Apr 1, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) and forward Cole Caufield (13) after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7f80f957-6a36-44f5-a87c-706ba5b864d5.jpeg] Apr 1, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) and forward Cole Caufield (13) after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Not so long ago, Carey Price was the first Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] player to be mentioned in any list of best NHL players. Now that he has been forced to stop playing, the Habs are led by someone else in The Hockey News’ top 100 NHL players list. Only three Canadiens made the list: Nick Suzuki, sniper Cole Caufield, and rookie defenseman Lane Hutson. Canadiens: The Grades Are In – Mike Matheson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-the-grades-are-in-mike-matheson] When The Canadiens Draft Twice (Or More) In The First Round… [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/when-the-canadiens-draft-twice-or-more-in-the-first-round] Canadiens: The Grades Are In – Arber Xhekaj [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-the-grades-are-in-arber-xhekaj] Canadiens: The Grades Are In – Kaiden Guhle [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-the-grades-are-in-kaiden-guhle] The captain is the first to appear at number 61, and it's understandable. He has been the juggernaut of Montreal’s qualification for the playoffs; he’s the forward who was called upon the most by coach Martin St-Louis, both at even strength and on the power play, and whenever a penalty killing forward ends up in the box, he’s the one who gets the call. He has become the team's undisputed leader, speaking to Kent Hughes and asking that nobody be traded at the deadline. He quickly rose to the challenge the GM gave, being one of the league’s best forwards after the 4 Nations Face-Off break, on top of playing a fourth consecutive 82-game season. Not so far behind at number 66 comes his linemate, Cole Caufield. After a fantastic start to the year in goal scoring, he cooled off, but he still scored 37 lamp-lighters, putting the league on notice that in a future not so far away, he may be a Rocket Richard Trophy contender. Under St-Louis’ tutelage, he has become more than a goal scorer; he’s aware of his responsibilities without the puck, and he’s shown a knack for picking unsuspecting forwards’ pockets, creating his opportunities. Have we seen the best of Caufield yet? I don’t think so. The ceiling is high for a 24-year-old, and it keeps getting higher. The third and final Hab on the list barely makes it, coming in at number 100. Unsurprisingly, it’s rookie defenseman and Calder Trophy favourite, Lane Hutson. The blueliner has had a significant impact on his team right away. It only took him weeks to wrestle the first power-play quarterback role from Mike Matheson, and he was definitely up to the task. He set records for the Canadiens’ franchise and has impressed crowds everywhere with his smooth skating and ability to evade pressure at both ends of the ice. When Hughes signs him to a new contract, he will become the Canadiens’ best-paid player. Three players in the top 100 is not a lot, but it’s more than the Canadiens have been accustomed to in recent years. With the young Habs continuing to improve, expect these three to make their way up in the list next season, and who knows, there might even be a new member of the top-100 club on the team next year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwo-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen], never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains]. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/] for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
