2021–22 Montreal Canadiens Season

The 2021–22 Montreal Canadiens season was the 113th for the club that was established on December 4, 1909, and their 105th season as a franchise in the National Hockey League.

The Canadiens were unable to replicate their success from the prior season that saw them reach the Stanley Cup Finals, whereas on March 25, 2022, they became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention following the Washington Capitals' 4–3 shootout victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Ultimately, the Canadiens finished last in the league for the first time since the 1939–40 NHL season and the first time in the NHL's expansion era, in what was one of the worst seasons in the team's history. Collectively, they set team records for most regulation losses (49), most goals against (319), fewest winsMinimum 70-game schedule (22), and fewest points (55), while its .335 point percentage was the team's third-worst ever, after only both the 1925–26 (.319) and 1939–40 (.260) campaigns. As a result of this, Montreal won the draft lottery to select first overall in the NHL Entry Draft for the first time in 42 years. The Canadiens became the second team in history to finish with the NHL's worst record the year after reaching the Stanley Cup Finals after the 2002–03 Carolina Hurricanes.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Regular season

The regular season schedule was released on July 22, 2021.

Player statistics

Final stats

Skaters

Goaltenders

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Canadiens. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.

^‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.

Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Awards and honours

Milestones

Transactions

The Canadiens have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021–22 season.

Trades

Notes:
# The Chicago Blackhawks' third-round pick went to the Anaheim Ducks as the result of a trade on July 24, 2021, that sent a third-round pick in 2022 to Montreal in exchange for this pick.
#:Montreal previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 30, 2019, that sent Andrew Shaw and a seventh-round pick in 2021 to Chicago in exchange for second and seventh-round picks both in 2020 and this pick.
# The Vegas Golden Knights' fourth-round pick went to the Tampa Bay Lightning as the result of a trade on July 24, 2021, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2022 to Montreal in exchange for this pick.
#:Montreal previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 24, 2020, that sent Nick Cousins to Vegas in exchange for this pick.
# The St. Louis Blues' seventh-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on July 24, 2021, that sent a seventh-round pick in 2021 to Arizona in exchange for this pick.
#:Arizona previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 22, 2021, that sent future considerations to Philadelphia in exchange for Shayne Gostisbehere, a second-round pick in 2022 and this pick.
#:Philadelphia previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on April 12, 2021, that sent Erik Gustafsson to Montreal in exchange for this pick.
#:Montreal previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on September 2, 2020, that sent Washington's third-round pick and Chicago's seventh-round pick both in 2020 to St. Louis in exchange for Jake Allen and this pick.
#The Arizona Coyotes will receive the better of Montreal's own 1st-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and Carolina's 1st-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft (previously acquired by Montreal). However, in the event that either or both of Montreal's own 1st-round pick and/or Carolina's 1st-round pick are Top 10 picks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft (after the final Draft order has been established in accordance with the results of the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery), then Arizona will receive the worse of Montreal's own pick and Carolina's pick.
#If the Calgary Flames' 1st-round pick in 2022 is a Top 10 pick, Montreal will instead receive their 2023 1st-round pick along with a 2024 4th-round pick.
#Montreal will retain 50% of Chiarot's salary for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.
#The New York Rangers' fourth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on March 16, 2022, that sent Ben Chiarot to Florida in exchange for Ty Smilanic, a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and this pick being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – Montreal will receive the lowest of the Rangers' or Jets' fourth-round pick in 2022. – was converted when the Rangers clinched a spot in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs on April 9, 2022, and when the Jets were eliminated from the playoffs on April 20, 2022.
#:Florida previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 16, 2022, that sent Frank Vatrano to New York in exchange for this conditional pick.
#Montreal will retain 50% of Kulak's salary for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.
# If the Edmonton Oilers reach the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, the pick will instead become a 2nd-round selection in 2023 – was converted on June 6, 2022.
#Montreal will retain 50% of Lehkonen's salary for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.

Players acquired

Players lost

Notes:
#As compensation for not matching the Offer Sheet made by the Carolina Hurricanes to restricted free agent Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Montreal receives a 1st-round and a 3rd-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft from Carolina.
#Blandisi originally signed a Professional Tryout contract with the Toronto Marlies on December 14, 2021 prior to inking an AHL contract thereafter.

Signings

Draft picks

Below are the Montreal Canadiens' selections at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, which was held on July 23 to 24, 2021. It was held virtually via Video conference call from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey's second-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on October 7, 2020, that sent St. Louis' second-round pick in 2020 (57th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2020 (124th overall) and this pick.
# The Washington Capitals' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on October 7, 2020, that sent Anaheim's fourth-round pick in 2020 (98th overall) to San Jose in exchange for this pick.
#:San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 18, 2020, that sent Brenden Dillon to Washington in exchange for Colorado's second-round pick in 2020 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – San Jose will receive a third-round pick in 2021 if Washington does not win the Stanley Cup in 2020 – was converted when Washington was eliminated from the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs on August 20, 2020.
# The St. Louis Blues' fourth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on February 18, 2020, that sent Marco Scandella to St. Louis in exchange for a second-round pick in 2020 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – Montreal will receive a fourth-round pick in 2021 if Scandella re-signs with the Blues for the 2020–21 NHL season by October 7, 2020 – was converted when Scandella re-signed with the Blues on April 16, 2020.
# The Philadelphia Flyers' fifth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on February 24, 2020, that sent Nate Thompson to Philadelphia in exchange for this pick.
# The Minnesota Wild's fifth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on July 24, 2021, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2021 (127th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2021 (214th overall) and this pick.
# The Minnesota Wild's seventh-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on July 24, 2021, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2021 (127th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2021 (150th overall) and this pick.

References

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Montreal Canadiens
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Montreal Canadiens seasons
2020s in Montreal
2021 in Quebec
2022 in Quebec