The Montreal Canadiens lost their first preseason game in Quebec City to their archrivals Boston Bruins on September 18, 2017. The B’s relied upon AHLers and prospects to overcome a 2-0 deficit to win the game 3-2. While preseason games matter even less than you think, the loss furthered the sense of pessimism in Habs nation. In a couple of weeks, the Hockey world will begin to send out their season predictions. Some pundits have already begun to outline their views. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly so far.

The Good

It is not all doom and gloom for Habs fans. The folks over at Left Wing Lock predict the Habs will improve on last season and earn 49 wins. While the providing the full breakdown would violate their proprietary predictive algorithm, fantasy hockey fans should have a look at their track record and consider their draft kit.

Predicting wins is one thing, but how about assessing the full team? NHL 2018 by EA Sports has done that and rated the Montreal Canadiens 91/100. As Habs Eyes on the Prize points out, only the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers are rated higher.

LWOH’s own Nick Lariviere predicts that the Habs will not only finish Second in the Atlantic but will make it to the Eastern Conference final.

The Bad

Not everyone is as bullish on the Habs chances. The often-optimistic Brian Wilde referenced widespread concerns in his inaugural 365 Habs podcast. Fans should expect a worse team, likely to finish with fewer wins in 2017/18. This may be because as Connor LaPalme suggests, “the Canadiens are in a difficult spot this season….and still missing too many pieces” to be a true contender.

Ryan Szporer believes the issues in Montreal are structural. While the team this year may not be as good as last year, there are larger problems for the organization, from the owner on down.

The Ugly

Perhaps the worst news for Habs fans is from the odds-makers. ESPN reports the latest odds for each of the 31 teams in the National Hockey League to win the 2018 Stanley Cup. Based on the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, the unsurprising favorite is the Pittsburgh Penguins. While the Habs started at 14-1, they dropped to 16-1 last month. This puts them alongside the New York Rangers but behind the Minnesota Wild, Toronto Leafs, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks, and Dallas Stars. The Habs are seen as less likely to win the cup next year than the Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, and Chicago Blackhawks.