Hard to believe that only eight months ago, the Montreal Canadiens were in the Stanley Cup Finals, and today are seemed as bottom feeders in the NHL.  After a disastrous start to their 2021-22 season, the Canadiens find themselves as sellers at the 2022 NHL Trade deadline. 

According to Hockey bets teams like the defending Stanley Cup Champions Tampa Bay Lightning, and Western Conference leaders Colorado Avalanche, are odds on favorites  to win the Stanley Cup this season. 

Montreal, should they finish last during the 2021-22 season, will have the highest odds of landing the first overall pick at the upcoming 2022  NHL amateur draft.

Just prior to the trade deadline, Canadiens rookie GM Kent Hughes did, in his short tenure as GM, what former Habs GM Marc Bergevin was never able to do.  And that was to acquire not one, but two first round picks.  A 2022 pick for forward Tyler Toffoli.  And a 2023 first round pick for defenceman Ben Chiarot.

So all eyes were on Canadiens brain trust of President of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton and GM Kent Hughes, on what other assets could the Canadiens receive for players on expiring contracts.  Which included Mathieu Perreault, Brett Kulak, Arturri Lehkonen, Chris Wideman.

In the end only Brett Kulak and Arturri Lehkonen were traded.  Not only did the Canadiens acquire Second round picks for each of these players for the next two drafts, but they also acquired some young prospects.  Both defenceman, in William Lagesson, and Justin Barron.  The Canadiens did complete a minor trade in trading veteran backup goalie Andrew Hammond for Nathan Schnarr.

Although many pundits believe that GM Hughes scored very well with acquiring a mix of promising young players, and draft picks, one this is certain, that next season looks just as painful as this season.

The Canadiens main problem is the Salary Cap.  There are just too many bad contracts on their books. 

The Canadiens have about $70M committed in contracts for 2022-23.  The salary cap for 2022-23 expected to be close to $85 million.  This doesn’t leave the Canadiens much flexibility.  And during the course of the off-season, NHL teams cannot exceed the salary by more than 10%.  All teams must be cap compliant by opening day.

Dubious Contracts

The Canadiens have at east 6 contracts that poses financial pain.  Starting with Shea Weber , who is on Long-Term Injury reserve and doesn’t look like he will ever play again.   Weber has 4 years remaining on his contract at a cap-hit of $7.857M.  According to GM Hughes, the Canadiens explored trading Weber’s contract, but it’s hard to do with 20 games left in the season.  Canadiens hope to get some Cap relief, hoping to trade his contract during the upcoming off-season.

Carey Price, who has not played a game yet this season due being on the player assistance program, and then recovering from knee surgery, his cap hit is $10.5M.  He too has four years remaining.  And hard to say how much his body can endure.

Jeff Petry has made it known that due to family reasons, he wants out.  And his salary too is problematic.  At $6.25M for the next three seasons, might be too rich for some clubs.

Brendan Gallagher’s has five years remaining on his contract.  With a cap-hit of $6.5M, this might be one of the worst contracts as his real salary increases in years 3 and 4 of his six-year deal.  If the Canadiens are to find any taker for his services, the Canadiens will be forced to take on 50% salary retention.

Joel Armia’s contract might seem low in comparison to the above, but for $3.4M, many teams can find cheaper alternatives.  

Jonathan Drouin, who has been injury prone these last two seasons, has only one year left on his contract at $5.5M.  Canadiens will most likely buy him out after this season, or trade him at net season’s trade deadline, or simply not tender a new contract after the 2022-23 season.

So expect 2022-23 to be another season of turnover, as this reset or rebuild will last for at least two more seasons.  As they Canadiens need to focus on shedding bad contracts in the off-season.  With hopes the Canadiens don’t have to wait another 24 years before they return to the Stanley Cup Finals.

To different people, winter can mean different things. One view of winter is that it is a time for staying in-doors, drinking hot coco, and roasting chestnuts. While this might be the predominant view of winter, still there are people who look forward to winter every year, because to them, it is the season when they can be active in some of their favorite sports. Winter sports are some of the most popular and beloved sports in the world, and in this article we are going to take a look at the most popular ones.

Ice hockey

Ice hockey is one of the most popular winter sports in the world, but especially in countries associated with cold winters. Places like Canada, The United States, Russia, Finland, and the Scandinavian countries is where ice hockey thrives.

The sport was originally developed in Canada, where it is still hugely popular today. In fact, ice hockey is Canada’s national sport, and is played by a huge percentage of Canadians from a very young age. Some of the most popular ice hockey teams come from Canada, and the Canadian national team is considered one of the “Big Six” of ice hockey.

Ice hockey is also hugely popular on the betting scene. While not as popular as its field counterpart, ice hockey is still covered widely and thoroughly on online betting sites like the ones on betstation.com. The ice hockey betting scene is especially huge in Canada, the United States, and Russia.

Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding

Skiing, as we know it today, came about in Scandinavia. The sport was, once upon a time, used as transport, however, today is much more widely considered a recreational activity, or a competitive sport. It is considered an Olympic sport, and is one of numerous skiing events in the winter Olympics.

A more recent derivative of alpine skiing, is alpine snowboarding. In the 21^st century, snowboarding has gained a massive amount of popularity among casual alpinists and pro-skiers alike. One of the main reasons for the sport’s increase in popularity in the current century is that it was added to the Winter Olympics in 1998, where it remains today.

Figure Skating

Figure skating is the most popular winter sport around the world. It holds the distinction of being the first winter sport to be included in the Olympics, where it has been since 1908, over a hundred years ago.

Ice skating has been around for centuries, however, the first recorded mention of skating comes to us from 1772, written by Robert Jones. Figure skating in the form that we know it today has its origins in the 19^th century.

In the Olympics, figure skating is separated into four individual disciplines. Women’s singles, men’s singles, pair skating and ice dance. In 2014, a team event combining all four disciplines was included into the Winter Olympics.

Honorable Mentions

Apart from the ones mentioned in this list, there are quite a number of other winter sports enjoyed the world over. Ski jumping and Nordic skiing are two variants of skiing that are quite popular, though not on the level of Alpine skiing.

The Canadiens just missed out on the Stanley Cup last season but are one of the worst teams in the league this year. What has gone wrong with the Habs?

What Has Happened to the Canadiens This Season? And Can They Recover?

Just seven months on from being beaten in the Stanley Cup finals by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens now sit at the very bottom of the NHL with the worst record in the entire league.

 There are not many hockey fans – Habs or otherwise – that would bet on the Canadiens doing anything of note this season. But can they recover to save some face at least, before the end of the regular season? And what exactly has gone wrong in Montreal?

 Stanley Cup Finals Defeat

It could be argued that everything started going wrong for the Habs after game one of the Stanley Cup finals last season. Tampa Bay steamrolled the Canadiens 5-1 that night and set the tone for the rest of the series. A 3-2 win in game four only prolonged the misery and put off the inevitable temporarily.

Even Montreal fans must realize that making it to the finals in the first place was something of a fluke. There was a perfect storm of factors that could have only come together last season, including an all-Canadian division to begin with. The Canadiens had luck on their side last season – and it has disappeared this year.

 Player Absences and Injuries

Part of the bad luck has been who the Habs have been able to put out on the ice. The offseason was a disaster for Montreal, reacting to making the finals by missing out on key targets for the year as well as losing players such as Philip Danault to free agency.

Shea Weber might not ever play again after missing the entire season through injury and the return of netminder Carey Price still seems a long way off. He was still recovering from offseason surgery when he entered a 30-day players’ assistance program. There seems to be no rush to get him back on the ice. He may be a controversial figure, but he was a major reason why the Canadiens went so far in the playoffs last year.

Failure a Long Time Coming

 There should also be a recognition that last season’s performance and record should be seen as an overachievement – an anomaly really. The Habs are the most successful organization in the NHL but the glory days are firmly in the past. Before last year Montreal had not made it to the Conference finals since 2014 – and didn’t even make the postseason in three of the years since.

 A failure to develop young talent has been a major problem for Montreal for quite a while now. Former players have not been involved as they once were – and the Canadiens have not been able to attract the top free agents like they once could. The fans are not expecting back-to-back titles like the old days. But players with spirit and belief, backed by a decisive front office would help things change.

 Hopes for the Future

 So, is there any hope for the future? There would seem to be precious little of it to go around at the moment. But letting Marc Bergevin go at the end of November was a bold move. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes can now stamp their own authority on the franchise and attempt to make it competitive again in the next few years.

We may well see a lot more departures from Montreal at the end of this season – and that will be welcomed if the draft goes to plan. Embracing the tank may not be acceptable for Habs fans but it could allow the Canadiens to come out the other side. A focus on youth development and positive trades might make next season a better prospect. Let’s face it, it couldn’t get much worse.

As ardent fans of the game in general, and Montreal Canadiens fans in particular, the great memories that the team has gifted us by their game, fills our heart with charitable nostalgia. It has not started now, the Habs have been creating some wonderful historical moments for over a century now, with their enigmatic blue, white, and red jersey. So, in this article, you will love to take you on a joyous ride on the most honourable moments that we had in the past and have aged like fine wine in our hearts. With the ongoing season hampered by Covid, we guess this is going to be the best time to through the memory lane. 

The Montreal Forum Final Game 

Montreal Forum hosted their first game on 29th November 1924. For more than seven decades, this arena has granted the fans some chilling matches, packed with memories of joy and heartbreaks. The last match was played in this arena on March 11th, 1996. People still remember the outrageous 4-1 against Dallas Stars, and the after match memorable ceremony. The best moment was the standing salute that the Canadiens fans bestowed upon their remarkable heroes for the final time in Montreal Forum. 

5 Times Consecutive Stanley Cup Champions 

This is something that the Montreal Canadiens fans would be seriously proud of. In 1960, the outstanding team managed to win the Stanley Cup five times back to back. In the final, they met the Toronto Maple Leafs but thrashed them by gaining a whopping 4-0 win. The dominance of the Habs ended next year as Chicago won the title. This record shows what a great force Montreal was at the time. Needless to mention that the Canadiens are still the best team to bet for in the ongoing tournament. You can check its odds at https://www.oddsshark.com/nhl/odds and place your bets on next season games.

Fifty in Fifty 

The Hubs legend Maurice Richard did something unbelievable in the 1944-45 season. He scored fifty individual goals in the 50th match of the tournament which is a milestone achievement. The match was against the Boston Bruins. All through the game, both the teams played very defensive hockey but at the last 3 odd minutes, the maestro found his way to the climacteric goal. That achievement was unbreakable for almost four decades as later, the Rocket surpassed it. 

The Remarkable Red Army Match 

It was the time when the Red Army teams (USSR) came to America when the cold war was at its very peak;  December 31, 1975.  In what is often referred to as one of the greatest games of all time.

The Soviet team was packed with some great players like Vladislav Tretiak, Boris Mikhailov, and Valeri Kharlamov. 

The match featured some exquisite hockey as both teams fought to a 3-3 tie. This marks the dynasty of the Montreal in the hockey arena. They are still one of the best sides around, and worth your bet on them on the best betting sites. 

Koivu Beat Cancer and Came Back 

On 5th September 2001, Saku Koivu, the great Montreal player got diagnosed with Leukemia. At first, the fans were in doubt whether their favourite player could return to the ice again and play in the Canadiens jersey. 

But, with everybody’s prayers on Koivu’s side, he beat cancer within a year and came back even stronger than he was before. After beating dangerous cancer, he was seen in the Montreal’s lineup again on 9th April 2002. 

Canada is a nation of sports fans. Whether it be ice skating, American Football, curling, rugby, or basketball, Canadians are huge fans of all kinds of sports. Surveys have been done, which show that three-quarters of the Canadian population follow at least one professional sport. Of course, one sport stands atop the list of Canada’s favorite pastimes. The sport that, at this point, is synonymous with the United States’ Norther neighbors, hockey.

Canada has had a vibrant hockey culture for as long as they’ve been playing the sport, and their teams have dominated international games for most of the 20^th century. Today hockey is more popular than ever, and is considered Canada’s national pastime. Hockey is also a popular amateur sport among Canadians, with men, women, and children playing it for fun, sport, and in amateur tournaments.

Like with most popular sports, hockey has a pretty big betting scene. In Canada especially, hockey is the most popular betting sport. The Canadian hockey scene sees multiple millions of dollars from the betting industry alone. The internet has introduced a whole new way to bet on sports, with the advent of online betting shops. Due to a huge demand, new online betting shops pop up on the internet almost weekly, with sites like www.helpbet.com seeing an increased number of users daily.

One of the most popular Canadian ice hockey teams, is the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens have had a long and storied career, with many of hockey’s best players, playing for the team through the years. In this article, we will take a look at a few of Montreal’s best players, and briefly discuss their career.

Ken Dryden

During Ken “four-story goalie” Dryden’s stint as a Montreal Canadien, he won a number of awards including five Vezina trophies and six Stanley Cups. With 258 wins, he had the third highest career wins as a goalie for the Canadiens. To many, he is the best of the Canadiens, tying with another legend, Jacques Plante, in number of playoff shut-outs, each of them having 10. Due to his massive stature, Ken Dryden earned the nickname “the four-story goalie”.

Jacques Plante

Competing with Dryden for the title of “greatest goalie”, and in the eyes of many winning the competition, Jacques Plante certainly is a legend among Montreal’s Canadiens. During his long career he won six Vezina trophies, and six Stanley Cups. On top of that, he won a Hart trophy. He is third in playoff wins for Montreal, behind Dryden and Roy, and is tied with Dryden for number of playoff shut-outs, as stated above. Jacques Plante played competitively in the National Hockey League for 23 years, and retired at the age of 44.

Maurice “Rocket” Richard

Maurice Richard is one of the best hockey players in the game. He was the first to score 50 goals in a season. He set a record for number of goals scored in a career, with 544 goals, a record which Gordie Howe passed in ’63.

He won eight Stanley cups in Montreal, and for four of them he served as captain of the team, and in 1946/47, Maurice Richard won the Hart trophy. The Rocket is rightfully remembered as one of the best National Hockey League players in history.

It is not uncommon to come across a massively popular sport in a country. This is essentially the case in Canada, where hockey remains the dominant sport for fans and gamblers.

This article seeks to discover the reasons behind the growing popularity of hockey betting in Canada. Read on to learn these driving factors.

The Canadian Hockey History

In Canada, hockey is not just another game, no. The sport dates way before the launch of the National Hockey League, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. To set the record straight, the NHL was founded in 1917; this means that Canadian hockey is older than that.

Canadians have been passing their love for the sport from one generation to another for over a century. The NHL was launched with a mission to help propagate the passion for hockey in Canada and the US.

Over the past four Olympic ice hockey tournaments, Canada took the first position in three. This is probably one of the reasons why the sport has been gaining more popularity over the past few years.

Canada has proved itself as the hockey powerhouse across the globe. It’s only prudent to say that Canada is the team to beat.

A Close Proximity to National Teams

The NHL boasts 32 teams as of the 2021-22 season, and the number is expected to keep growing. Of the total teams, seven are from Canada: Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton, and Calgary Flames.

While 7/32 might seem like a small number, you should take note that there is only one Canadian NBA team and no Canadian NFL team at all. In addition, there is only one major Canadian team in Baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays.

Of all major sports leagues in North America (NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA), only nine teams are Canadian, and seven are hockey teams. These teams are evenly distributed across the country, with the Maples Leafs in southern Ontario, the Senators in northern Ontario, and the Canadiens in Quebec.

Therefore, it becomes feasible for Canadians to place wagers on hockey games because they will not have to travel to other jurisdictions. Even when the locals are not realistically in touch with the teams, they feel close enough and are heavily invested in the games and their outcomes. Many have turned to PayPal casinos for Canadian players to try their luck at online gambling.

Hockey is a Fast-Evolving Sport

Like all other sports, hockey keeps on evolving to keep fans entertained and excited. It is also worth noting that the gameplay is quite fast as well. The game proceeds without much interruption. One cannot call a timeout or overstep the bounds just to get a stoppage, and as such, the game will only stop from an intermission or commercial break.

The league prioritizes speed and skill over toughness and size. Being a continuous sport, hockey bettors get a better chance to actualize their wagers in good time. The NHL plans to deploy an electronic puck-tracking system, which will catalyze hockey betting in Canada.

Easy Availability of Information

With the advent of the internet, it has become easier to access information with the click of a button. Research shows that over 60% of the adult population have access to smart devices with access to the internet.

Canadians can access hockey gambling information from the comfort of their smartphones. This means access to a wide variety of lucrative odds and relevant gambling intel. Therefore, it’s not surprising that more Canadian hockey fans have taken to the betting facet of the sport.

Parity

The NHL is the most popular but not the only hockey league where Canadians can place wagers. The league delivers optimum parity to hockey fans by balancing the teams across the board.

Over the past 16 NHL seasons, there have been 11 teams that won the Stanley cup. St. Louis Blues won the Stanley in the 2018-19 seasons but finished position 30 last season.

This is different from what we have witnessed in other leagues, such as the NBA, where the Golden State Warriors won three of the four seasons between 2015 and 2018. On the other hand, Chicago Bulls took home six NBA championship titles in a span of eight between 1991 and 1998.

The same trend is also seen in the NFL, where the New England Patriots have won the AFC East title each year since 2003. The same team also won three Super Bowls from its last four appearances.

The results are quite unpredictable when it comes to the National Hockey League. This fact alone presents a lucrative gambling opportunity; the underdog plays that pay significantly substantial returns.

High Volatility of Outcomes

Under/over results in hockey, betting remains highly volatile. This means that the team with the worst standings still stands a chance against superior teams. This phenomenon is unique from what we see in leagues like the NHL and the NBA.

The parity witnessed within hockey betting translates to uncertainty. With the punter investing deeper into their research, the overall entertainment value is boosted.

Sports betting is all about watching a high-paced game with a background of hours of research. This explains why Canada’s most popular sport also ranks as the most wagered upon.

The Appeal of Ice Hockey

Ice hockey happens to be the most popular form of hockey in Canada, with the sport keeping fans on the edge of their seats for decades. Therefore, it’s not surprising that ice hockey betting is quite prevalent within the country.

Betting is one of the ways through which fans show support for their teams. Ice hockey wagering is all about putting your money where your mouth is. The betting aspect of any sport is often as popular as the sport itself. At the beginning of 2021, NHL witnessed record viewership as the industry reopened post covid-19 restrictions.

Although a huge majority of fans enjoy the sport without wagering on it, betting often provides more fun to the sport due to invested financial and emotional efforts. However, it is prudent to note that gambling is just a different form of entertainment, and as such, you should not stake more than what you can afford to lose.

Judging by turnover in the Montreal Canadiens roster for the 2021-22 season, one would never imagine that the Montreal Canadiens made it to the Stanley Cup Finals last season.

With expiring contracts, a flat-cap era, and injuries, the Canadiens 2021-22 roster has already seen 9 new faces this season.  And we are only one-fifth into the season. 

Follow the NHL as DraftKings sportsbook is coming to Canada and get ready for all the moving parts as trade deadline might get hectic.

#68  Mike Hoffman

Mike Hoffam is a free-agent signing from the Florida Panthers.  #68 is a number Hoffman wore with all the NHL teams he’s played with (Ottawa, Florida, St. Louis) and now with the Habs.  Only one other player has ever worn #68 in Habs History; Yanick Webber; 2009-13.

#28 Christian Dvorak

Christian Dvorak was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes during the off-season. He previously wore #18 with Arizona.  The no. 28 in Habs history has been worn by 19 other players.  First used back in 1977.  Notable players to wear #28 includes former 50 goal scorer Pierre Larouche.

#85 Mathieu Perreault

Mathieu Perreault was another off-season signing.  Perreault has worn #85 previously with Winnipeg, and Washington.  Morgan Ellis was the only other player to ear this number back in 2016 for three games.

#13 Cedric Paquette

Cedric Paquette signed as a free agent chose lucky number 13, a number he’s worn with previously with Tampa Bay.  Some memorable Canadiens wo have worn this number include Alex Tanguay, Mike Cammerlleri, and Max Domi.

#58 David Savard

David Savard is the big defenceman Habs fans are hoping can fill some of the big shoes left by Shea Weber, who will miss the entire 2021-22 season due to injuries, and possibly never play hockey again.  Savard has worn #58 his entire career; with Columbus and Tampa Bay.  And he becomes the fourth Canadiens player to wear the jersey.  David Desharnais first wore it during the 2009-10 season.

#20 Chris Wideman

Chris Wideman made a return to the NHL tis season after a season in the KHL.  Wideman never wore #20 before.  Wideman becomes the 50^th player ever to wear #20 in Canadiens history; the most in Habs history.  Pete Mahovlich, Mark Hunter, Richard Zednick are some of the players to wear the number for more than one season. Otherwise it’s for transitionary players.

#15 Sami Niku

The Canadiens picked up Sami Niku after he was released from Winnipeg.  Finnish born player, the Canadiens basically gave him this number, as Jesperi Kotkaniemi, another Finnish player, wore it for the last two season before he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.  Among famous players to wear #15, Maurice Richard wore it when he was first called up back in 1943.  Former Canadiens GM Rejean Houle wore it too.  Bobby Rousseau wore it for parts of 9 seasons.

#24 Adam Brooks

Adam Brooks was picked up off waivers from Toronto.  Brooks becomes the 40^th different player in Habs history to wear this number.  He joins Chris Chelios, Mathieu Schneider, Lyle Odelein, and Phillip Danault.

#55 Michael Pezzetta

Michael Pezzetta took the long way to get to the NHL.  Having played in the ECHL, and the AHL , Pezzetta finaly made his debut in the NHL at the age of 23.  He was given #55, and he’s now the 6^th player in Canadiens history to wear #55.  Igor Ulanov first wore it back in 1998.

#35 Sam Montembeault

With Carey Price not available to start the season, the Canadiens needed to find a back for Jake Allen.  Taken from the Florida Panthers organization , Sam Montembeault was assigned an unofficial goalie number; 35.  I say unofficial because of the 13 players to have worn this number, this marks the 7^th time a goalie has worn it.  And it’s now 5 goalies consecutively.  Mike McPhee was first to war it back in 1984.

The Montreal Gazette’s Steve Faguy writes an excellent summary to Montreal Canadiens viewing guide for the upcoming season.
See link

Some notes to point out.

In Canada, status quo for Montreal Canadiens fans. 
– English:  50 regional Habs games on TSN2, regional restrictions apply.  32 Habs National broadcast games airing on CBC/Sportsnet, or CityTV.  These games air on Monday, Wednesday or Saturday night.  See link above.
– French:  50 regional Habs games on RDS.  Regional restrictions apply.  22 Habs National games airing on TVA Sports.

For those outside the regional area, there is hope.  You can purchase a streaming package for $59.99.  It gives you access to RDS’s package:

• Stream 60 regional Canadiens games and 55 regional Senators games in French (regular season only).
• Only available West of Belleville, ON.
• Not available in Eastern Ontario, Quebec, or Atlantic Canada. This pass is not available on Roku.

https://secure.nhllive.com/pricing?ro=true&lang=en

For Montreal Canadiens fan in the US, big changes this coming season as the NHL TV rights move from NBC/NBCSN to ABC/ESPN , TNT, and Hulu.  The majority of the Montreal Canadiens games will be available on streaming app ESPN+.  So far, no Canadiens game is scheduled to air on linear TV (ABC/ESPN/TNT).

The Montréal Canadiens reached some almighty heights in the makeshift 2020/21 NHL campaign. Defying all odds to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Habs asserted themselves as a team not to be taken lightly. Given the state of the team, the progress laid down a marker. One that indicated that a couple more seasons of growth and savvy acquisitions could see the Canadiens contending for the Cup once more.

However, despite an opening to the free agency in July, which saw Phillip Danault leave for the Los Angeles Kings, but several strong players join the fold, optimism turned to disarray. As September rolled in, Habs fans learned that one of their brightest young stars, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, had been snagged by the Carolina Hurricanes as a restricted free agent.

While general manager Marc Bergevin was proactive to patch the hole, it was still an absurd series of events that saw the Canes make history.

Kotkaniemi Becomes First Offer Sheet Signing in 14 Years

Offer sheet signings simply don’t happen in the NHL anymore, with RFAs usually being coveted for their value as high potential players – particularly those selected early in drafts or who have become regulars in the lines. Still, marking the first of such signings since 2007, the Hurricanes were allowed to offer Kotkaniemi a deal that the Habs didn’t want to match, accounting to $6,100,015 for one year, with a $20 bonus.

These bizarre figures were mustered up by the marketing team in riposte to Montréal’s attempts to lure in Sebastian Aho (Carolina’s number 20) with an offer sheet a couple of seasons back. The team has said that it wasn’t a revenge kick, solely being about acquiring the player and getting the fan base engaged. Regardless, the Habs lost who looked to be a franchise cornerstone up top, having been picked third overall in 2018.

The Habs were hell-bent on building Kotkaniemi as a two-way center, which is what his draft profile billed him as three years ago. However, the Canes are already stacked down the middle. So, the athletic Finn is expected to be utilized on the left, allowing his creativity and high hockey IQ to flourish. Since the coup, the Hurricanes have shifted to the sixth-favourites to win the Cup in the NHL betting odds, now at +1500, with the Habs out at +2800.

A Rather Strong Free Agency That Inspires Hope for next Season

Before the Kotkaniemi incident – and forgetting about the scandalous draft pick – the Habs were enjoying a strong offseason. Danault went for a huge pay packet, and Montréal managed to reel in two top-class free agents as well as some sound depth additions. Cedric Paquette, Chris Wideman, and Mathieu Perreault add good depth on near-minimum deals, but it was Mike Hoffman and David Savard who stole the show.

Both are in their prime and well-respected in the NHL. Savard is coming home after winning the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s not much of a points scorer anymore, but he’s a great puck mover, will put shots on goal, and loves to throw his weight around. Hoffman, on the other hand, is a menace on the powerplay. Last season, with the St. Louis Blues, he scored 17 of his 36 points with the man advantage.

Seeing two highly-rated centers (Danault and Kotkaniemi) departing did hurt the Habs, with the position desperately needing top-six reinforcement for years. To cover the loss of one, Bergevin traded a first and second-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes to get center Christian Dvorak. With a 52.1 faceoff win percentage through over 1,000 duels, 48 hits, and 45 blocked shots, he’s certainly the two-way build that was needed.

The Habs made a lot of noise this offseason, and be it for good or bad reasons, the team may even look a little bit stronger coming into this season. However, it’ll take some doing to get over the team not being active enough to lock in the contract of Kotkaniemi.

If you want to start this season of Fanduel’s NHL fantasy hockey with a bang, then you need to do your research! The most prestigious and successful teams are more likely to have strong players for your game, and the more you know about them, the better your odds will be!

1. Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are the most prestigious hockey team in the whole of the NHL. They are also the most valuable, bringing in millions of viewers and sponsors every year. This is because they have won 24 tournaments out of 34 appearances in the life of the NHL sport. They are supreme champions and deserve all the respect we can give!

This amazing team was founded in 1909, and their outstanding record has made them the longest operating professional ice hockey team in the whole world.

2. Detroit Red Wings

Historically, the Detroit Red Wings have been an unstoppable force in the American hockey leagues, which is why they deserve our second spot on our list of prestigious teams. Affectionately dubbed “Hockey Town,” this team has held the Stanley Cup 11 times which is the most amount of wins in the American tournament. However, the most recent win was all the way back in 2008.

A lot of years have passed since that event, but that doesn’t stop the team from being the 4th most valuable in the NHL.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

A beautiful name for a brutal team, the Maple Leafs have made the finals of the Stanley Cup 21 times, winning 13 in total. They are a force to be reckoned with, which has created a die-hard fanbase to boot!

This team has held some of the greatest players in all hockey history, including Darryl Sitter, Frank Mahobolich, Johnny Bower, Mats Sundin, and Lanny McDonald!

4. Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are another team that wants to claim the name “Hockey City,” but we will let the fans fight between these two giants. Instead, let us show off their impressive wins. The Boston Bruins have gotten to the Stanley Cup finals 20 times and have won 6 trophies! Not to mention their 20 Division Championships and 2 President Trophies!

Decorated to high heaven, you’d be a fool to ignore this team!

5. Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are worth a whopping $301 million and are the 6th most valuable team in the NHL league. This information may come as a surprise to some NHL fans because it wasn’t too long ago that they were considered the worst team in the league. The Flyers haven’t won a cup since the 1970s, and yet the tough personality and undying fans are what keeps them as a prestigious team in our eyes!

6. New York Rangers

Although the New York Rangers have to compete for air time and competition space with a lot of other hockey teams in their area, they are one of the oldest teams on record. Considered part of the Original Six, the New York Rangers cannot be put onto the sidelines just because other teams are rising up the ranks.

The Rangers have won 4 Stanley Cups, but their most recent win was all the way back in 1994. We aren’t sure how long their origin story can keep them on the prestigious list, but their outstanding value of $461 million is helping hold their anchor!

7. Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks is another Original Six team, but this group has made it to the Stanley Cup finals 13 times, winning 6 of the games and creating a remarkable 50% winning streak. The only reason why the Rangers took a space above them is because the Blackhawk’s current value is slightly less, coming in at $300 million. 

The Blackhawk’s latest win was in 2015!

8. Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks fans have an abundance of passion which almost became their downfall. We “mmm”ed and “ahh”ed about adding them to the list as a prestigious team shouldn’t contain a horde of angry fans who rioted through the streets when defeated. However, just a small percentage of people acted inappropriately during the final, and we cannot blame all Vancouver fans for the actions of a drunkard few.

Instead, let’s praise the strong team that is valued at $262 million and has yet to win a Stanley Cup.