The Montreal Canadiens have a full schedule for the 2020/21 season

The NHL has officially released the schedule for the team’s games this upcoming season, and the Montreal Canadiens have an exciting one.

No more target dates and no more optimism. The 2020/21 NHL season is here, and the Montreal Canadiens have a schedule for it.

With no preseason and with a smaller number of games, each match is going to be crucial for the organization. Especially considering the aspirations, Marc Bergevin has for this season in combination with veteran players such as Carey Price and Shea Weber who desperately want to win.

The Montreal Canadiens are kicking off their season on day one (January 13th, 2021) against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After this single game, the rest of the year will play out similarly to having mini-playoff series throughout. Similarly for the remaining 55 games of the season, there are dates while the start times are to be determined. However, the Habs will likely be 7:00 – 8:00 PM EST starts.

Something to keep a note of is Monday, March 15th. That will mark the halfway point of the season, and the Montreal Canadiens will need to have secured at least 12 wins by then to stay in the running. Another key date is April 12th, the trade deadline.

The Canadiens would’ve had 42 games played by then, while the game after the deadline will be against the Leafs. Montreal will also be seeing Toronto for the remaining three games of the season, which could be a close battle as far as qualifying for the playoffs or even determining seeding in the first two rounds of the post-season.

None of these games are going to be easy wins. The Montreal Canadiens have even had trouble with a rebuilding Ottawa Senators team in the past, so taking any of these games lightly will be a mistake. Additionally, with the proximity of all these games (back-to-backs and three-in-fours), goaltending and the taxi squad are going to be as important as ever.