There are no two ways about it. The Montreal Canadiens are experiencing a moribund, dare it be uttered, dreadful campaign thus far. Even within the context of tempered expectations, head coach Martin St. Louis’ troupe has not measured up, which has left fans and pundits wondering what in blazes is going on. But there is one thing that can restore some pride, even in the most difficult of times: defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs. That makes games like Saturday’s (Nov. 9) so unique.
Montreal’s David vs. Toronto’s Goliath
By almost every metric, the Habs are not as good as the Maple Leafs this season. It can be easily argued that a Torontonian outfit without superstar talisman Auston Matthews (currently injured) is still the better side.
The Leafs score 3.07 times per game this season, whereas the Habs find the back of the net 2.71 times. Toronto has registered an incredible 463 shots on target so far. Montreal has mustered 348. There was praise recently about how well the Canadiens’ penalty killing has fared. It’s still decent, operating at 82.4% efficiency, but the Maple Leafs have leapfrogged over them at 85.0%.
The Canadiens have a pair of players who have reached the 10-point plateau so far: Nick Suzuki (13) and Cole Caufield (11). The Leafs have a quintet: Mitch Marner (18), William Nylander (16), John Tavares (13), Auston Matthews (11), and Morgan Rielly (11).
Goaltending, a position Habs faithful have hung their hats on for decades, is also not as good this season. Samuel Montembeault, who stone-walled Toronto on opening night with a 48-save shutout, has a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.46 and a save percentage (SV%) of .892. Conversely, Toronto’s Anthony Stolarz, mostly a journeyman backup, is anything but these days, posting a GAA of 2.00 and a SV% of .930.
St. Louis’ coaching resume is briefer than Craig Berube’s, but it’s still a pair of postseason-less campaigns. His opposite number has a Stanley Cup ring from his days with the St. Louis Blues.
The good old eye test doesn’t do the Canadiens any favours, either. Many Montreal efforts are laboured, filled with mental and strategic errors. By comparison, Toronto glides across the ice like a winter breeze above a frozen pond.
Even if, and now we’re stretching, one wants to argue that the Canadiens have a superior playoff history over the past decade because they’ve reached a Stanley Cup Final (eliminating the Leafs along the way, no less), it still feels a bit like a half-hearted attempt at chest-pumping. At least the Maple Leafs are in the playoffs annually and get to suit up for exciting Game 6s and 7s.
Wins Over the Maple Leafs Matter
This is why occasions like opening night (Oct. 8), Nov. 9, Jan. 18, and April 12 are important. If there is any sense of pride in the locker room and on the bench, the Canadiens need to get up for matches versus their eternal rivals.
They don’t have to go into Toronto and win 7-1, although fans would love it. Even if they don’t win (although that’s priority number one), they need to play well. Demonstrate that this game means something. Make life difficult for the Leafs. Make the fans at Scotiabank Arena sweaty and nervous.
Precisely because the Maple Leafs are such a strong side – and a consistently strong one, to boot – a good effort can be a catalyst for the Habs. No team is terrible forever. The San Jose Sharks have had excellent campaigns. The Anaheim Ducks have a Stanley Cup banner hanging in their building. Things change, fates can be altered, and histories course-corrected.
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It can all happen in the blink of an eye when the supporters, analysts, fans, and maybe the players themselves least expect it. Consider Game 5, Round One, of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Leafs led the series 3-1 and geared up for a series clincher. Suzuki’s overtime marker to win the contest 4-3 and extend the series was that catalyst that ultimately led to playing the Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Any number of things can turn a franchise’s frown upside down. A draft pick. A brilliant offseason acquisition. A coaching change. Winning, too. The Blues were the worst team in the NHL in January 2019. Then they started winning and never stopped until they hoisted Lord Stanley’s trophy later in June.
Every game is important. No opponent should be overlooked. But if there is one in particular with the potential to provide the Canadiens with a boost, it’s the Maple Leafs. Winning over Toronto can and should be a confidence booster for all the reasons we elaborated. These are the memory-making nights in an NHL season: Saturday is when the Canadiens and Leafs draw swords. Montreal has to make it count. For the fans, yes, but for themselves. One never knows when the momentum switch can be flipped on.
