The Montreal Canadiens are struggling early in the 2024-2025 NHL season, with injuries to key players like Juraj Slafkovsky, Patrik Laine, and Kaiden Guhle significantly impacting their performance and playoff hopes. After a disappointing 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers, the team is grappling with depth issues and a lack of scoring, as evidenced by only a handful of players contributing goals. Despite starting the season with some optimism, the Canadiens' recent games have highlighted their growing pains during the rebuild, leading to concerns among fans and management alike. Coach Martin St. Louis is tasked with line adjustments and player call-ups to navigate through these challenges. Although the Canadiens currently sit near the bottom of the league standings, there remains a faint hope for improvement with the return of injured players in the coming months. However, the team's performance thus far raises questions about their ability to contend for a playoff spot this season.