Checking the playoff pulse of Canadian clubs

Welcome to “Hockey Day in Canada,” an annual event held in conjunction with the NHL schedule-makers that puts shinny under an even brighter spotlight than usual in the Great White North.

All seven Canadian teams are in action Saturday, with three one-anthem matchups as part of a day-long broadcast on Sportsnet: Toronto at Winnipeg, Montreal at Ottawa and Edmonton at Vancouver. Calgary is the odd team out this year as they play host to the New York Islanders.

To get you set — while also displaying some patriotic puck pride — we here at Dump & Chase figured this would be the perfect time for a coast-to-coast-to-coast checkup.

We’ll go in order of the current standings:

MONTREAL CANADIENS (26-15-7, 59 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 4th in East)

After some trying times, the Habs look like a team that is coming of age.

Captain Nick Suzuki is supplying outstanding leadership and two-way production (52 points to go with Selke-worthy play) on a young team that plays at a frenetic pace.

Defenceman Lane Hutson is playing exceptional hockey and the addition of Noah Dobson has proven to be another outstanding move, especially with him signed long-term. If Kaiden Guhle gets and stays healthy, the Canadiens have the type of defence corps that should turn heads for a long time.

The forward group features a ton of skill with Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen all having excellent seasons. Bringing back centre Phillip Danault was a smart move on his playoff experience alone.

The Canadiens boast seven players with double digits in goals and several others on the verge of joining them.

The one big question mark these days is goaltending, as Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes have been providing uneven play. Top prospect Jacob Fowler has provided some stability in his 10 appearances. If the netminding holds up, it could be an entertaining spring in la belle province.

Wouldn’t it be something if the last Canadian team to lift Lord Stanley’s mug way back in 1993 puts itself in position to take a run at doing it again?

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (23-16-8, 54 points, 6th in Atlantic, T-8th in East)

Once sitting in the basement of the Eastern Conference, the Maple Leafs are within striking distance of a playoff spot.

How did they get there? By picking up at least a point in 11 of 12 games.

The club coughed up a late lead and lost 6-5 to old buddy Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, so they’ll be in a surly mood on Saturday in Winnipeg.

But this isn’t just about the loss of one important player, the Maple Leafs still don’t defend as well as they would like to and were plagued by inconsistency until this most recent stretch.

Secondary scoring hasn’t been as prevalent as general manager Brad Treliving expected it would be either.

Captain Auston Matthews got off to a slow start by his standards, but he’s delivered nine goals and 15 points during the past 10 games to get himself back on track.

Heart and soul defenceman Chris Tanev (a one-time Manitoba Moose blue-liner) has been limited to 11 games due to various injuries, which means the club could be looking for help on the back end.

A playoff berth is still well within reach for this group, provided they can shore up a few areas during the stretch run.

EDMONTON OILERS (23-17-8, 54 points, 2nd in Pacific, 5th in West)

The quest for a third straight Stanley Cup final has included plenty of bumps along the way, with yet another sluggish start and inconsistent play.

But we’ve seen this script before. Overlook Connor McDavid and company at your own peril. McDavid currently leads the NHL in scoring with 82 points and might be on his way to yet another Hart Trophy. Teammate Leon Draisaitl isn’t far behind him, tied for fourth in the NHL with 67 points.

Many of the usual question marks — goaltending, defensive play and secondary scoring — remain even as the team has brought in Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram and shipped out Stuart Skinner in net and also promoted some younger skaters like Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard in an attempt to get younger and faster.

Cap space is another issue, and the club may not be able to take a big swing at the deadline without also moving out some money.

Don’t be surprised by yet another second-half surge that carries well into the spring.

OTTAWA SENATORS (22-19-5, 49 points, 8th in Atlantic, T-14th in East)

This was supposed to be the year the Senators took a huge step forward. Instead, there’s been no shortage of struggles and drama surrounding the club.

Porous goaltending has been the primary culprit, and missing captain Brady Tkachuk for 20 games due to injury didn’t help matters.

There’s also been off-ice distractions including rumours running wild about the personal lives of players which recently prompted GM Steve Staios to issue a bizarre public statement which only served to add more fuel to the fire.

The Senators still have time to get their act together in the jam-packed East, but time — and perhaps patience by ownership and most certainly fans — is running out.

CALGARY FLAMES (20-23-4, 44 points, 7th in Pacific, T-13th in West)

This is a team that many saw taking a step back this season, despite finishing last season tied in points with the St. Louis Blues for the second Western Conference wild-card berth.

Oddly enough, had the Flames not been swept in the season series with the Jets, they could be right in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Instead, the club hasn’t scored much and their goal-differential is minus-19 — though that is less of an indictment of the goalies than it is about the structure being played in front of them. Goaltender Dustin Wolf’s numbers have dipped, but he still looks like a strong long-term bet, while backup Devin Cooley has found serious traction in his role to give the Flames a strong one-two punch.

Flames GM Craig Conroy has some difficult — and most likely unpopular — decisions leading up to the NHL trade deadline as he has some assets that many contending teams are likely to covet.

This isn’t going to be a complete teardown for the Flames, but Conroy is expected to move top-pairing D-man Rasmus Andersson.

Forward Blake Coleman is also an attractive piece for teams. He’s got championship pedigree from his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, kills penalties and brings a physical presence.

Centre Nazem Kadri also figures to drum up interest as a Stanley Cup winner who plays with an edge and provides secondary scoring.

WINNIPEG JETS (19-22-5, 43 points, 8th in Central, 15th in West)

Going from first to worst in a calendar year wasn’t what anyone was expecting, even if many observers felt some form of regression could be on the horizon.

Don’t look now, but the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners have won four consecutive games and are showing signs of life after beginning 2026 in the basement.

However, the Jets have only been able to make up three points in the Western Conference standings going into Saturday’s tilt with Toronto. That’s the reality of the situation that began with them needing to leapfrog eight teams to try and sneak into the playoffs.

Special teams are improving, though the Jets remain in the middle of the pack on the power play (tied for 17th at 20 per cent) and on the penalty kill (20th at 78.3 per cent).

Roughly 10 days ago, there was a segment of fans beginning to debate whether Ivar Stenberg, Gavin McKenna or Keaton Verhoeff should be the No. 1 pick if that was where the Jets ended up.

There’s another segment of the fan base wondering if the Jets might channel what the 2019 Blues were able to when they went from 32nd overall on Jan. 1 to capturing the club’s first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

With 10 more games before the Olympic break, the club should have a much clearer picture on what direction this season could be taking.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS (16-26-5, 37 points, 8th in Pacific, 16th in West)

These are dark days on the West Coast, with the Canucks dead last in the overall standings and showing few signs of life.

They’ve already traded franchise defenceman Quinn Hughes and more moves could be on the way, with top forward Elias Pettersson potentially at the top of a long list. Pending UFA Kiefer Sherwood, too.

Vancouver has had trouble picking a lane in recent years — retool? rebuild? buy? sell? — and that has clearly cost them. Goaltender Thatcher Demko simply can’t stay healthy and the Canucks aren’t exactly a compelling product these days.

The good news? They can’t fall any further, and an upcoming sell-off could cement them as the favourites to land the No. 1 pick and a potential future star.

However, they are becoming the free space on the NHL bingo card — currently six points back of 31st-ranked Winnipeg — and they are likely going to make themselves comfortable in the basement.

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