Wild call: Montreal Canadiens end season with 5-4 loss to Detroit – Montreal

The 2023-2024 season is over for the Montreal Canadiens.

Aside from the full clinic, it's been a positive season for the Canadiens as the recovery continues apace. This rebuild is in the best hands of general management the Canadiens have had since Serge Savard. Kent Hughes is very good.

Game 82 saw the Canadiens and Red Wings play another scrimmage, with Detroit winning 5-4. Montreal has lost 27 goals this season.

Wilde Horses

The future of defense is very bright. The Next Wave had their chance to shine in the last two games and they never did. It was expected that Lane Hutson might need a year of seasoning in the minors, but judging by the two games he's played, that should be re-evaluated.

Hutson looked very comfortable at the NHL level. He was on the ice for more than 22 minutes on Monday and 23:32 on Tuesday. He made great plays all over the sheet.

When Hutson was on the ice with the Nick Suzuki line, the Canadiens had little presence in the Detroit zone. He reads their actions beautifully, often finding release permits.

Hutson was finally able to show his prowess on the power play, and he lived up to his advanced billing. On one rush, he easily confused three players and won the offensive zone. Hutson moved around the two, trailing the other and eventually feeding it to a teammate.

These are skills the Canadians hoped he could translate to the professional game, and in two competitions he had no trouble at all. In the third period, Hutson held the puck for eight seconds and passed every Wings player. He finally dodged a bullet in a cell that barely stopped. It was sensational. The crowd roared.

On his next shift, he watched the blue line so much that he forced David Perron to do a 360. Perron backed down and refused. He refused. Hutson directed it towards the goal, where Juraj Slafkovsky deflected it.

It was goal number 20 for Slafkowski. He was threatened by his colleagues. This was significant because it earned him a $250,000 performance bonus. Gutson was the architect of the goal. He was great.

As for Hutson's defensive play, he didn't have much trouble in the second game. Again, it was like at Boston University. There is no problem. He won't be in Laval next season. He is too good.

Logan Maylow played his first NHL game on Tuesday as a reward for a great season in Laval. One of the best defensemen in the American Hockey League, Mailu has a big shot and uses his large frame to impressive effect.

Mailloux is prone to the odd gaffe defensively, but the key to being a top-four defenseman in the NHL is talent, and improved decision-making is a hardening to work on over time. Mailloux has all the offensive skills needed to be a solid NHL defenseman.

Like Hutson on Monday night, Mailloux also had an assist in the NHL's first period of hockey. It wasn't as pretty as Hutson's three, but he started a two-on-one run with a pass to Brendan Gallagher. Gallagher then set up Alex Newhook perfectly, who fired home.

Both Newhook and Gallagher have been hot over the last decade, scoring a point per game as they look to be excited for next season. Newhook set career highs in goals and points this season. Not bad for a player who missed a third of the year.

Gallagher also showed he wasn't done with the second half of the season. Gallagher scored two goals on Monday and added another on Tuesday to finish the season with 16 goals. For a player who doesn't have a lot of playing time, 16 is a solid conclusion.

The Suzuki line also had its usual purpose. Helper Suzuki finished the season with 77 points, easily eclipsing last year's best of 66 points. Not a point-per-game player, but looks like he'll get there next season.

Cole Caulfield aimed to end his disappointing season with 28 goals. If only everyone's time of year could be this boring. Linia finished the season with 53 goals in the last 41 games. The Canadiens are on the verge of their first 100-goal streak since Bellows-Damphous-Mullen in 1993.

Wild goats

The big downside to the final day of the season was Kayden Goulet confirming he had a concussion. Gule has not been in the lineup since Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov hit from behind.

It was a dirty hit that the NHL did nothing about; Not among the numbers were the teammates of the Canadians, who allowed Kucherov to skate freely after hitting Guhle. This is Goulet's second concussion this season. The cumulative effects of concussions are the biggest threat, and it's troubling that Gulé has yet again suffered an unnecessary injury.

Gule feels good, but not good to play in the last game of the season. He has been offered to play for Canada in the upcoming World Cup. Gule accepted the invitation, but will only play if he feels healthy.

Worlds in the Czech Republic from May 10.

Before the competition, Arber Hekaid also met with media representatives. The most important takeaway from this interview is that Hekaid played the entire season with a shoulder injury. He also admitted to hiding his injury from the Canadiens training staff.

Hekaid wanted to play hockey, but it was not recommended. Doctors tell you that playing can cause long-term damage. This is advice worth listening to. Thankfully, Hekai will be ready for next season.

On the downside, the Canadiens' points total made it difficult to enter the lottery as the fifth seed. To clinch the top five, the Coyotes must at least tie in their last contest in Arizona. The Coyotes host the Edmonton Oilers at home. The Canadiens are guaranteed at least six spots after Ottawa wins in Boston.

Wild cards

The Canadians are close to coming out of this rebuild. They still need 50 to 60 goals, and they should get a big chunk of that next season with the emergence of a second line led by a healthy Kirby Dach. They also get Joshua Roy back from injury, while Alex Newhook stabilizes with his regular line-ups and moves into his comfortable position on the wing.

The club also drafts five through eight picks, which is a big improvement because the talent at the forward position is incredible in this draft. Barring the Canadiens winning the lottery to acquire Maclin Celebrini, they'll look to Ivan Demidov, Kaiden Lindstrom, Berkley Catton, Tij Iginla and even Cole Eiserman to add targets in the coming years.

However, they may not use that top pick, and they may not use the pick from the Winnipeg Jets. GM Kent Hughes may choose to own proven NHL talent with his first-round picks. He could also use his excess talent on the blue line to dramatically improve the roster this summer.

The Canadiens have 12 bona fide NHL defensemen, but only six available for them. Couple that with a dearth of top-quality forwards and you have to consider the idea that significant moves could be in the offing.

Listening to owner Jeff Molson's conversations with various media outlets, it's clear the organization feels close to taking steps to turn the futures into the now. Montreal has a lot of assets, but they don't have a star.

The Canadiens have more cap space than they need, and if they don't play in the market this offseason, a player like Leon Draisaitl could end the rebuild and start the excitement next year. The free agent market calls for Hughes to strike at the right time.

Players want to come and this is the best news in the new mode. While previous regimes have had phrases like “if you want loyalty, get a dog,” this management team has a lot of respect for the players, so around the league, Montreal is a place to find a great environment.

In Michel Therrien's day this was not always an important aspect, but in today's world it is very important. Martin St. Louis is a coach that players want to be around. St. Louis creates an environment where learning and growth are the building blocks of wins and titles. There is no tough love, just love.

Hughes had a reputation for being a tough negotiator as well as an appreciator of people. It may sound strange to say that the future looks brighter than at any time this century for a team at the bottom of the standings, but it's true.

Have a great summer. Thanks for reading. Without you, the wild call is only in my head.

Montreal sports writer Brian Wild brings you the Wild Call after every Canadiens game on globalnews.ca.