# 1998–99 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1998–99 Montreal Canadiens season was the club's 90th season of play. The club finished 5th in the Northeast Division and did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. It had been the worst season in over 48 years for the club. The Canadiens finished last in their division. Martin Rucinsky led the club with 17 goals. It was the first time since the 1940–41 season that the Canadiens did not have at least one 20-goal scorer. On March 31, 1999, ownership announced it has lost $3.8 million in its last fiscal year. Following the season, team president Ronald Corey resigned in May 1999.

## Regular season

In March 1999, Captain Vincent Damphousse was traded to the San Jose Sharks.

### Final standings

Northeast Division :
| R | CR | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PIM | Pts |
| 1 | 2 | Ottawa Senators | 82 | 44 | 23 | 15 | 239 | 179 | 892 | 103 |
| 2 | 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 45 | 30 | 7 | 268 | 231 | 1095 | 97 |
| 3 | 6 | Boston Bruins | 82 | 39 | 30 | 13 | 214 | 181 | 1182 | 91 |
| 4 | 7 | Buffalo Sabres | 82 | 37 | 28 | 17 | 207 | 175 | 1561 | 91 |
| 5 | 11 | Montreal Canadiens | 82 | 32 | 39 | 11 | 184 | 209 | 1299 | 75 |
Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.
Eastern Conference :
| R | | Div | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| 1 | y – New Jersey Devils | ATL | 82 | 47 | 24 | 11 | 248 | 196 | 105 |
| 2 | y – Ottawa Senators | NE | 82 | 44 | 23 | 15 | 239 | 179 | 103 |
| 3 | y – Carolina Hurricanes | SE | 82 | 34 | 30 | 18 | 210 | 202 | 86 |
| 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NE | 82 | 45 | 30 | 7 | 268 | 231 | 97 |
| 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | ATL | 82 | 37 | 26 | 19 | 231 | 196 | 93 |
| 6 | Boston Bruins | NE | 82 | 39 | 30 | 13 | 214 | 181 | 91 |
| 7 | Buffalo Sabres | NE | 82 | 37 | 28 | 17 | 207 | 175 | 91 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh Penguins | ATL | 82 | 38 | 30 | 14 | 242 | 225 | 90 |
| 9 | Florida Panthers | SE | 82 | 30 | 34 | 18 | 210 | 228 | 78 |
| 10 | New York Rangers | ATL | 82 | 33 | 38 | 11 | 217 | 227 | 77 |
| 11 | Montreal Canadiens | NE | 82 | 32 | 39 | 11 | 184 | 209 | 75 |
| 12 | Washington Capitals | SE | 82 | 31 | 45 | 6 | 200 | 218 | 68 |
| 13 | New York Islanders | ATL | 82 | 24 | 48 | 10 | 194 | 244 | 58 |
| 14 | Tampa Bay Lightning | SE | 82 | 19 | 54 | 9 | 179 | 292 | 47 |
Divisions: ATL – Atlantic Division, NE – Northeast Division, SE – Southeast Division
bold – Qualified for playoffs; y – Won division

## Schedule and results

1998–99 regular season :
October: 3–5–2 (home: 3–4–0; road: 0–1–2)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
1WOctober 10, 19987–1New York Rangers (1998–99)1–0–0Recap
2WOctober 13, 19981–0Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1998–99)2–0–0Recap
3TOctober 16, 19982–2 OT@ Washington Capitals (1998–99)2–0–1Recap
4LOctober 17, 19983–4Buffalo Sabres (1998–99)2–1–1Recap
5LOctober 19, 19981–2Chicago Blackhawks (1998–99)2–2–1Recap
6WOctober 21, 19983–2Ottawa Senators (1998–99)3–2–1Recap
7LOctober 24, 19980–3Detroit Red Wings (1998–99)3–3–1Recap
8LOctober 28, 19982–9Boston Bruins (1998–99)3–4–1Recap
9TOctober 29, 19981–1 OT@ Boston Bruins (1998–99)3–4–2Recap
10LOctober 31, 19981–5@ Ottawa Senators (1998–99)3–5–2Recap :
November: 5–7–0 (home: 4–3–0; road: 1–4–0)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
11WNovember 4, 19984–1@ New York Rangers (1998–99)4–5–2Recap
12WNovember 7, 19984–2New York Islanders (1998–99)5–5–2Recap
13WNovember 9, 19985–1Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99)6–5–2Recap
14LNovember 11, 19980–3@ New Jersey Devils (1998–99)6–6–2Recap
15LNovember 12, 19980–4@ New York Islanders (1998–99)6–7–2Recap
16LNovember 14, 19981–4Edmonton Oilers (1998–99)6–8–2Recap
17LNovember 17, 19984–5@ Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99)6–9–2Recap
18WNovember 19, 19984–3Calgary Flames (1998–99)7–9–2Recap
19LNovember 21, 19982–3Colorado Avalanche (1998–99)7–10–2Recap
20LNovember 27, 19981–5@ Boston Bruins (1998–99)7–11–2Recap
21LNovember 28, 19983–4Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99)7–12–2Recap
22WNovember 30, 19983–1Los Angeles Kings (1998–99)8–12–2Recap :
December: 3–6–5 (home: 0–1–3; road: 3–5–2)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
23LDecember 2, 19981–4@ Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99)8–13–2Recap
24TDecember 4, 19981–1 OT@ New Jersey Devils (1998–99)8–13–3Recap
25LDecember 5, 19983–4 OTToronto Maple Leafs (1998–99)8–14–3Recap
26LDecember 9, 19982–4@ Phoenix Coyotes (1998–99)8–15–3Recap
27LDecember 11, 19982–3@ Dallas Stars (1998–99)8–16–3Recap
28TDecember 12, 19982–2 OT@ Nashville Predators (1998–99)8–16–4Recap
29TDecember 14, 19982–2 OTPhoenix Coyotes (1998–99)8–16–5Recap
30LDecember 18, 19982–4@ Buffalo Sabres (1998–99)8–17–5Recap
31TDecember 19, 19981–1 OTNew Jersey Devils (1998–99)8–17–6Recap
32TDecember 21, 19982–2 OTDallas Stars (1998–99)8–17–7Recap
33LDecember 23, 19981–3@ Ottawa Senators (1998–99)8–18–7Recap
34WDecember 26, 19982–1@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99)9–18–7Recap
35WDecember 29, 19985–2@ Edmonton Oilers (1998–99)10–18–7Recap
36WDecember 31, 19982–1@ Calgary Flames (1998–99)11–18–7Recap :
January: 7–6–1 (home: 4–2–1; road: 3–4–0)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
37WJanuary 2, 19992–1@ Vancouver Canucks (1998–99)12–18–7Recap
38LJanuary 4, 19993–4@ Colorado Avalanche (1998–99)12–19–7Recap
39WJanuary 7, 19994–1Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99)13–19–7Recap
40WJanuary 9, 19993–2New York Islanders (1998–99)14–19–7Recap
41WJanuary 11, 19993–1St. Louis Blues (1998–99)15–19–7Recap
42LJanuary 12, 19991–5@ Detroit Red Wings (1998–99)15–20–7Recap
43WJanuary 15, 19993–0@ Washington Capitals (1998–99)16–20–7Recap
44WJanuary 16, 19993–0New York Rangers (1998–99)17–20–7Recap
45TJanuary 18, 19994–4 OTWashington Capitals (1998–99)17–20–8Recap
46LJanuary 21, 19990–3@ Chicago Blackhawks (1998–99)17–21–8Recap
47WJanuary 26, 19992–1@ Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99)18–21–8Recap
48LJanuary 27, 19991–2@ Florida Panthers (1998–99)18–22–8Recap
49LJanuary 30, 19991–3Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99)18–23–8Recap
50LJanuary 31, 19993–5Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99)18–24–8Recap :
February: 6–5–0 (home: 4–0–0; road: 2–5–0)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
51WFebruary 3, 19992–1Vancouver Canucks (1998–99)19–24–8Recap
52LFebruary 4, 19992–5@ Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99)19–25–8Recap
53WFebruary 6, 19993–2Buffalo Sabres (1998–99)20–25–8Recap
54LFebruary 9, 19992–3 OT@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99)20–26–8Recap
55LFebruary 11, 19992–5@ Buffalo Sabres (1998–99)20–27–8Recap
56WFebruary 13, 19994–0Florida Panthers (1998–99)21–27–8Recap
57WFebruary 17, 19996–3@ New York Rangers (1998–99)22–27–8Recap
58WFebruary 18, 19993–1@ Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99)23–27–8Recap
59LFebruary 20, 19992–3 OT@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99)23–28–8Recap
60LFebruary 25, 19991–3@ Ottawa Senators (1998–99)23–29–8Recap
61WFebruary 27, 19994–1Ottawa Senators (1998–99)24–29–8Recap :
March: 5–5–2 (home: 3–3–1; road: 2–2–1)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
62WMarch 2, 19994–1Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99)25–29–8Recap
63TMarch 3, 19994–4 OT@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99)25–29–9Recap
64LMarch 6, 19991–6Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99)25–30–9Recap
65LMarch 8, 19992–5Florida Panthers (1998–99)25–31–9Recap
66WMarch 11, 19993–0@ St. Louis Blues (1998–99)26–31–9Recap
67WMarch 13, 19992–1Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99)27–31–9Recap
68WMarch 18, 19993–2Nashville Predators (1998–99)28–31–9Recap
69LMarch 20, 19990–1Washington Capitals (1998–99)28–32–9Recap
70TMarch 22, 19991–1 OTSan Jose Sharks (1998–99)28–32–10Recap
71WMarch 24, 19992–0@ Edmonton Oilers (1998–99)29–32–10Recap
72LMarch 25, 19991–2@ Calgary Flames (1998–99)29–33–10Recap
73LMarch 27, 19991–5@ Vancouver Canucks (1998–99)29–34–10Recap :
April: 3–5–1 (home: 3–2–0; road: 0–3–1)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
74LApril 1, 19992–3Boston Bruins (1998–99)29–35–10Recap
75WApril 3, 19992–1Buffalo Sabres (1998–99)30–35–10Recap
76LApril 5, 19990–3@ Boston Bruins (1998–99)30–36–10Recap
77WApril 7, 19992–0Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99)31–36–10Recap
78LApril 8, 19991–3@ New York Islanders (1998–99)31–37–10Recap
79LApril 10, 19992–6New Jersey Devils (1998–99)31–38–10Recap
80TApril 13, 19992–2 OT@ Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99)31–38–11Recap
81LApril 14, 19992–3 OT@ Florida Panthers (1998–99)31–39–11Recap
82WApril 17, 19993–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99)32–39–11Recap :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

## Player statistics
### Scoring

* Position abbreviations: C = Centre; D = Defence; G = Goaltender; LW = Left Wing; RW = Right Wing
* † = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
* ‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
| No. | Player | Pos | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season |
| No. | Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM |
| 8 | Mark Recchi‡ | RW | 61 | 12 | 35 | 47 | −4 | 28 |
| 11 | Saku Koivu | C | 65 | 14 | 30 | 44 | −7 | 38 |
| 25 | Vincent Damphousse‡ | C | 65 | 12 | 24 | 36 | −7 | 46 |
| 26 | Martin Rucinsky | LW | 73 | 17 | 17 | 34 | −25 | 50 |
| 38 | Vladimir Malakhov | D | 62 | 13 | 21 | 34 | −7 | 77 |
| 27 | Shayne Corson | LW | 63 | 12 | 20 | 32 | −10 | 147 |
| 17 | Benoit Brunet | LW | 60 | 14 | 17 | 31 | −1 | 31 |
| 23 | Turner Stevenson | RW | 69 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 6 | 88 |
| 5 | Stephane Quintal | D | 82 | 8 | 19 | 27 | −23 | 84 |
| 49 | Brian Savage | LW | 54 | 16 | 10 | 26 | −14 | 20 |
| 37 | Patrick Poulin | C | 81 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 6 | 21 |
| 34 | Sergei Zholtok | C | 70 | 7 | 15 | 22 | −12 | 6 |
| 44 | Jonas Hoglund | LW | 74 | 8 | 10 | 18 | −5 | 16 |
| 22 | Eric Weinrich† | D | 66 | 6 | 12 | 18 | −12 | 77 |
| 43 | Patrice Brisebois | D | 54 | 3 | 9 | 12 | −8 | 28 |
| 55 | Igor Ulanov | D | 76 | 3 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 109 |
| 24 | Scott Thornton | LW | 47 | 7 | 4 | 11 | −2 | 87 |
| 52 | Craig Rivet | D | 66 | 2 | 8 | 10 | −3 | 66 |
| 21 | Jason Dawe† | RW | 37 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 14 |
| 28 | Dainius Zubrus† | C | 17 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 4 |
| 29 | Brett Clark | D | 61 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −3 | 16 |
| 15 | Eric Houde | C | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −2 | 2 |
| 20 | Scott Lachance† | D | 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −2 | 11 |
| 22 | Dave Manson‡ | D | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | −3 | 48 |
| 46 | Matt Higgins | C | 25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −2 | 0 |
| 48 | Miloslav Guren | D | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 4 |
| 31 | Jeff Hackett† | G | 53 | 0 | 1 | 1 | | 6 |
| 45 | Arron Asham | RW | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −4 | 0 |
| 35 | Andrei Bashkirov | LW | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −3 | 0 |
| 53 | Sylvain Blouin | LW | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| 3 | Brad Brown‡ | D | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| 39 | Frederic Chabot | G | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 2 |
| 42 | Jonathan Delisle | RW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Jean-Francois Jomphe† | C | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Trent McCleary | RW | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 29 |
| 36 | Dave Morissette | LW | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 52 |
| 56 | Alain Nasreddine† | D | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 33 |
| 14 | Terry Ryan | LW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 60 | Jose Theodore | G | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 |
| 41 | Jocelyn Thibault‡ | G | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 |

### Goaltending

* † = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
* ‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
| No. | Player | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season |
| No. | Player | GP | W | L | T | SA | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | TOI |
| 31 | Jeff Hackett† | 53 | 24 | 20 | 9 | 1360 | 117 | 2.27 | .914 | 5 | 3091 |
| 60 | Jose Theodore | 18 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 406 | 50 | 3.29 | .877 | 1 | 913 |
| 41 | Jocelyn Thibault‡ | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 250 | 23 | 2.61 | .908 | 1 | 529 |
| 39 | Frederic Chabot | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 188 | 16 | 2.23 | .915 | 0 | 430 |

## Awards and records
### Awards

| Type | Award/honour | Recipient |
| League (in-season) | NHL All-Star Game selection | Mark Recchi |
| League (in-season) | NHL Player of the Week | Mark Recchi (November 9) |
| League (in-season) | NHL Player of the Week | Jeff Hackett (January 4) |
| Team | Jacques Beauchamp Molson Trophy | Benoit Brunet |
| Team | Molson Cup | Jeff Hackett |

### Milestones

| Milestone | Player | Date |
| First game | Miloslav Guren | October 10, 1998 |
| First game | Dave Morissette | October 16, 1998 |
| First game | Jonathan Delisle | October 21, 1998 |
| First game | Andrei Bashkirov | November 21, 1998 |
| First game | Arron Asham | November 28, 1998 |

## Draft picks

Montreal's draft picks at the 1998 NHL Entry Draft held at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 16 | Eric Chouinard | Canada | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) |
| 2 | 45 | Mike Ribeiro | Canada | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) |
| 3 | 75 | Francois Beauchemin | Canada | Laval Titan Collège Français (QMJHL) |
| 5 | 132 | Andrei Bashkirov | Russia | Fort Wayne Komets (IHL) |
| 6 | 152 | Gordie Dwyer | Canada | Beauport Harfangs (QMJHL) |
| 6 | 162 | Andrei Markov | Russia | Khimik Voskresensk (Russia) |
| 7 | 189 | Andrei Kruchinin | Russia | Lada Togliatti (Russia) |
| 8 | 201 | Craig Murray | Canada | University of Michigan (CCHA) |
| 8 | 216 | Michael Ryder | Canada | Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) |
| 9 | 247 | Darcy Harris | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) |