MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens were in it for two points last night, but were only able to collect one from the Sabres in a 3-2 loss, in which they blew two goal leads, both in regulation and in the shootout thereafter.

It's hard to argue that the team got unlucky, but luck certainly is a factor in any win or loss, and the Canadiens didn't have enough of it last night.

Bounces aside, the Canadiens were playing with a damaged deck of cards; a fact that's seemingly caught up to them over the last week and a half of losing hockey.

And though losing is always a negative, there's plenty of positive attached to the team's current standing, without Mike Cammalleri, Hal Gill, Josh Gorges, Andrei Markov and Jaroslav Spacek.

The point they earned in the fourth of five losses over this recent stretch enabled them to catch Boston in the standings, even though the Bruins still own the division lead with a game in hand over Montreal.

Also, the play of Montreal's youngest talent has carried the team most recently, and given a glimpse as to what the team's future promise can be. David Desharnais, Max Pacioretty, Benoit Pouliot, Yannick Weber, P.K. Subban and Carey Price have shown that the Canadiens have an excellent foundation of young players, and their growth over the coming years will enable this team to mature and handle mounting expectations.

Consider that Cammalleri, Gomez, Gionta and Plekanec are signed long-term, and that Josh Gorges and Price are core players that will be retained on long-term contracts, and mix in the youth that is clearly progressing before our eyes; it's clear to see what direction the Canadiens are headed in.

Colleague Arpon Basu pointed to Pierre Gauthier's statement of ensuring this team consistently competes with the top tier of the league, and it seems clear that path is being followed.

Their successes, in getting as far as they did in the playoffs last season, and barring an epic collapse, their firm grasp on a playoff spot this year despite all the injuries should reinforce that the Canadiens have the ability to exceed expectations, and their progression shows that those expectations should be elevated by the time next season rolls around.

That experience is the foundation of the growth this team will undertake, noting that stability of the roster is well intact.

Having read Arpon's argument about standing pat through the traded deadline I can't say I disagree with the logic, but at the same time, I do believe this team, which has shown such heart, deserves the reinforcements Pierre Gauthier can offer.

I'd never suggest that mortgaging the future for rentals is a viable scenario to undertake, especially when a few teams in your own conference have more legitimate chances at capturing the Cup.

But knowing Gauthier's philosophy, it doesn't seem to be a concern that he'll operate in such a fashion as to damage the future viability of the team.

I also think it should be noted that rentals aren't the only pieces available at the deadline, and that they NHL trade landscape is changing in a certain regard.

The salary cap is forcing teams to start considering moving certain players with contracts expiring--not this summer--but next summer, with the knowledge that they won't be able to pay for that given player down the line.

Not to say these kinds of deals are more the norm than rental deals around trade deadline, but there are other kinds of players available at this time of the year that have the capacity to help a team now and in the future.

I think there are a couple of players on the current market that can help the Canadiens now and in the future--players that won't necessarily force Gauthier to mortgage the promise of his team's future.

For example, I don't think the price of acquiring Chris Neil from the Senators would be more exorbitant than a 3rd round pick, though consideration would certainly need to be lent to the fact that Neil's set to earn another four million dollars over the next two seasons.

While it's reasonable to expect that Gauthier won't pay high prices for players with expiring contracts (and it's obvious that most the players available are of that variety), it seems clear that he does have some plans to help this team out between now and the deadline.

We won't have to wait very long to know in what capacity Gauthier plans on doing that.

In the meantime, the Canadiens have to find some luck and generate their own bounces with continued effort they've shown this season.

This 3-game stretch out West is another one of those make-or-break segments of their season.

We'll see how they fare, with or without reinforcements.