Like any other sport, at its core, hockey is a very simple discipline. You identify habits that drive results, then practice relentlessly to improve the skills that facilitate those habits. If you keep honing your game by working hard in the right direction, then results are sure to follow.
The Habs' success this season, as measured in both traditional and advanced statistics, can be attributed to savvy signings by Marc Bergevin (Tomas Fleishmann and Jeff Petry), by the progression of Alex Galchenyuk and Nathan Beaulieu, and by the contributions of newcomers such as Mike Condon, Sven Andrighetto and Greg Pateryn.