2019–20 Montreal Canadiens season

The 2019–20 Montreal Canadiens season was the 111th season for the franchise that was established on December 4, 1909, and their 103rd in the National Hockey League.
The season was suspended by the league officials on March 12, 2020, after several other professional and collegiate sports organizations followed suit as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On May 26, the NHL regular season was officially declared over with the remaining games being cancelled. The Canadiens advanced to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016–17 season, and defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round, but were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round in six games.
==Standings==
===Divisional standings===
===Eastern Conference===
==Schedule and results==
===Preseason===
The preseason schedule was published on June 18, 2019.
2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)	2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–0)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Recap
1 	September 16 	New Jersey 	2–4 	Montreal 	 	Primeau 	19,080 	1–0–0 	Recap
2 	September 18 	Florida 	3–4 	Montreal 	 	Lindgren 	3,500 	2–0–0 	Recap
3 	September 19 	Florida 	4–5 	Montreal 	SO 	Price 	19,101 	3–0–0 	Recap
4 	September 21 	Montreal 	4–0 	Ottawa 	 	Kinkaid 	11,185 	4–0–0 	Recap
5 	September 23 	Toronto 	3–0 	Montreal 	 	Lindgren 	— 	4–1–0 	Recap
6 	September 25 	Montreal 	0–3 	Toronto 	 	Kinkaid 	18,863 	4–2–0 	Recap
7 	September 28 	Ottawa 	3–4 	Montreal 	OT 	Price 	20,746 	5–2–0 	Recap
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.	
Notes:
 Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.
===Regular season===
The regular season schedule was released on June 25, 2019.
2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log 	2019–20 game log
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October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)	October: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 4–1–2)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Pts 	Recap
1 	October 3 	Montreal 	3–4 	Carolina 	SO 	Price 	18,680 	0–0–1 	1 	Recap
2 	October 5 	Montreal 	6–5 	Toronto 	SO 	Price 	19,547 	1–0–1 	3 	Recap
3 	October 9 	Montreal 	4–5 	Buffalo 	OT 	Kinkaid 	15,383 	1–0–2 	4 	Recap
4 	October 10 	Detroit 	4–2 	Montreal 	 	Price 	21,302 	1–1–2 	4 	Recap
5 	October 12 	St. Louis 	3–6 	Montreal 	 	Price 	21,302 	2–1–2 	6 	Recap
6 	October 15 	Tampa Bay 	3–1 	Montreal 	 	Price 	20,406 	2–2–2 	6 	Recap
7 	October 17 	Minnesota 	0–4 	Montreal 	 	Price 	20,419 	3–2–2 	8 	Recap
8 	October 19 	Montreal 	5–2 	St. Louis 	 	Price 	18,096 	4–2–2 	10 	Recap
9 	October 20 	Montreal 	3–4 	Minnesota 	 	Kinkaid 	17,344 	4–3–2 	10 	Recap
10 	October 24 	San Jose 	4–2 	Montreal 	 	Price 	21,052 	4–4–2 	10 	Recap
11 	October 26 	Toronto 	2–5 	Montreal 	 	Price 	21,302 	5–4–2 	12 	Recap
12 	October 30 	Montreal 	4–1 	Arizona 	 	Price 	14,004 	6–4–2 	14 	Recap
13 	October 31 	Montreal 	5–4 	Vegas 	OT 	Kinkaid 	18,035 	7–4–2 	16 	Recap
===Playoffs===
The Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round in four games.
The Canadiens faced the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, but were eliminated in six games.
2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs 	2020 Stanley Cup playoffs
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Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1	Eastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Series 	Recap
1 	August 1 	Montreal 	3–2 	Pittsburgh 	OT 	Price 	1–0 	Recap
2 	August 3 	Montreal 	1–3 	Pittsburgh 	 	Price 	1–1 	Recap
3 	August 5 	Pittsburgh 	3–4 	Montreal 	 	Price 	2–1 	Recap
4 	August 7 	Pittsburgh 	0–2 	Montreal 	 	Price 	3–1 	Recap
==Player statistics==
===Skaters===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	
 	68	22	39	61	5 	36
 	71	13	34	47	18 	32
 	71	17	27	44	−3 	35
 	59	22	21	43	9 	29
 	71	13	28	41	−15	6
 	71	11	29	40	−10	26
 	65	15	21	36	8 	33
 	58	16	14	30	2 	28
 	70	13	14	27	2 	24
‡ 	58	9 	13	22	1 	33
 	69	9 	12	21	5 	61
 	49	8 	7 	15	−8 	14
 	27	7 	8 	15	−6 	14
‡ 	63	4 	10	14	−2 	21
†‡ 	22	6 	7 	13	6 	2
 	51	4 	7 	11	5 	20
 	29	4 	6 	10	5 	4
 	36	6 	2 	8 	−11	23
 	56	0 	7 	7 	−1 	12
 	23	1 	4 	5 	1 	16
‡ 	14	0 	4 	4 	2 	6
 	13	2 	1 	3 	1 	0
†‡ 	20	1 	2 	3 	1 	8
 	16	1 	1 	2 	−1 	13
 	15	1 	1 	2 	−9 	0
 	27	1 	1 	2 	−4 	4
 	12	0 	2 	2 	0 	4
 	7 	1 	0 	1 	0 	0
 	41	1 	0 	1 	−4 	6
 	4 	0 	0 	0 	−1 	0
 	3 	0 	0 	0 	−4 	2
 	5 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
‡ 	5 	0 	0 	0 	−2 	0
‡ 	9 	0 	0 	0 	−1 	2
Playoffs
Player	 	 	 	 	 	
 	10	4	3	7	3 	0
 	10	1	6	7	3 	8
 	10	3	2	5	3 	16
 	10	3	2	5	5 	10
 	10	4	0	4	4 	23
 	10	1	3	4	4 	6
 	10	1	3	4	4 	8
 	9 	1	3	4	−1	2
 	10	2	1	3	1 	6
 	10	1	2	3	−1	6
 	10	0	3	3	2 	0
 	10	0	3	3	−2	8
 	10	2	0	2	−1	4
 	10	0	2	2	1 	2
 	10	0	2	2	2 	12
 	6 	0	1	1	1 	0
 	6 	0	1	1	−1	0
 	10	0	1	1	2 	14
 	2 	0	0	0	0 	0
 	5 	0	0	0	−1	2
 	2 	0	0	0	0 	0
===Goaltenders===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	58	58	3,439:49	27	25	6	160	2.79	1,755	.909	4	0	0	6
 	6 	6 	360:51 	2 	4 	0	20 	3.33	178 	.888	0	0	0	0
 	2 	2 	119:06 	1 	1 	0	5 	2.52	72 	.931	0	0	0	0
 	6 	5 	339:59 	1 	1 	3	24 	4.24	192 	.875	0	0	0	0
Playoffs
Player	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	10	10	605:32	5	5	18	1.78	282	.936	2	0	0	0
†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===
 Regular Season
Player 	Milestone 	Reached 	Ref
Cale Fleury 	1st career NHL game 	October 3, 2019 	
Nick Suzuki 	1st career NHL game 	October 3, 2019 	
Nick Suzuki 	1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point	October 9, 2019 	
Nate Thompson 	700th career NHL game 	October 9, 2019 	
Jonathan Drouin 	200th career NHL point 	October 12, 2019 	
Victor Mete 	1st career NHL goal 	October 17, 2019 	
Nick Suzuki 	1st career NHL goal 	October 17, 2019 	
Brendan Gallagher	300th career NHL point 	October 20, 2019 	
Brendan Gallagher	500th career NHL game 	October 30, 2019 	
Tomas Tatar 	300th career NHL point 	November 9, 2019 	
Shea Weber 	100th career NHL powerplay goal 	November 9, 2019 	
Phillip Danault 	100th career NHL assist 	November 16, 2019	
Cale Fleury 	1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point 	November 16, 2019	
Otto Leskinen 	1st career NHL game 	December 5, 2019 	
Cayden Primeau 	1st career NHL game 	December 5, 2019 	
Phillip Danault 	300th career NHL game 	December 11, 2019	
Cayden Primeau 	1st career NHL win 	December 11, 2019	
Joel Armia 	100th career NHL point 	December 17, 2019	
Jordan Weal 	200th career NHL game 	December 29, 2019	
Lukas Vejdemo 	1st career NHL game 	December 31, 2019	
Artturi Lehkonen 	100th career NHL point 	January 4, 2020 	
Ilya Kovalchuk 	900th career NHL game 	January 9, 2020 	
Nick Cousins 	300th career NHL game 	January 13, 2020 	
Dale Weise 	500th career NHL game 	January 27, 2020 	
Jake Evans 	1st career NHL game 	February 6, 2020 	
Brett Kulak 	200th career NHL game 	February 8, 2020 	
Jake Evans 	1st career NHL goal1st Career NHL point 	February 10, 2020	
Lukas Vejdemo 	1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point 	March 10, 2020 	
Jake Evans 	1st career NHL assist 	March 10, 2020 	
 Playoffs
Player 	Milestone 	Reached
Max Domi 	1st career Playoff game 	August 1, 2020
Jesperi Kotkaniemi	1st career Playoff game1st career Playoff goal1st career Playoff point 	August 1, 2020
Brett Kulak 	1st career Playoff game1st career Playoff assist1st career Playoff point	August 1, 2020
Victor Mete 	1st career Playoff game 	August 1, 2020
Nick Suzuki 	1st career Playoff game1st career Playoff goal1st career Playoff point 	August 1, 2020
Nick Suzuki 	1st career Playoff assist 	August 5, 2020
Alex Belzile 	1st career Playoff game 	August 7, 2020
Paul Byron 	1st career Playoff assist 	August 7, 2020
Alex Belzile 	1st career Playoff assist1st career Playoff point 	August 14, 2020
Max Domi 	1st career Playoff assist1st career Playoff point 	August 14, 2020
Jake Evans 	1st career Playoff game1st career Playoff assist1st career Playoff point	August 14, 2020
Victor Mete 	1st career Playoff assist1st career Playoff point 	August 14, 2020
Phillip Danault 	1st career Playoff goal 	August 19, 2020
Charles Hudon 	1st career Playoff game 	August 19, 2020
Xavier Ouellet 	1st career Playoff assist 	August 19, 2020
==Transactions==
The Canadiens have been involved in the following transactions during the 2019–20 season.
===Trades===
Date	Details 	Details 	Ref
 	To Florida PanthersCHI's 5th-round pick in 2019 	To Montreal Canadiens5th-round pick in 2020 	
 	To San Jose Sharks4th-round pick in 2019 	To Montreal Canadiens4th-round pick in 2020 	
 	To Philadelphia Flyers7th-round pick in 2020 	To Montreal Canadiens7th-round pick in 2019 	
 	To Los Angeles KingsCBJ's 2nd-round pick in 2019 	To Montreal Canadiens3rd-round pick in 20195th-round pick in 2019 	
 	To Chicago BlackhawksAndrew Shaw7th-round pick in 2021	To Montreal Canadiens2nd-round pick in 20207th-round pick in 20203rd-round pick in 2021	
 	To Anaheim DucksNicolas Deslauriers 	To Montreal Canadiens4th-round pick in 2020 	
 	To Buffalo SabresSJ's 4th-round pick in 2020 	To Montreal CanadiensMarco Scandella 	
 	To Ottawa SenatorsMike Reilly 	To Montreal CanadiensAndrew Sturtz5th-round pick in 2021 	
 	To Nashville PredatorsMichael McCarron 	To Montreal CanadiensLaurent Dauphin 	
 	To St. Louis BluesMarco Scandella 	To Montreal Canadiens2nd-round pick in 2020Conditional 4th-round pick in 2021 	
 	To Pittsburgh PenguinsRiley Barber Phil Varone 	To Montreal CanadiensJoseph BlandisiJake Lucchini 	
 	To Washington CapitalsIlya Kovalchuk 	To Montreal Canadiens3rd-round pick in 2020 	
 	To Philadelphia FlyersNate Thompson 	To Montreal Canadiens5th-round pick in 2021 	
 	To Ottawa SenatorsMatthew Peca 	To Montreal CanadiensAaron Luchuk7th-round pick in 2020 	
 	To Vegas Golden KnightsNick Cousins 	To Montreal Canadiens4th-round pick in 2021 	
===Free agents===
Date	Player 	Team 	Contract term	Ref
 	Riley Barber 	from Hershey Bears (AHL) 	1-year 	
 	Keith Kinkaid 	from New Jersey Devils 	1-year 	
 	Brett Lernout 	to Vegas Golden Knights 	1-year 	
 	Phil Varone 	from Philadelphia Flyers 	1-year 	
 	Ben Chiarot 	from Winnipeg Jets 	3-year 	
 	Nick Cousins 	from Arizona Coyotes 	1-year 	
 	Hunter Shinkaruk	to Charlotte Checkers (AHL) 	1-year 	
 	Daniel Audette 	to Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)	1-year 	
 	Ilya Kovalchuk 	from Los Angeles Kings 	1-year 	
 	Vasili Demchenko	from Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	1-year 	
===Contract terminations===
Date	Player 	Via 	Ref
 	David Sklenicka	Mutual termination	
===Signings===
Date	Player 	Contract term	Ref
 	Joel Armia 	2-year 	
 	Artturi Lehkonen 	2-year 	
 	Charles Hudon 	1-year 	
 	Michael McCarron 	1-year 	
 	Alex Belzile 	1-year 	
 	Gustav Olofsson 	1-year 	
 	Jesse Ylonen 	3-year 	
 	Laurent Dauphin 	1-year 	
 	Arsen Khisamutdinov	2-year 	
 	Cam Hillis 	3-year 	
 	Alexander Romanov 	3-year 	
==Draft picks==
Below are the Montreal Canadiens' selections at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, which was held on June 21 and 22, 2019, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Round	# 	Player 	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	15 	Cole Caufield 	RW 	 	U.S. National Development Team (USHL)
2 	46 	Jayden Struble 	D 	 	St. Sebastian's (USHS-Prep)
3 	641 	Mattias Norlinder 	D 	 	MODO (Sweden Jrs.)
3 	77 	Gianni Fairbrother 	D 	 	Everett Silvertips (WHL)
5 	1262	Jacob Leguerrier 	D 	 	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
5 	1313	Rhett Pitlick 	LW 	 	Chaska (USHS-MN)
5 	1384	Frederik Nissen Dichow	G 	 	Vojens (Denmark Jrs.)
6 	170 	Arsen Khisamutdinov 	C 	 	JHC Reaktor (Russian Jrs.)
7 	2015	Rafael Harvey-Pinard 	LW 	 	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
7 	2066	Kieran Ruscheinski 	D 	 	Calgary Northstars (AMHL)
Notes:
# The Los Angeles Kings' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 22, 2019 that sent Columbus' second-round pick in 2019 (50th overall) to Los Angeles in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2019 (126th overall) and this pick.
# The Los Angeles Kings' fifth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 22, 2019 that sent Columbus' second-round pick in 2019 (50th overall) to Los Angeles in exchange for a third-round pick in 2019 (64th overall) and this pick
# The Edmonton Oilers' fifth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 23, 2018 that sent Hayden Hawkey to Edmonton in exchange for this pick.
# The Arizona Coyotes' fifth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on February 11, 2019 that sent Calgary's fourth-round pick in 2019 to Los Angeles in exchange for Nate Thompson and this pick.
#:Los Angeles previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on January 24, 2019 that sent Dominik Kubalik to Chicago in exchange for this pick.
#:Chicago previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 12, 2018 that sent Marian Hossa, Vinnie Hinostroza, Jordan Oesterle and a third-round pick in 2019 to Arizona in exchange for Marcus Kruger, MacKenzie Entwistle, Jordan Maletta, Andrew Campbell and this pick.
# The Montreal Canadiens' seventh-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on June 22, 2019 that sent a seventh-round pick in 2020 to Philadelphia in exchange for this pick.
#:Philadelphia previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 23, 2018 that sent Montreal's seventh-round pick in 2018 to Montreal in exchange for this pick.
# The Winnipeg Jets' seventh-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 30, 2018 that sent Simon Bourque to Winnipeg in exchange for Steve Mason, Joel Armia, a fourth-round pick in 2020 and this pick.
==References==
Montreal Canadiens
Category:Montreal Canadiens seasons
Category:2019 in hockey
Category:2020 in hockey