Playoff teams Habs fans might enjoy following
If Habs history decides your partisanship in the playoffs, these are the teams to watch
For the second time in three years, there will be no NHL playoff hockey in Montreal.
Last season, there were only three playoff games at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens lost two, so Bell Centre fans have witnessed only one playoff victory in the last three years.
While the Canadiens aren’t in the playoffs this year, there are quite a few former Habs taking part with different teams. If you’re looking for another team to root for — or against — because of a Canadiens connection, here are some possibilities:
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Three of the Predators’ defencemen are former Canadiens — P.K. Subban, Alexei Emelin and Yannick Weber.
While the Canadiens finished the season ranked 25th in the NHL in defence, allowing an average of 3.15 goals per game, Nashville ranked second at 2.49.
Subban played all 82 games, posting 16 goals and 59 points and was plus-18 while averaging 24:06 of ice time. He had five more points than Brendan Gallagher, who led the Canadiens with 31 goals and 54 points.
Emelin played 76 games and had a goal and eight assists along with a plus-9 while averaging 16:52 of ice time. Weber played 47 games and had two goals and three assists and a plus-2, averaging 12:03 of ice time. Weber’s fiancée is Kayla Price, the sister of Canadiens goalie Carey Price.
The Predators had the best record in the NHL (53-18-11) and the betting website Bodog has them listed as the favourites to win the Stanley Cup. Nashville is also the best hope for the Cup coming to Montreal, since Subban would almost certainly bring it to the Children’s Hospital.
The Preds play Game 1 of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche Thursday (9:30 p.m., SN, TVA Sports).
COLORADO AVALANCHE
Forward Sven Andrighetto and defenceman Mark Barberio did not play huge roles with the Avalanche, but the former Canadiens are in the playoffs. Andrighetto played 50 games, posting eight goals and 22 points and a minus-15, while Montreal native Barberio played 46 games and had three goals and 10 assists along with a plus-6.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
The young guns on the Maple Leafs have a veteran presence from three former Canadiens: Tomas Plekanec, Dominic Moore and Ron Hainsey.
Plekanec, 35, had only two assists in 17 games with the Maple Leafs and was minus-2 while averaging 11:02 of ice time after they acquired him from the Canadiens at the NHL trade deadline. Moore, who played 21 games for the Canadiens during the 2009-10 season, had six goals and six assists in 50 games with the Leafs and was plus-3. The 37-year-old has played for 10 NHL teams, including two stints with both the Leafs and Rangers.
Hainsey, 37, was Montreal’s first-round pick (13th overall) at the 2000 NHL draft, but only played 32 games with the Canadiens. The defenceman, who has played 987 regular-season games with seven teams, had four goals and 19 assists and was plus-12 in his first season with the Leafs, averaging 21:51 of ice time. Hainsey earned a Cup ring last year with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
BOSTON BRUINS
Former Canadiens captain Brian Gionta is now with the Bruins, who play the Leafs in the first round with Game 1 Thursday night (7 p.m., CBC, TVA Sports). Gionta joined Boston after being captain of Team U.S.A. at the Pyeongchang Olympics, posting two goals and five assists in 20 games with the Bruins while averaging 13:04 of ice time.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Rookie defenceman Mikhail Sergachev, acquired from the Canadiens in the Jonathan Drouin trade, posted nine goals and 40 points in 79 games with the Lightning while averaging 15:21 of ice time. Defenceman Ryan McDonagh — who like Sergachev was a first-round draft pick of the Canadiens, but never played for them — was acquired by the Lightning from the Rangers at the trade deadline.
The Lightning play Game 1 against the New Jersey Devils Thursday night (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports 2).
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
As a third-line centre with the Capitals, Lars Eller posted 18 goals and 20 assists in 81 games and was minus-1 while averaging 15:18 of ice time. Defenceman Jakub Jerabek posted a goal and three assists and a minus-1 in 11 games with the Capitals. The four points match the total Jerabek had in 25 games with the Canadiens this season before being traded. Devante Smith-Pelly, another former Canadien, had seven goals and nine assists in 75 games.
The Capitals play Game 1 of their series against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night (7:30 p.m., SN360, TVA Sports 3). The Blue Jackets have former Canadien Thomas Vanek, who posted 24 goals and 32 assists this season.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
Torrey Mitchell was pointless in 11 games with the Canadiens this season before being traded to the Kings, where he posted six goals and five assists in 49 games and was minus-5 while averaging 11:52 of ice time. If the Kings win the Stanley Cup, Mitchell would likely bring it back to his hometown of Greenfield Park on Montreal’s South Shore.
The Kings play the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of their series late Wednesday night.