2022–23 Montreal Canadiens season

The 2022–23 Montreal Canadiens season was the franchise's 114th season since its establishment on December 4, 1909, and their 106th season as member of the National Hockey League. On March 28, 2023, the Canadiens were eliminated from playoff contention following a 3-2 regulation loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
==Standings==
===Divisional standings===
===Conference standings===
==Schedule and results==
===Preseason===
2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)	2022 preseason game log: 0–6–2 (home: 0–5–0; road: 0–1–2)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Recap
1 	September 26 	New Jersey 	2–1 	Montreal 	 	Primeau 	19,308 	0–1–0 	
2 	September 28 	Montreal 	0–3 	Toronto 	 	Montembeault 	17,519 	0–2–0 	
3 	September 29 	Winnipeg 	4–3 	Montreal 	 	Primeau 	19,544 	0–3–0 	
4 	October 1 	Montreal 	4–5 	Ottawa 	OT 	Primeau 	15,878 	0–3–1 	
5 	October 3 	Toronto 	5–1 	Montreal 	 	Allen 	19,636 	0–4–1 	
6 	October 4 	Ottawa 	5–4 	Montreal 	 	Montembeault 	19,550 	0–5–1 	
7 	October 6 	Ottawa 	4–3 	Montreal 	 	Primeau 	1,078 	0–6–1 	
8 	October 8 	Montreal 	2–3 	Ottawa 	OT 	Allen 	1,155 	0–6–2 	
===Regular season===
The regular season schedule was released on July 6, 2022.
2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log 	2022–23 game log
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"	
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"
October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)	October: 5–4–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–2–0)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Pts 	Recap
1 	October 12 	Toronto 	3–4 	Montreal 	 	Allen 	21,105 	1–0–0 	2 	
2 	October 14 	Montreal 	0–3 	Detroit 	 	Allen 	19,515 	1–1–0 	2 	
3 	October 15 	Montreal 	1–3 	Washington 	 	Montembeault 	18,573 	1–2–0 	2 	
4 	October 17 	Pittsburgh 	2–3 	Montreal 	OT 	Montembeault 	21,105 	2–2–0 	4 	
5 	October 20 	Arizona 	2–6 	Montreal 	 	Allen 	20,691 	3–2–0 	6 	
6 	October 22 	Dallas 	5–2 	Montreal 	 	Allen 	21,105 	3–3–0 	6 	
7 	October 25 	Minnesota 	3–1 	Montreal 	 	Allen 	20,867 	3–4–0 	6 	
8 	October 27 	Montreal 	3–2 	Buffalo 	 	Montembeault 	12,735 	4–4–0 	8 	
9 	October 29 	Montreal 	7–4 	St. Louis 	 	Allen 	18,096 	5–4–0 	10 	
==Player statistics==
Final stats
===Skaters===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	
 	82	26	40	66	−13	33
 	58	14	24	38	−2 	43
 	46	26	10	36	−10	2
 	67	14	20	34	−10	28
 	48	8 	26	34	+7 	33
 	69	21	11	32	−8 	72
 	58	2 	27	29	−18	18
 	64	10	18	28	−12	6
 	34	14	6 	20	+7 	10
 	62	3 	17	20	−14	40
 	54	2 	17	19	−5 	28
 	44	4 	14	18	−19	27
‡ 	50	4 	14	18	−10	16
 	25	6 	11	17	−5 	16
 	65	4 	13	17	−3 	26
 	37	6 	10	16	−11	0
 	63	7 	8 	15	−4 	77
 	46	6 	9 	15	−15	22
 	39	4 	11	15	−2 	20
 	77	3 	12	15	+3 	39
 	37	8 	6 	14	−5 	45
 	43	7 	7 	14	−7 	22
 	31	6 	8 	14	0 	13
 	51	5 	8 	13	−9 	101
 	61	2 	11	13	−29	58
 	39	4 	6 	10	−13	33
† 	23	5 	3 	8 	−7 	6
† 	23	1 	6 	7 	−7 	4
 	46	0 	6 	6 	−6 	81
 	13	3 	2 	5 	+2 	6
 	1 	1 	0 	1 	0 	0
 	6 	1 	0 	1 	−2 	0
 	2 	0 	1 	1 	−2 	0
 	7 	0 	1 	1 	+1 	0
 	3 	0 	0 	0 	+2 	0
 	1 	0 	0 	0 	−1 	0
===Goaltenders===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	42	41	2,450:25	15	24	3	145	3.55	1335	.891	1	0	1	2
 	40	39	2,333:51	16	19	3	133	3.42	1345	.901	0	0	0	0
 	3 	2 	138:35 	0 	2 	0	8 	3.46	54 	.852	0	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.
==Roster==
==Awards and honours==
===Milestones===
 Regular Season
Player 	Milestone 	Reached 	Ref
Kaiden Guhle 	1st career NHL game 	October 12, 2022 	
Jordan Harris 	1st career NHL assist 	October 12, 2022 	
Juraj Slafkovsky 	1st career NHL game 	October 12, 2022 	
Arber Xhekaj 	1st career NHL game 	October 12, 2022 	
Arber Xhekaj 	1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point 	October 15, 2022 	
Kaiden Guhle 	1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point 	October 17, 2022 	
Juraj Slafkovsky 	1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point 	October 20, 2022 	
Arber Xhekaj 	1st career NHL goal 	October 22, 2022 	
Kaiden Guhle 	1st career NHL goal 	October 27, 2022 	
Christian Dvorak 	1st career NHL hat-trick 	October 29, 2022 	
Nick Suzuki 	100th career NHL assist 	October 29, 2022 	
Josh Anderson 	400th career NHL game 	November 5, 2022 	
Joel Armia 	400th career NHL game 	November 5, 2022 	
Johnathan Kovacevic 	1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point 	November 9, 2022 	
Juraj Slafkovsky 	1st career NHL assist 	November 17, 2022	
Cole Caufield 	100th career NHL game 	December 1, 2022 	
Johnathan Kovacevic 	1st career NHL goal 	December 6, 2022 	
Anthony Richard 	1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point 	December 21, 2022	
Anthony Richard 	1st career NHL assist 	January 3, 2023 	
David Savard 	700th career NHL game 	January 7, 2023 	
Christian Dvorak 	400th career NHL game 	January 12, 2023 	
Kirby Dach 	200th career NHL game 	January 24, 2023 	
Rafael Harvey-Pinard	1st career NHL assist 	January 26, 2023 	
Owen Beck 	1st career NHL game 	January 28, 2023 	
Alex Belzile 	1st career NHL goal 	February 12, 2023	
Christian Dvorak 	200th career NHL point 	February 12, 2023	
Rem Pitlick 	100th career NHL game 	February 16, 2023	
Mike Matheson 	100th career NHL assist 	February 21, 2023	
Josh Anderson 	200th career NHL point 	March 13, 2023 	
David Savard 	200th career NHL point 	March 13, 2023 	
Jonathan Drouin 	200th career NHL assist 	March 14, 2023 	
Joel Edmundson 	100th career NHL point 	March 14, 2023 	
Michael Pezzetta 	100th career NHL game 	March 14, 2023 	
Nick Suzuki 	200th career NHL point 	March 23, 2023 	
Rafael Harvey-Pinard	1st career NHL hat-trick 	March 25, 2023 	
Brendan Gallagher 	200th career NHL goal 	March 27, 2023 	
Sean Farrell 	1st career NHL game 	March 28, 2023 	
Sean Farrell 	1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point 	March 30, 2023 	
Samuel Montembeault 	100th career NHL game 	April 6, 2023 	
Joel Teasdale 	1st career NHL game 	April 12, 2023 	
Lucas Condotta 	1st career NHL game1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point	April 13, 2023 	
Joel Teasdale 	1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point 	April 13, 2023 	
==Transactions==
The Canadiens have been involved in the following transactions during the 2022–23 season.
Key:
 Contract is entry-level.
 Contract initially takes effect in the 2023-24 season.
===Trades===
Date	Details 	Details 	Ref
 	To New York IslandersAlexander Romanov MTL's 4th-round pick in 2022 	To Montreal CanadiensNYI's 1st-round pick in 2022 	
 	To Chicago Blackhawks NYI's 1st-round pick in 2022 MTL's 3rd-round pick in 2022 	To Montreal CanadiensKirby Dach 	
 	To Vegas Golden KnightsTBL's 4th-round pick in 20221 	To Montreal CanadiensVGK's 4th-round pick in 2023 	
 	To Pittsburgh PenguinsJeff Petry Ryan Poehling 	To Montreal CanadiensMike Matheson PIT's 4th-round pick in 2023 	
 	To Calgary FlamesFuture considerations 	To Montreal CanadiensSean MonahanConditional 1st-round pick in 2024, 2025, or 2026Conditional 3rd-round pick in 2025Conditional 4th-round pick in 2025	
 	To Chicago BlackhawksCam Hillis 	To Montreal CanadiensNicolas Beaudin 	
 	To Dallas StarsEvgenii Dadonov 	To Montreal CanadiensDenis Gurianov 	
 	To Los Angeles KingsNate Schnarr 	To Montreal CanadiensFrédéric Allard 	
 	To Pittsbugh PenguinsNick Bonino (via SJS) 	To Montreal CanadiensTony Sund (via SJS)SJS's 5th-round pick in 2024 (via SJS) 	
 	To San Jose SharksArvid Henrikson (via MTL)PIT's 7th-round pick in 2023 (via PIT)Conditional 5th-round pick in 2024 (via PIT)	To Montreal CanadiensTony Sund (via SJS)SJS's 5th-round pick in 2024 (via SJS) 	
Notes:
# The Tampa Bay Lightning's fourth-round pick went to the Vegas Golden Knights as the result of a trade on July 8, 2022, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2023 to Montreal in exchange for this pick.
#:Montreal previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 24, 2021, that sent Vegas' fourth-round pick in 2021 (126th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for this pick.
# Montreal will have the option to receive Calgary's first-round pick in 2024 if the pick is outside of the top 20. If Montreal declines to exercise this option or Calgary's first-round pick in 2024 is within the top 20, they will receive one of Calgary or Florida's first-round picks in 2025 or 2026. If both Calgary and Florida's first-round picks in 2025 are outside of the top 10, Montreal will receive the earlier of the two. If Calgary's first-round pick in 2025 is in the top 10 and Florida's is outside, Montreal will receive Florida's first-round pick in 2025; if Florida's first-round pick in 2025 is in the top 10 and Calgary's outside, Montreal will receive Calgary's first-round pick in 2025. If both Calgary and Florida's first-round picks in 2025 are within the top 10, Montreal will receive Calgary's first-round pick, unless said pick is the first-overall selection in 2025; if so, Montreal will instead receive the earlier of Calgary or Florida's first-round picks in 2026.
# Montreal will receive Calgary's third-round pick in 2025 if Calgary's first-round pick in 2025 is the first-overall selection and Florida's first-round pick in 2025 is in the top 10 selections; otherwise no pick will be exchanged.
# Montreal will receive Calgary's fourth-round pick in 2025 if both Calgary and Florida's first-round selections in 2025 are outside of the top 10, Florida's draft position is better than Calgary's, and the rights to Florida's first-round pick in 2025 are with another team; otherwise no pick will be exchanged.
# The Canadiens will retain 50% of Dadonov's salary until the end of the current season.
# The Canadiens will retain 50% of Bonino's salary until the end of the current season.
# San Jose will receive Pittsburgh's fourth-round pick in 2024 should the Penguins reach the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals; otherwise the pick will not convert from a fifth-round selection.
===Players acquired===
Date	Player 	Former team (League)	Term 	Via 	Ref
 	Madison Bowey 	Vancouver Canucks 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Anthony Richard 	Nashville Predators 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Mitchell Stephens 	Detroit Red Wings 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Johnathan Kovacevic	Winnipeg Jets 	 	Waivers 	
 	Chris Tierney 	Florida Panthers 	 	Waivers 	
===Players lost===
Date	Player 	New team (League) 	Term 	Via 	Ref
 	Louie Belpedio 	Philadelphia Flyers 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Kale Clague 	Buffalo Sabres 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Laurent Dauphin 	Arizona Coyotes 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Xavier Ouellet 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	2-year	Free agency	
 	Jean-Sebastien Dea	Arizona Coyotes 	2-year	Free agency	
 	William Lagesson 	Carolina Hurricanes 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Sami Niku 	JYP (Liiga) 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Josh Brook 	Calgary Wranglers (AHL)	1-year	Free agency	
 	Cedric Paquette 	HC Dinamo Minsk (KHL) 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Mathieu Perreault 	 	 	Retirement 	
 	Tyler Pitlick 	St. Louis Blues 	1-year	Free agency	
===Signings===
Date	Player 	Term 	Ref
 	Michael Pezzetta 	1-year 	
 	Corey Schueneman 	1-year 	
 	Alex Belzile 	1-year 	
 	Nate Schnarr 	1-year 	
 	Juraj Slafkovsky 	3-year† 	
 	Joel Teasdale 	1-year 	
 	Filip Mesar 	3-year† 	
 	Rem Pitlick 	2-year 	
 	Samuel Montembeault	2-year 	
 	Kirby Dach 	4-year 	
 	Cayden Primeau 	3-year 	
 	Jake Allen 	2-year‡ 	
 	Owen Beck 	3-year† 	
 	Logan Mailloux 	3-year† 	
 	William Trudeau 	3-year† 	
 	Jordan Harris 	2-year‡ 	
 	Xavier Simoneau 	2-year†‡	
 	Jayden Struble 	2-year†‡	
 	Sean Farrell 	3-year† 	
 	Jakub Dobeš 	2-year†‡	
==Draft picks==
Below are the Montreal Canadiens' selections at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, which was held on July 7–8, 2022 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.
Round	# 	Player 	Pos.	Nationality	Team (League)
1 	1 	Juraj Slafkovsky	LW 	 	TPS (Liiga)
1 	261 	Filip Mesar 	RW 	 	HK Poprad (Tipos Extraliga)
2 	36 	Owen Beck 	C 	 	Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
2 	622 	Lane Hutson 	D 	 	U.S. NTDP (USHL)
3 	753 	Vinzenz Rohrer 	C 	 	Ottawa 67's (OHL)
3 	924 	Adam Engstrom 	D 	 	Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
4 	1275	Cedrick Guindon 	LW 	 	Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
5 	130 	Jared Davidson 	C 	 	Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
6 	162 	Emmett Croteau 	G 	 	Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
7 	194 	Petteri Nurmi 	D 	 	HPK (Liiga)
7 	2166	Miguel Tourigny 	D 	 	Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
Notes:
# The Calgary Flames' first-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on February 14, 2022, that sent Tyler Toffoli to Calgary in exchange for Tyler Pitlick, Emil Heineman, a fifth-round pick in 2023, a conditional fourth-round pick in 2024 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – Montreal will receive a first-round pick in 2022 if Calgary's first-round pick is outside of the top ten selections – was converted when the Flames qualified for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs on April 16, 2022.
# The Edmonton Oilers' second-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on March 21, 2022, that sent Brett Kulak to Edmonton in exchange for William Lagesson, a seventh-round pick in 2024 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – Montreal will receive a second-round pick in 2022 if Edmonton does not qualify for the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals – was converted on June 6, 2022.
# The Anaheim Ducks' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on July 24, 2021, that sent Chicago's third-round pick in 2021 (76th overall) to Anaheim in exchange for this pick.
# The Carolina Hurricanes' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as compensation for not matching an offer sheet from Carolina to restricted free agent Jesperi Kotkaniemi on September 4, 2021.
# 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.
# 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.
==References==
Category:2022–23 NHL season by team
Category:2022–23 in Canadian ice hockey by team
Category:Montreal Canadiens seasons