The NHL just released the 2011-12 schedule this afternoon. What does it look like for Your Montreal Canadiens? To see the full schedule, check here:
Here's an overview:
SEASON OPENER -
| THU, 6 OCT 2011 | CANADIENS | MAPLE LEAFS
| 7:00 PM |
No change from tradition. Montreal opens up on the road in Toronto. Wonder if they bench Markov for this one, afraid of an injury. He never seems to have luck in that building.
WINNIPEG HOME OPENER -
| SUN, 9 OCT 2011 | CANADIENS | NHL
(WINNIPEG) | 5:00 PM | |
Interestingly, the Habs don't play on the first Saturday of the NHL season. In an odd scheduling quirk, the Winnipeg Team to be Named has their home opener on a Sunday afternoon, as your Canadiens make their first visit in many years to the 'Peg.
HOME OPENER -
| THU, 13 OCT 2011 | FLAMES | CANADIENS
| 7:30 PM |
After two games on the road, the Habs open at the Bell Centre against the Calgary Flames.
HOLIDAY ROAD TRIP -
| MON, 19 DEC 2011 | CANADIENS | BRUINS
| 7:00 PM | | |
| WED, 21 DEC 2011 | CANADIENS | BLACKHAWKS
| 7:30 PM | | |
| THU, 22 DEC 2011 | CANADIENS | NHL
(WINNIPEG) | 8:30 PM | | |
| TUE, 27 DEC 2011 | CANADIENS | SENATORS
| 7:30 PM | | |
| THU, 29 DEC 2011 | CANADIENS | LIGHTNING
| 7:30 PM | | |
| SAT, 31 DEC 2011 | CANADIENS | PANTHERS
| 6:00 PM | | |
|
The traditional holiday road trip returns again and takes the Canadiens in a number of directions. The players will benefit from Christmas at home with no game on the 26th and having to travel only a short distance to Ottawa the following day. This 6-game stand is the longest road trip of the Canadiens season.
HOME STANDS -
The Habs longest home stand this year is of just 3 games, but that happens numerous times. Interestingly, following the holiday road trip, 11 of the team's next 15 games will be in Montreal.
THE BRUINS -
| THU, 27 OCT 2011 | CANADIENS | BRUINS
| 7:00 PM | | |
| SAT, 29 OCT 2011 | BRUINS | CANADIENS
| 7:00 PM | | TICKETS |
The Canadiens get their first chance at revenge against the Boston Bruins in a home-and-home series at the end of October. I'm sure Habs fans everywhere will be circling these games on their calendar.
WINNIPEG IN MONTREAL -
| WED, 4 JAN 2012 | NHL | CANADIENS
| 7:30 PM | | TICKETS |
| SUN, 5 FEB 2012 | NHL | CANADIENS
| 2:00 PM | | TICKETS |
Given that the new Winnipeg franchise still plays in the Thrashers old division this year, they will make two visits to Montreal.
RETURNS TO MONTREAL -
| TUE, 10 JAN 2012 | BLUES | CANADIENS
| 7:30 PM | | TICKETS |
Of the games I attended last year, Saku Koivu's return to Montreal was undoubtedly the most special to me. Unfortunately, Anaheim does not visit the Bell Centre this year, but Jaroslav Halak and the St. Louis Blues will be in town in January.
FINAL STRETCH -
| WED, 4 APR 2012 | LIGHTNING | CANADIENS
| 7:30 PM | | TICKETS |
| THU, 5 APR 2012 | CANADIENS | HURRICANES
| 7:00 PM | | |
| SAT, 7 APR 2012 | MAPLE LEAFS | CANADIENS
| 7:00 PM | | TICKETS |
The Canadiens play only three games in the month of April, compared to 4 last season. To create balance, just as they start their schedule in Toronto, the Habs finish at home against the Leafs.
And last, we won't have to wait till October for some kind of Habs game of course. Here's the pre-season schedule:
|
| DATE | AWAY | HOME | TIME(ET) | LOCATION |
| SEPT. 20, 2011 | STARS | CANADIENS | | CENTRE BELL - MONTRÉAL | |
| SEPT. 21, 2011 | SABRES | CANADIENS | | CENTRE BELL - MONTRÉAL | |
| SEPT. 23, 2011 | CANADIENS | SENATORS | | SCOTIA BANK PLACE - OTTAWA | |
| SEPT. 24, 2011 | SENATORS | CANADIENS | | CENTRE BELL - MONTRÉAL | |
| SEPT. 25, 2011 | CANADIENS | BRUINS | | HALIFAX, NS | |
| SEPT. 26, 2011 | BRUINS | CANADIENS | | CENTRE BELL - MONTRÉAL | |
| SEPT. 29, 2011 | LIGHTNING | CANADIENS | | CENTRE BELL - MONTRÉAL |
| OCT. 1, 2011 | CANADIENS | LIGHTNING | | COLISÉE, QUEBEC CITY |
The Boys are Back in Town! The Montreal Canadiens kick things off for the 2011-12 NHL season with rookie camp opening Monday, September 12th, and running through Thursday, September 15th, all held at the Complexe Sportif Bell in Brossard.
The blog's author, Dan Kramer, is a Montreal business professional. While a fan of the sport of hockey at large, born and raised in Montreal, he has been a lifelong diehard Habs follower, and enjoys keeping up on all aspects of the Canadiens - from prospects playing overseas right up to marketing decisions made by the big club. Thus, Posts and Tweets will cover a wide array of subjects within the greater Habs family. He also apparently enjoys writing about himself in the third person.
