Amy Johnson

Eight games between the 1st of April and the 14th of April.

That's when the season's going to end in Philadelphia, the regular season for the Montreal Canadiens.

And one's coming up fairly soon, March 6th, 7th at Anaheim and then at the LA Kings.

That's the Friday, Saturday of the trade deadline and the day after that California road trip.

Let's just look at those back-to-backs.

I mentioned the California one, the 10th and 11th, a few days later in Toronto and then, sorry, at the Bell Centre versus Toronto and then in Ottawa the next night, that's March 10th and 11th in Atlantic, two Atlantic division games.

The tougher matchup, obviously, the more difficult matchup against Carolina on the second night after the team may be tired.

It's intense, and likely we're going to see the goaltending duties split up, particularly in those back-to-backs.

It's going to be fatiguing, both mentally and physically, and the Canadians are going to have to be prepared for that.

and earned a wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs on the last day.

And they have to consider that they don't need to do that this season.

But there will be other teams who will be desperate enough, as Brendan Gallagher said, trying to go on that kind of run.

So what have we just described?

We've described a playoff sprint, as we've been calling it, a time that's going to be very intense for the Montreal Canadiens.

And that's kind of what their head coach said at practice.

So he has appreciated the break.

It's helped some of his players heal and clear their minds and be ready, both physically and mentally, as he says, for this very intense sprint that's going to happen between now and April 14th.

It's a good problem to have.

You'll have to make some decisions.

Are the decisions hard?