And I think that's the way you have to try to win this series - by attacking them and seeing if you can exploit that. If they are incapable of tightening that up going into the playoffs." (2:16:50)

Friedman pointed out that the Canadiens should test the Washington Capitals' leaky defense early in the series.

"You know the Capitals, they're aggressive," Friedman said. "They come at you, right? Are the Canadians physically on the back end—going to be able to handle ... Tom Wilson, he's unique. Who's going to draw that match up, and who's going to be the guy? ... Because if you don't stop him ... he can really wreak havoc on you."

Friedman also mentioned Ivan Demidov, a talented forward with fresh legs, and his role could be important in this series.

"Demidov now comes in," Friedman said. "He's a real X factor. Where are they going to use him? He's incredibly talented. He's fresh. That's a weapon for that."

The Washington Capitals still have big names like Alex Ovechkin, who scored 44 goals this season. Dylan Strome had a career-high 82 points. Washington has solid depth on offense. Nine of their forwards scored at least 14 goals. Their scoring options are spread across all four lines.

Lane Hutson led the Canadiens' defense with 66 points. His skating and passing have stood out all season. Sam Montembeault had 31 wins. He played his best hockey late in the season. The Canadiens’ defense works hard, especially Nick Suzuki. So, Montreal’s goaltending and young defense will be tested.

Friedman says that if Canadiens drag the series out longer, they can put pressure on Washington Capitals

Game 1 is on Monday in Washington, and the Canadiens hope to steal a win on the road. They were strong at home to end the season, and the Bell Centre crowd could boost them. They went 10-0-2 at home to close the regular season. Winning early could shift the pressure to the Washington Capitals.

"The longer this series goes, I really think the more nerve wracking is going to be for the capitals." Friedman said.

"But I look at the Canadians defensively, and like a lot of their forwards, are really committed to playing defense really hard, particularly Suzuki. But I look at the size of the power of the capitals, and I do wonder, is Montreal going to be able to handle that?"

The Canadiens are underdogs with less to lose. That could help them play with confidence. The Washington Capitals need to fix their recent defensive issues. Otherwise, the series could be closer than expected. Montreal is ready to compete.