Lane Hutson and the Montreal Canadiens simply can’t snap their losing hex in the 2025-26 NHL season. Despite a late push in the third period to take the game to overtime, the Habs lost in a shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets. After the game, the Calder Trophy winner admitted the Canadiens should be listening more to the fans at the Bell Centre.
Just because the majority of people say something doesn’t mean that’s the truth or what should be done. However, sometimes, when 19,000 fans scream at the top of their lungs, “Shoot!”, it might be a wise decision to take a shot on goal. Hutson and the Canadiens just can’t buy a win as of late in the NHL. Perhaps acting on their fans’ demands can change the tide for the Habs as they ride a tough losing slump.
On that note, Hutson admitted the Canadiens may start taking the fans’ input into consideration. Following the 4-3 shootout defeat against the Blue Jackets in The Discovery City, the Habs return home to the City of Festivals, where the air is far from filled with jubilation.
“Not really [we don’t really hear when fans scream ‘Shoot!’]. But I guess sometimes we should listen a little bit,” Lane Hutson admitted postgame, via The Montreal Gazette.
Lane Hutson at UBS Arena on March 20, 2025 in Elmont, New York.
Not for a lack of trying on the Canadiens’ part
Whenever a team in the NHL is struggling to win games, the first thought is that it’s having trouble generating offense and getting pucks in the net. For Montreal, that’s not necessarily the case.
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Through 19 games, the Habs have registered a higher goal average (3.32 goals per game) than they did during their magical 2024-25 campaign (2.96 goals) . If anything, the Canadiens are playing worse defensively. Last season, Montreal conceded an average of 3.2 goals per outing. This campaign, the number is barely up to 3.4 goals against per game.
Time to face the music for Hutson and the Habs
Thus, the answers Hutson and the Habs are searching for are not in the raw numbers. Though it’s hard to believe in today’s NHL, where everything comes down to analytics and data, maybe the Canadiens are simply catching the short end of the stick routinely. It may be a matter of the puck bouncing their way once in order to end the hex.
Until then, the youngest roster in the league must learn to make its peace with frustration and learn to handle it. If not, then the Habs might truly be doomed. As deflating as losing four games in a row is, Montreal could do a lot worse than sitting near the top of the Atlantic Division with 23 points (10-6-3).
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