If you're looking for a team to watch in the second half of the season, consider the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs have had an uneven first half, yet they've kept themselves in the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

That could be more a reflection of the compressed nature of the standings than a commentary on the viability of this year's edition of the Canadiens. Still, if you consider that the Habs were without captain Saku Koivu for the first 13 games of the season and that they've made a conscious decision to mix in some youngsters, so far so good in Montreal.

Other, that is, than the Habs being unable to define themselves yet. That comes from the fact that they haven't sustained winning or languished in losing to any great degree this season. The Canadiens haven't lost two in a row in regulation since Nov. 7 -- definitely a positive thing -- but they haven't won two straight since Oct. 23, either. The on-again, off-again nature of their results has made them a hard team to assess. They do look more in tune from top to bottom than they have recently. The strict defensive leanings of head coach Claude Julien mesh nicely with GM Bob Gainey's view of the game.

So far, though, the first half has been as much about assimilation as ascending the standings. Now they seem poised to put some games together. Koivu is just now rounding into form. After returning to the lineup, he didn't score a goal until his 12th game, but over the past 14 games, he is on a point-a-game pace and has tallied six markers in that stretch.

Additionally, Sheldon Souray has fully recovered after missing a season and a half due to a broken left wrist and multiple surgeries. Souray is not only shooting and scoring -- his 12 goals lead all NHL defenseman -- but he is also the anchor on the blueline. He plays more minutes than anyone, and his presence at even strength vastly improves the left side of the Canadiens' defense from a season ago.

Throw in a couple of youngsters named Ribeiro and Ryder, and the Habs have the ingredients to get something going. Mike Ribeiro continues his development in his third season, leading the Canadiens in scoring. Michael Ryder, on the other hand, is a pleasant draft surprise -- the type the Habs have had too few of in recent years.

Unheralded, unheard of and taken in eighth round in 1998, Ryder has climbed from the ECHL through the AHL, where his fine playoff performance for the Hamilton Bulldogs in the spring carried through to training camp and a spot in the NHL. As he has at every level, Ryder is making the most of it -- he's tied for the NHL scoring lead among rookies.

Making all these ingredients add up to a potentially strong second half is the goaltending of Jose Theodore. He is back on form after a subpar 2002-03 season. He is once again making difficult saves look easy -- something he did two years ago in winning the Hart and Vezina Trophies. And, if you'll remember, Theodore won those accolades largely because of his unbelievable exploits during the second half of that season.

Indications are that the time for Theodore and the Canadiens to put a streak together is close at hand.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com.