After three years at the bottom of the NHL, the Montreal Canadiens want to fight for a playoff spot this season.

Whether or not that means making the playoffs, general manager Kent Hughes isn't ready to predict. But the organization's stated goal heading into this week's training camp is to be “in the mix” through April.

“I want us to be in the race for the longer term,” Hughes said Monday before the Canadiens' annual season-opening golf tournament at Club de Laval-sur-le-Lac. “I can't predict whether that means until the last game, I can't predict whether we'll be in the playoffs.

“Ultimately, for us to progress, to move forward, players need to gain experience as a team in important games.”

Training camp for the 2024-25 campaign begins Wednesday as the Canadiens try to avoid missing the playoffs in four consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.

And enthusiasm for the Tricolore is growing in Montreal after an active offseason.

The Canadiens added former 40-goal scorer Patrik Laine to a young core that's committed for the long haul. The team also has several top prospects on the way, some hoping to crack the NHL roster this fall.

Vice-president Jeff Gorton hopes the days of rebuilding and worry about the Canadiens' final draft result are in the rearview mirror.

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“I think as the season goes on and the trade deadline gets closer, we're still out there, playing meaningful games, competing for a spot,” Gorton said of being “in the mix.”

“We've had a couple of years where we've picked (fifth overall) a couple of times here, first,” he added. “It'll be nice to see if we can move forward.”

In addition to off-season transfers, Montreal's youth roster continues to grow.

Winger Juraj Slafkovsky and captain Nick Suzuki, in particular, made significant progress last season playing on the top line with Cole Caufield.

Slafkovsky, 20, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, quieted critics with a second-half surge, scoring 20 goals and 30 assists in 80 games to earn an eight-year, $60.8 million contract extension.

Suzuki, 25, has shown he has the skills of a true No. 1 center with 33 goals and 77 points in 82 games.

The Canadiens will get a boost in the middle with the return of Kirby Dach, who underwent season-ending knee surgery just two games into the 2023-24 campaign.

There's also defensive prospects Lane Hutson, who put on a show during the Canadiens' prospects game against Toronto this weekend, with Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom trying to break into the NHL as rookies.

“We have a lot of pieces,” Suzuki said. “Our offense is very deep from top to bottom, I think we know we're going to surprise a lot of people that way. And we have a lot of young Ds that are going to make big strides.

“There's a lot of optimism in the group and in the dressing room, so I think we're in a really good position at the moment.

“And I'm really excited for the season to start.”

Montreal has finished 32nd, 28th and 28th overall over the past three seasons, going from 55 points to 76 over that span. For reference, the last team to qualify for the playoffs last season, the Washington Capitals, scored 91 points.

The Atlantic Division could also prove a challenge. Florida won the Stanley Cup last spring, and Boston, Toronto and Tampa Bay are perennial playoff teams. Meanwhile, Ottawa, Buffalo and Detroit are optimistic they can make a similar leap to Montreal's.

But Suzuki says Canadians welcome skeptics.

“In the position we’re in right now, we’re really trying to make the playoffs and show what kind of team we are,” Suzuki said. “I think they’re putting us to sleep a little bit right now; I like that position.

“The guys are motivated and I think everyone is ready to go.”

A bounce-back season for Laine could go a long way toward helping that cause.

The Canadiens acquired Laine and a second-round pick from Columbus in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris.

Laine may have one of the most dangerous shots in the league, but the 26-year-old hasn't shot over 30 since 2018-19.

Last season, he scored six goals in 18 games during a year in which he dealt with a collarbone injury and participated in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to prioritize his mental health.

“It’s no secret that the last couple of years have been a little rough, but I think it’s great to have this new opportunity with this team. It’s something I’ve been looking forward to,” Laine said. “I feel like they’re building something special here.”

The Canadiens will open the regular season at the Bell Centre on October 9 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They will play six preseason games starting next Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers.