r/Habs

Please skip this if you have no time or patience for noobs and our stupid questions, thank you.

I've seen the Habs in a few playoff quests before this season. But this year I actually started paying a bit more attention to the regular season, and this is the year I'm the most excited about their playoff chances.

However, I feel like I still don't understand the nature of the game per se. Can you please give me a few pointers on how to watch it more 'strategically'?

To provide some context, I am a lot better now than a few years ago at following the action, I have more intuition about where the puck will go. But I still have zero strategic knowledge of the game, or what makes a team better than the other. For instance, in the NFL (which I've been watching for decades) I have a good idea of which matchups might decide a game, and the importance of the battle between the offensive and defensive lines. Are there any analogous things to watch out for in the NHL in general and in the Habs vs Tampa rivalry in particular?

Thanks in advance!

WAKE UP, THE SLAYING THE DRAGON MOMENT BEGINS TODAY

Ivan Demidov on playing alongside Alex Newhook & Alexandre Texier at Habs practice today: “Pretty good line. All guys pretty skilled and fast and those two fucking strong guys. I like to play with them.”

“Ivan Demidov loves to drop F-bombs” Meanwhile Habs coach Marty St. Louis:

Lights Will Guide You Home - 2026 Version

Lane Hutson on his IG

Cole Caufield on his IG

Another cup Toronto can’t get.

Cheering on from Beijing

Mike Matheson on his IG: “Best time of the year”

HFTV tricks Bjorkstrand and Point

[Basu] Canadiens lines at practice Saturday, a slight change on the blue line:

PSA: FIRST GAME AT 5:45 PM

Me and the BOYS having a Habs themed Party at our Minecraft base !!! GO HABS GO

Canadiens will have $2m in bonus overages on the cap in 26-27

Nick Suzuki should be alone in the Selke Trophy race

Habsmaxxing

From "NHL report cards: Grading every team’s 2025-26 regular season" (The Athletic")

New fan hyped for the playoffs

Hung this up today...let's go lads.

You can choose 5 skaters from these 3. Who do you pick?