Every year, when the NHL officially releases its schedule, fans of every team scan the calendar to see which games will be must-watch or must-attend affairs. Looking at the Montreal Canadiens’ schedule this upcoming season, here are the matchups that stood out for me.
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Montreal vs. Toronto Maple Leafs – October 8
It’s happened very often that the two teams have met one another to open their season, but it never gets old. The Toronto Maple Leafs will now be without Mitch Marner, and instead of Ryan Reaves, their tough guy will be former Hab Michael Pezzetta. Last season, the two teams met on October 9 at the Bell Center to kick off their season, and the Canadiens won 1-0 thanks to a fantastic performance from Samuel Montembeault.
St. Louis Blues vs. Montreal – December 7
That game will be a special one for two new Canadiens, if Samuel Blais makes the team. He and Zachary Bolduc will be taking on their former team the St. Louis Blues for the first time since joining the Sainte-Flanelle, the team they supported as kids. Meanwhile, on the other side, it could be Logan Mailloux’s return to Montreal if the Blues deem him ready for the NHL.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal – December 20
The Pittsburgh Penguins are not expected to be contenders this season, far from it, and with the clock ticking on Sidney Crosby’s career, many wonder if the former kid will eventually decide he wants to move to another team to try and capture one last Stanley Cup. At 37 and with two years left on his contract, it’s doubtful that he could do that with the team that drafted him. Many Habs fans believe he’ll land in Montreal, but I, for one, think that’s just wishful thinking; time will tell.
Montreal vs. Florida Panthers – December 30
No, it’s not because former Canadiens Jeff Petry joined the repeat Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers. But rather because last season, Montreal won all of its games against the Florida outfit, and there’s no doubt Martin St. Louis’ men will be putting their best foot forward to keep that streak going.
Montreal vs. Philadelphia Flyers – April 14
The Canadiens will close out their season against the Philadelphia Flyers, and if the standings are as tight as they were last season, the stakes could be relatively high in that game. Besides, who would say no to a Matvei Michkov vs. Ivan Demidov duel?
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
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