Montreal Canadiens: Three Reasons We Are Sad to See 2021-22 Season End

The Montreal Canadiens ended the 2020-21 season with a lengthy playoff run and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 28 years.

The 2021-22 season ended with some fireworks, but it was due to one wild game at the end of a long and arduous regular season. The Habs knew long ago they wouldn’t be in the playoffs, and were aware heading into their final game that they would finish in last place no matter what happened.

So, they scored ten goals against the Florida Panthers and won 10-2.

It was the biggest win in a season of losses for the Canadiens franchise. They started the year with five straight losses and would only win eight of their first 45 games before head coach Dominique Ducharme was fired. They eventually went on a nice run for about a month under Martin St. Louis but fell back into their losing ways throughout most of April.

It was tough to watch as at times as Habs fans. The complete disconnect in the defensive zone for most of the first half of the season. The constant injuries that kept top players off the ice for most, if not all, of the season. The Covid outbreak that put most of the team on the sidelines but they were forced to play through anyway.

It led to some mediocre lineups, a lot of goals against, and many losses.

However, we are hockey fans and we will still be sad to see the season end. There were some bright spots on a dark season that we wished could have continued.

Let’s take a look at the top three reasons why us Habs fans are sad to see the worst seasons in franchise history come to a close.

We just like to watch the Canadiens

While the Montreal Canadiens season was difficult to watch at times, it was a lot better having a team to watch and follow on a daily basis than no team at all.

One thing that the pandemic taught hockey fans was that when sports were taken away from us, we missed it even more than we could have imagined. We are so wired to be checking scores from the late night games first thing in the morning and setting up our evening around the fact that we would be sitting in our favourite chair at 7:00 PM EST because “the game is on.”

Even in a bad season, we find ourselves tuning in on a nightly basis. All 82 games are appointment viewing and you know before that game ends when the next game is and you know you’ll be right back in your favourite chair just in time to catch the drop of the puck that night as well.

Anything can happen in a hockey game, even if it is Game 82 of a miserable season. You never know, that super rookie you have been excited about for years might score his first career hat trick. That defenceman you’ve been hearing about who might sign or might not could score his first career goal.

Unfortunately, there will be no games to watch for the next five months. While the 2021-22 version of the Canadiens is not one we will remember fondly, having a game to watch is always better than just having other teams to watch or no hockey at all.

Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki just kept getting better

The biggest reason Habs fans would be sad to see the 2021-22 season end is because we can not watch Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki work their magic together for another few months.

The dynamic duo played well together in the 2021 postseason, but struggled out of the gate this season. A midseason coaching change seemed to be the spark Caufield needed and the pair took off over the second half of the season.

The 21 year old Caufield had just one goal in 30 games before Martin St. Louis stepped behind the bench. He finished the season with 22 goals and 35 points in his last 37 games. It was incredibly fun watching the young scorer blossom before our eyes in the final three months of the season.

He was playing on a line with Suzuki every night and the 22 year old centre was providing just as much offensively. Though his start to the season was better than Caufield, his 27 points in 45 games to begin the season was far below what was expected of him this season after signing a monster contract extension that kicks in next season.

Like Caufield, Suzuki finished the season on fire, scoring 12 goals and 34 points in his last 37 games with St. Louis guiding the ship.

Even though we knew months ago the Canadiens were not making the playoffs, it was a treat to watch Suzuki and Caufield in action together as they both really broke out offensively in the second half.

It is shame we have to wait until October to see it happen again.

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