Montreal Canadiens: Reasons For Optimism After Disastrous Start

Schedule (short term and long term)

The schedule is also not going to overwhelm the Canadiens anytime soon. Remember last season when they were playing four games a week for most of two months? Yeah, they don’t have to worry about that this season.

After such a frantic pace to the 2020-21 season, the Canadiens don’t even have back to back games again until the 30th and 31st of October. For now, they play every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

They also don’t have the toughest schedule in the short term. Their next four games at home at the Bell Centre in front of sold-out crowds and three of those games are against teams that missed the playoffs last season. The New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings will all be in Montreal by next Saturday night, with a visit from the Carolina Hurricanes the toughest game on the upcoming schedule.

They also do have 80 games left to play. Yes, the loss to the Maple Leafs was frustrating and the loss to the Sabres was ugly but they literally have 80 more games to play.

Giving up on the Canadiens now would be like turning off The Godfather because you found the first four minutes too slow.