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Montreal Canadiens: Your guide on how the Habs will matchup against each team in an All-Canadian division

By Matthew Candy

July 28, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Paul Byron #41 of the Montreal Canadiens scores on a backhand shot against goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third period of an exhibition game prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on July 28, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. Mandatory Credit: Mark Blinch/NHLI via USA TODAY Sports
July 28, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Paul Byron #41 of the Montreal Canadiens scores on a backhand shot against goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third period of an exhibition game prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on July 28, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. Mandatory Credit: Mark Blinch/NHLI via USA TODAY Sports /
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Your guide on how the Montreal Canadiens match up against every team in an All-Canadian division for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

There are rumors swirling across the hockey community that a potential All-Canadian division is almost a certainty. With the NHL looking to return to play sooner rather than later, a division containing only Canadian teams would serve as a viable option in keeping the clubs inside Canada’s borders, preventing the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, it would make for an interesting challenge for the Montreal Canadiens.

The thought of an All-Canadian division has hockey fans salivating, as there would not only be quality hockey but the reignition of some intense Canadian rivalries. Habs/Leafs and Oilers/Flames in a weekend series? That would be pure insanity, and I’m here for it.

Let’s take a dive into how the Habs would match up against each Canadian team.

Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, ONTARIO – AUGUST 09: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO – AUGUST 09: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images) /

Canadiens’ 2019-20 record vs. Toronto: 3-0-0

2019-20 Leading Scorer: Auston Matthews 80 points

Leafs’ fans were disappointed when their team was dispatched in game five of the NHL play-in round by a defensively sound Columbus squad. The offensively heavy Leafs were lacking on the blue line as well as in the bottom six, and GM Kyle Dubas wasted no time bringing in veterans such as Joe Thorton, Wayne Simmonds, and TJ Brodie. Morgan Reilly has never had a true right-shot top-pair defenseman on his flank but has found that in Brodie.

How will the Habs fare against the slightly revamped Leafs?

Montreal had no trouble with the Leafs last season, taking the season series 3-0, including a nail-biting 4-1 comeback at Scotiabank Arena.  In order to keep the good fortune rolling this season, Montreal will need to have an answer for Toronto’s top two lines, centered by Auston Matthews and John Tavares. This equals heavy doses of Phillip Danault, including the Chiarot-Weber pairing. The slack can be taken up by Suzuki’s line as he is growing into a fantastic 200-foot centerman.

Montreal boasts a faster and younger bottom six that should be able to take advantage of the much older and grittier bottom six of the Maple Leafs. Beyond the Reilly-Brodie pairing, Toronto does lack depth on the blue line, something that the Habs could look to prey on.

The Leafs do have the advantage on the power play, as they ranked 6th in power play percentage during the 2019-20 season, compared to Montreal’s 22nd.

In the NHL’s return to play, Carey Price led all goalies with a 1.78 GAA, followed by Toronto’s  Frederik Andersen at 1.84. Montreal has the upper hand in net as Carey Price seemed to regain his form in the playoffs.

Overall, the Habs should match up fairly well against the Leafs. Containing Toronto’s high octane offense and quality goaltending from Price are the main keys to victory for the Canadiens.

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