“The pain now is not even close to the joy that’s coming”: Coach Martin St. Louis on Montreal Canadiens' playoff loss against Washington Capitals as rebuild takes shape for bright future

The Montreal Canadiens had a rough but instructive experience during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Although they came short of a tough-earned 4-1 series loss against the Washington Capitals, the Montreal Canadiens have taken the right step towards their rebuild by demonstrating that they possess tenacity, development, and potential. It was not all about qualifying for the playoffs this season, but learning painful lessons that will lead to their ensuing success.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs were a proving ground for the Montreal Canadiens, the youngest team in the playoff bracket to enter the postseason. Their season ended with a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, but the Montreal Canadiens gained something far more valuable than a victory: experience. The playoff atmosphere, full of high-stakes moments and rollercoaster feelings, exposed the young roster to what it is like to play at an elite level.
That most succinctly, Montreal Canadiens' head coach Martin St. Louis summed up the situation: “The pain you feel right now is not even close to the joy that’s coming.”
Veteran blue-liner Mike Matheson spoke bluntly about the road to being a championship contender. “Everyone wants to get to that ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup, and there’s a realization that you can’t just kind of end up there (in) one year,” he said. “You have to keep pushing every single year and taking every chance that you get to try to make it happen.”
“I think I gained a lot of respect for that team over there,” said Capitals energy source Tom Wilson. “You know, they've got a bright future, obviously. And they competed really hard, and they’ve got a bunch of warriors.”
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Despite the series loss, the Canadiens' young core of stars, including captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky, are poised to do even more soon. With players under cheap contracts and the salary cap expected to rise, Montreal's future has never been brighter. Though painful, they learnt precious lessons that will shape their destiny. The journey to winning is never linear, but for the Canadiens, each defeat is an opportunity to learn. On the core of talented young players and the resilience and workhorse-based culture, the Canadiens are set to rebound once again.