2006–07 Montreal Canadiens season

The 2006–07 Montreal Canadiens season was the club's 98th season, 90th in the National Hockey League. The club finished fourth in the Northeast division and missed qualification for the playoffs by two points after losing the final game of the regular season 6–5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

2006–07 Montreal Canadiens
Division4th Northeast
Conference10th Eastern
2006–07 record42–34–6
Home record26–12–3
Road record16–22–3
Goals for245
Goals against256
Team information
General managerBob Gainey
CoachGuy Carbonneau
CaptainSaku Koivu
Alternate captainsAlexei Kovalev (Feb–Apr)
Craig Rivet (Oct–Feb)
Sheldon Souray
ArenaBell Centre
Team leaders
GoalsMichael Ryder (30)
AssistsSaku Koivu (53)
PointsSaku Koivu (75)
Plus/minusAlexander Perezhogin (+11)
WinsCristobal Huet (19)
Goals against averageCristobal Huet (2.81)

Pre-season

The Canadiens were only minimally active in offseason transactions, with forwards Sergei Samsonov and Mike Johnson and defenceman Janne Niinimaa representing the only additions. Forwards Jan Bulis, Richard Zednik and Mike Ribeiro moved to other teams: Bulis via free agency to Vancouver, Zednik via a trade to Washington and Ribeiro via a trade to Dallas (for Niinimaa).

Regular season

The club intended to build on a 2005–06 season in which it took the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes to six games in the first round of the playoffs. Behind the leadership of goaltender Cristobal Huet and captain Saku Koivu, the Canadiens poised themselves to join the elite of the Eastern Conference.

However, the team failed to keep its momentum for the whole season. Cristobal Huet's injury on February 15, 2007, forced the Canadiens to use backup goaltenders Jaroslav Halak and David Aebischer. Despite Halak's decent performance, the Canadiens could not clinch a playoff spot. They were eliminated on April 8 after a 6–5 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the season's last game.

On January 9, 2007, the NHL announced that Sheldon Souray had been voted by the fans to start at defence in the 2007 All-Star Game in Dallas.[1]

The Canadiens finished the regular season with the NHL's best power-play percentage, at 22.75% (86 for 378), and tied the Ottawa Senators for most shorthanded goals scored, with 17.[2]

Season standings
Northeast Division
No. CR GP W L OTL GF GA Pts
11Buffalo Sabres8253227308242113
24Ottawa Senators8248259288222105
39Toronto Maple Leafs8240311125826991
410Montreal Canadiens824234624525690
513Boston Bruins823541621928976

[3]

Note: No. = Division rank, CR = Conference rank, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Eastern Conference[4]
R Div GP W L OTL GF GA Pts
1 P - Buffalo SabresNE8253227308242113
2 Y - New Jersey DevilsAT8249249216201107
3 Y - Atlanta ThrashersSE8243281124624597
4 X - Ottawa SenatorsNE8248259288222105
5 X - Pittsburgh PenguinsAT82472411277246105
6 X - New York RangersAT8242301024221694
7 X - Tampa Bay LightningSE824433525326193
8 X - New York IslandersAT8240301224824092
8.5
9 Toronto Maple LeafsNE8240311125826991
10 Montreal CanadiensNE824234624525690
11 Carolina HurricanesSE824034824125388
12 Florida PanthersSE8235311624725786
13 Boston BruinsNE823541621928976
14 Washington CapitalsSE8228401423528670
15 Philadelphia FlyersAT8222481221430356
Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NE – Northeast, SE – Southeast

P – Clinched Presidents Trophy; Y – Clinched Division; X – Clinched Playoff spot

Schedule and results

October

Record for month: 6–2–3 (home: 3–1–2; away: 3–1–1).

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
1October 6Montreal4–5BuffaloSOHuet18,6900–0–11
2October 7Montreal3–2TorontoSOAebischer19,3531–0–13
3October 11Montreal3–1PhiladelphiaAebischer19,2562–0–15
4October 14Ottawa3–2MontrealSOHuet21,2732–0–26
5October 17Calgary4–5MontrealHuet21,2733–0–28
6October 18Montreal1–2ChicagoAebischer11,0953–1–28
7October 21Colorado5–8MontrealAebischer21,2734–1–210
8October 23Buffalo4–1MontrealHuet21,2734–2–210
9October 26Montreal3–2BostonHuet13,9205–2–212
10October 28Toronto5–4MontrealSOAebischer21,2735–2–313
11October 31Ottawa2–4MontrealAebischer21,2736–2–315

November

Record for month: 8–5–0 (home: 4–2–0; away: 4–3–0).

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
12November 2Montreal4–0CarolinaHuet6,4867–2–317
13November 4New Jersey2–1MontrealHuet21,2717–3–317
14November 7Edmonton2–3MontrealSOAebischer21,2738–3–319
15November 11Montreal1–5TorontoAebischer19,5018–4–319
16November 13Montreal6–3OttawaHuet20,0519–4–321
17November 15Montreal3–1Tampa BayHuet19,92010–4–323
18November 16Montreal1–5FloridaAebischer13,50610–5–323
19November 18Atlanta1–3MontrealHuet21,27311–5–325
20November 22Minnesota2–4MontrealHuet21,27312–5–327
21November 24Montreal2–1BuffaloOTHuet18,69013–5–329
22November 25Philadelphia4–2MontrealAebischer21,27313–6–329
23November 28Florida0–1MontrealSOHuet21,27314–6–331
24November 30Montreal2–4CarolinaHuet13,10314–7–331

December

Record for month: 8–4–2 (home: 5–1–1; away: 3–3–1).

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
25December 2Toronto3–4MontrealSOHuet21,27315–7–333
26December 4Boston6–5MontrealAebischer21,27315–8–333
27December 6Montreal1–2New JerseyOTAebischer10,98615–8–434
28December 7Montreal4–2NY IslandersHuet9,55116–8–436
29December 9Buffalo3–2MontrealSOHuet21,27316–8–537
30December 12Boston3–4MontrealAebischer21,27317–8–539
31December 14Tampa Bay2–4MontrealHuet21,27318–8–541
32December 16Pittsburgh3–6MontrealHuet21,27319–8–543
33December 19Montreal5–2BuffaloHuet18,69020–8–545
34December 21Philadelphia2–4MontrealAebischer21,27321–8–547
35December 23Montreal2–4BostonHuet17,56521–9–547
36December 27Montreal4–1WashingtonHuet15,60922–9–549
37December 29Montreal1–3FloridaHuet19,77222–10–549
38December 30Montreal1–3Tampa BayHuet21,12022–11–549

January

Record for month: 6–7–0 (home: 4–3–0; away 2–4–0).

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
39January 2Tampa Bay2–5MontrealHuet21,27323–11–551
40January 4Montreal1–5WashingtonHuet11,28723–12–551
41January 6NY Rangers4–3MontrealAebischer21,27323–13–551
42January 7New Jersey3–0MontrealHuet21,27323–14–551
43January 9Atlanta2–4MontrealHuet21,27324–14–553
44January 10Montreal4–2PhiladelphiaAebischer19,41125–14–555
45January 13Montreal3–8OttawaHuet20,03825–15–555
46January 15Montreal0–2DetroitAebischer20,06625–16–555
47January 16Vancouver4–0MontrealHuet21,27325–17–555
48January 18Montreal4–1AtlantaHuet14,02526–17–557
49January 20Buffalo3–4MontrealHuet21,27327–17–559
50January 27Montreal1–4TorontoHuet19,50827–18–559
51January 29Ottawa1–3MontrealAebischer21,27328–18–561

February

Record for month: 5–9–1 (home: 3–5–0; away 2–4–1).

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
52February 1Montreal4–5PittsburghSOAebischer17,13228–18–662
53February 3NY Islanders4–2MontrealHuet21,27328–19–662
54February 4Pittsburgh3–4MontrealOTAebischer21,27329–19–664
55February 6Carolina2–1MontrealAebischer21,27329–20–664
56February 8Montreal1–4OttawaHuet19,91529–21–664
57February 10Ottawa5–3MontrealAebischer21,27329–22–664
58February 13Florida1–0MontrealHuet21,27329–23–664
59February 14Montreal2–5New JerseyHuet7,51529–24–664
60February 17Carolina5–3MontrealAebischer21,27329–25–664
61February 18Montreal3–2ColumbusHalak16,11630–25–666
62February 20Washington3–5MontrealHalak21,27331–25–668
63February 22Montreal6–5NashvilleSOHalak15,80832–25–670
64February 24Montreal2–3NY IslandersHalak16,23432–26–670
65February 26Toronto5–4MontrealAebischer21,27333–26–672
66February 27Montreal0–4NY RangersHalak18,20033–27–672

March

Record for month: 8–5–0 (home: 6–0–0; away: 2–5–0).

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
67March 2Montreal5–8BuffaloAebischer18,69033–28–672
68March 3Montreal1–3BostonHalak17,56533–29–672
69March 8Montreal2–6AtlantaHalak14,52833–30–672
70March 10Montreal4–3St. LouisAebischer19,42134–30–674
71March 13NY Islanders3–5MontrealAebischer21,27335–30–676
72March 16Montreal3–6PittsburghAebischer17,13235–31–676
73March 17Toronto2–3MontrealSOHalak21,27336–31–678
74March 20Boston Bruins0–1MontrealHalak21,27337–31–680
75March 22Montreal6–3BostonHalak17,02638–31–682
76March 24Washington1–4MontrealHalak21,27339–31–684
77March 27Rangers4–6MontrealHalak21,27340–31–686
78March 30Montreal2–5OttawaHalak20,18540–32–686
79March 31Buffalo3–4MontrealHalak21,27341–32–688

April

Record for month: 1–2–0 (home: 1–0–0; away 0–2–0).

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
80April 3Boston Bruins0–2MontrealHalak21,27342–32–690
81April 5Montreal1–3New York RangersHalak18,20042–33–690
82April 7Montreal5–6Toronto Maple LeafsHuet19,72342–34–690
  • Green background indicates win.
  • Red background indicates regulation loss.
  • White background indicates overtime/shootout loss.

Roster
2006–07 Montreal Canadiens roster

Goaltenders:

30 – Aebischer • 39 – Huet • 41 – Halak 

Defensemen

6 – Niinimaa • 8 – Komisarek • 25 – Dandenault • 26 – Gorges • 32 – Streit • 44 – Souray • 51 – Bouillon • 79 – Markov 

Forwards

11 – Koivu • 14 – Bonk • 15 – Samsonov • 20 – Johnson • 21 – Higgins • 22 – Begin • 27 – Kovalev • 35 – Plekanec • 40 – Lapierre • 46 – Kostitsyn • 47 – Downey • 57 – Murray • 62 – Milroy • 73 – Ryder • 84 – Latendresse 

General Manager: Bob Gainey •  Coach: Guy Carbonneau

Player stats
Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Saku KoivuC8122537574−211114
Sheldon SourayD81263864135−281916
Michael RyderRW8230285860−251723
Andrei MarkovD7764349562502
Tomas PlekanecLW812027473610521
Alexei KovalevRW7318294778−19805
Chris HigginsC6122163826−11833
Mark StreitD7610263614−5211
Mike JohnsonRW80112031406121
Guillaume LatendresseRW8016132947−20503
Sergei SamsonovLW639172610−4000
Radek BonkC74131023540121
Mike KomisarekD8241519967021
Craig RivetD546101657−7200
Alexander PerezhoginLW6169154811101
Francis BouillonD623111452−10101
Maxim LapierreC46661224−7012
Andrei KostitsynW221101163000
Steve BeginC52551046−6000
Mathieu DandenaultD6826840−8000
Garth MurrayC4321332−10000
Janne NiinimaaD4103336−13000
Aaron DowneyRW2110148−6001
Jaroslav HalakG1601120000
Cristobal HuetG4201100000
Duncan MilroyRW50110−2000
David AebischerG3200020000
Josh GorgesD70000−1000
Mikhail GrabovskiC30000−2000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T/OT GA GAA SO SA SV SV%
Cristobal Huet228642191631072.81212801173.916
David Aebischer17603213123933.170929836.900
Jaroslav Halak912161060442.892469425.906
Team:495882423462442.95426782434.909

[5]

Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Transactions

Trades
July 12, 2006 To Washington Capitals
Richard Zednik		 To Montreal Canadiens
3rd round pick in 2007
July 12, 2006 To Phoenix Coyotes
4th round pick in 2007		 To Montreal Canadiens
Mike Johnson
September 30, 2006 To Dallas Stars
Mike Ribeiro
6th round pick in 2008		 To Montreal Canadiens
Janne Niinimaa
5th round pick in 2007
December 15, 2006 To San Jose Sharks
Patrick Traverse		 To Montreal Canadiens
Mathieu Biron
February 25, 2007 To San Jose Sharks
Craig Rivet
5th round pick in 2008		 To Montreal Canadiens
Josh Gorges
1st round pick in 2007

Free agents acquired
PlayerFormer team
F Sergei SamsonovEdmonton Oilers

Free agents lost
PlayerCurrent team
F Jan BulisVancouver Canucks

Claimed off waivers
PlayerFormer teamDate
G Michael LeightonPhiladelphia FlyersFebruary 27

Draft picks

Montreal's picks at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver, British Columbia.[6] The Canadiens had the 16th overall draft pick, which they traded to the San Jose Sharks for the 20th and 53rd overall picks.

Round # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team (league)
1 20 David Fischer (D)  United States Montreal Canadiens (from San Jose) Apple Valley High School (MSHSL)
2 49 Ben Maxwell (C)  Canada Montreal Canadiens Kootenay Ice (WHL)
2 53 Mathieu Carle (D)  Canada Montreal Canadiens (from San Jose) Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
3 66 Ryan White (C)  Canada Montreal Canadiens (from Chicago) Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
5 139 Pavel Valentenko (D)  Russia Montreal Canadiens Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russian Superleague)
7 199 Cameron Cepek (D)  United States Montreal Canadiens Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Awards and records

See also

References
  1. TSN : NHL – Canada's Sports Leader
  2. https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2007.html
  3. Standings: NHL Public Relations Department (2008). Dave McCarthy; et al. (eds.). THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Official Guide & Record Book/2009. National Hockey League. p. 157. ISBN 978-1-894801-14-0.
  4. "2006–2007 Standings by Conference". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  5. "2006-07 Montreal Canadiens Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  6. 2006 NHL Entry Draft Results – accessed January 4, 2007.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.