The Montreal Canadiens were one of the most electric teams to watch in these 2026 playoffs, but every Cinderella run comes to an end. For Montreal, that denouement came in the Eastern Conference Final, where the Carolina Hurricanes knocked them out in five games.
The Canadiens gave us the ol’ razzle dazzle en route to winning two straight series that went to seven games, but they appeared gassed towards the end as the Hurricanes took care of business and sent Montreal packing.
At locker room cleanout, Cole Caufield minced no words when he was asked about what went wrong in that series.
Canadiens Forward Cole Caufield Shoulders the Blame For Montreal’s Exit
The Canadiens’ offense sputtered after that stunning Game 1 win over Carolina, where they took the ‘Canes unawares. If anyone thought that 6-2 win was a sign of things to come, they were proven horribly wrong.
Montreal dropped Game 2 3-2 in overtime, dropped Game 3 with the same scoreline in OT, blanked in Game 4’s 4-0 loss, and then bowed out meekly in Game 5 in a 6-1 loss. Yikes.
They also made some NHL history for all the wrong reasons, setting a Stanley Cup Playoffs record for the fewest shots on goal over a three-game span of a playoff series (43). With the offense clearly under the spotlight, Cole Caufield was asked for his thoughts on how Montreal lost its way in the Eastern Conference Final.
His response was succinct, but it conveyed his thoughts all the same. “Honestly, I sucked. That’s just plain and simple. I want to be a lot better, I expect more from myself, and my teammates and coaches do, too.”
#Habs Cole Caufield on his struggles in the playoffs: “honestly, I sucked – that’s just plain and simple. I want to be a lot better, I expect more from myself and my teammates and coaches do too”
— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) June 1, 2026
While Caufield’s words ring true, there’s also a school of thought that says the Canadiens punched above their weight in the 2026 playoffs. Going up against the steely Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres wagon, the Canadiens weren’t expected to go all the way to the conference final, which means their ever-impressive rebuild is slightly ahead of schedule.
Which also explains why general manager Kent Hughes decided to try and take a big, mysterious swing at the trade deadline (did someone say Matthew Knies???). By his own admission, the discussions were short-lived, but the move portrayed the confidence within the organization.
The Canadiens are, by far, the team best placed to make another long run in the playoffs next season. All of Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovský, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Noah Dobson, and Mike Matheson are signed to long-term deals at reasonable cap hits.
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Rookie Ivan Demidov is next in line to get a contract extension, though that isn’t expected to be a problem. All Montreal needs to do is work around the margins and keep an eye on the UFA and trade market this summer.
Given how they’ve gone about their business so far, the smart money’s on the Canadiens giving the Hurricanes a tough time if they meet in the ECF this time next year.
