Bob Gainey May Be Confident in the Canadiens, but When Will it Finally Work?

Bob Gainey got Mathieu Schneider for a reason.

Right now, Schneider looks like he hasn't missed a step in Montreal.

Thing is, everyone else does.

After another dismal road effort, the Canadiens are becoming more and more likely to be clawing their way into the playoffs.

Such a far fall from the top.  It always hurts the most when you're coming down.

Losing to the Ryan Miller-less Buffalo Sabres and then the rebuilding Atlanta Thrashers, the Canadiens, who were touted to be Stanley Cup favourites at the start of the season, are looking more and more like a team that will be cannon fodder for the giants in Washington, New Jersey, or Boston.

But don't count the Canadiens out just yet.

Carey Price may be struggling, and Jaroslav Halak may be the man for now, but the Canadiens play their best hockey when coming from behind, being the underdogs.

Three times in their recent playoff history since 1998, the Canadiens have upended three first and second seeds in six to seven games.  Even if they didn't make it much farther, the Canadiens made history in the process.

So if the Canadiens recent months of March have anything to say about how they will march into the playoffs, will the Canadiens make it?

However, Bob Gainey is currently and obviously not worried about winning the Stanley Cup in their centennial season.  He's more worried about the future and building the Canadiens.

Granted, he's taken a team that was floundering in mediocrity to a team that is a serious contender year in and year out.

There's always bumps in the road.

For Gainey's sake, let's hope the fans in Montreal are as patient.