2006–07_Montreal_Canadiens

2006–07 Montreal Canadiens season

2006–07 Montreal Canadiens

Division 4th Northeast

Conference 10th Eastern

2006–07 record 42–34–6

Goals for 245

Goals against 256

General Manager Bob Gainey

Coach Guy Carbonneau

Captain Saku Koivu

Alternate captains Alexei Kovalev (Feb-Apr)
Craig Rivet (Oct-Feb)
Sheldon Souray

Arena Bell Centre

Team leaders

Goals Michael Ryder (30)

Assists Saku Koivu (53)

Points Saku Koivu (75)

Wins Cristobal Huet (19)

Goals against average Cristobal Huet (2.81)

The 2006–07 Montreal Canadiens season was the club's 97th season, 89th in the National Hockey League. The club did not qualify for the playoffs.

Contents:	Regular season – Playoffs – Player stats – Awards and records - Transactions Roster - Draft picks – Farm teams – See also – References

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 Halák and David Aebischer. Despite Halák'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]

Season standings

Northeast Division	GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	PTS
Buffalo Sabres (1)	82	53	22	7	308	242	113
Ottawa Senators (4)	82	48	25	9	288	222	105
Toronto Maple Leafs (9)	82	40	31	11	258	269	91
Montreal Canadiens (10)	82	42	34	6	245	256	90
Boston Bruins (13)	82	35	41	6	219	289	76

Game log

October

Record for month 6–2–3 (Home 3–1–2 Away 3–1–1)

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
1	October 6	Montreal	4 – 5	Buffalo	SO	Huet	18,690	0–0–1	1
2	October 7	Montreal	3 – 2	Toronto	SO	Aebischer	19,353	1–0–1	3
3	October 11	Montreal	3 – 1	Philadelphia		Aebischer	19,256	2–0–1	5
4	October 14	Ottawa	3 – 2	Montreal	SO	Huet	21,273	2–0–2	6
5	October 17	Calgary	4 – 5	Montreal		Huet	21,273	3–0–2	8
6	October 18	Montreal	1 – 2	Chicago		Aebischer	11,095	3–1–2	8
7	October 21	Colorado	5 – 8	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	4–1–2	10
8	October 23	Buffalo	4 – 1	Montreal		Huet	21,273	4–2–2	10
9	October 26	Montreal	3 – 2	Boston		Huet	13,920	5–2–2	12
10	October 28	Toronto	5 – 4	Montreal	SO	Aebischer	21,273	5–2–3	13
11	October 31	Ottawa	2 – 4	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	6–2–3	15

November

Record for Month 8–5–0 (Home 4–2–0 Away 4–3–0)

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
12	November 2	Montreal	4 – 0	Carolina		Huet	6,486	7–2–3	17
13	November 4	New Jersey	2 – 1	Montreal		Huet	21,271	7–3–3	17
14	November 7	Edmonton	2 – 3	Montreal	SO	Aebischer	21,273	8–3–3	19
15	November 11	Montreal	1 – 5	Toronto		Aebischer	19,501	8–4–3	19
16	November 13	Montreal	6 – 3	Ottawa		Huet	20,051	9–4–3	21
17	November 15	Montreal	3 – 1	Tampa Bay		Huet	19,920	10–4–3	23
18	November 16	Montreal	4 – 2	Florida		Aebischer	13,506	10–5–3	23
19	November 18	Atlanta	1 – 3	Montreal		Huet	21,273	11–5–3	25
20	November 22	Minnesota	2 – 4	Montreal		Huet	21,273	12–5–3	27
21	November 24	Montreal	2 – 1	Buffalo	OT	Huet	18,690	13–5–3	29
22	November 25	Philadelphia	4 – 2	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	13–6–3	29
23	November 28	Florida	0 – 1	Montreal	SO	Huet	21,273	14–6–3	31
24	November 30	Montreal	2 – 4	Carolina		Huet	13,103	14–7–3	31

December

Record for Month 8–4–2 (Home 5–1–1 Away 3–3–1)

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
25	December 2	Toronto	3 – 4	Montreal	SO	Huet	21,273	15–7–3	33
26	December 4	Boston	6 – 5	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	15–8–3	33
27	December 6	Montreal	1 – 2	New Jersey	OT	Aebischer	10,986	15–8–4	34
28	December 7	Montreal	4 – 2	NY Islanders		Huet	9,551	16–8–4	36
29	December 9	Buffalo	3 – 2	Montreal	SO	Huet	21,273	16–8–5	37
30	December 12	Boston	4 – 3	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	17–8–5	39
31	December 14	Tampa Bay	2 – 4	Montreal		Huet	21,273	18–8–5	41
32	December 16	Pittsburgh	3 – 6	Montreal		Huet	21,273	19–8–5	43
33	December 19	Montreal	5 – 2	Buffalo		Huet	18,690	20–8–5	45
34	December 21	Philadelphia	2 – 4	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	21–8–5	47
35	December 23	Montreal	2 – 4	Boston		Huet	17,565	21–9–5	47
36	December 27	Montreal	4 – 1	Washington		Huet	15,609	22–9–5	49
37	December 29	Montreal	1 – 3	Florida		Huet	19,772	22–10–5	49
38	December 30	Montreal	1 – 3	Tampa Bay		Huet	21,120	22–11–5	49

January

Record for Month 6–7–0 (Home 4–3–0 Away 2–4–0)

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
39	January 2	Tampa Bay	2 – 5	Montreal		Huet	21,273	23–11–5	51
40	January 4	Montreal	1 – 5	Washington		Huet	11,287	23–12–5	51
41	January 6	NY Rangers	4 – 3	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	23–13–5	51
42	January 7	New Jersey	3 – 0	Montreal		Huet	21,273	23–14–5	51
43	January 9	Atlanta	2 – 4	Montreal		Huet	21,273	24–14–5	53
44	January 10	Montreal	4 – 2	Philadelphia		Aebischer	19,411	25–14–5	55
45	January 13	Montreal	3 – 8	Ottawa		Huet	20,038	25–15–5	55
46	January 15	Montreal	0 – 2	Detroit		Aebischer	20,066	25–16–5	55
47	January 16	Vancouver	4 – 0	Montreal		Huet	21,273	25–17–5	55
48	January 18	Montreal	4 – 1	Atlanta		Huet	14,025	26–17–5	57
49	January 20	Buffalo	3 – 4	Montreal		Huet	21,273	27–17–5	59
50	January 27	Montreal	1 – 4	Toronto		Huet	19,508	27–18–5	59
51	January 29	Ottawa	1 – 3	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	28–18–5	61

February

Record for Month 5–9–1 (Home 3–5–0 Away 2–4–1)

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
52	February 1	Montreal	4 – 5	Pittsburgh	SO	Aebischer	17,132	28–18–6	62
53	February 3	NY Islanders	4 – 2	Montreal		Huet	21,273	28–19–6	62
54	February 4	Pittsburgh	3 – 4	Montreal	OT	Aebischer	21,273	29–19–6	64
55	February 6	Carolina	2 – 1	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	29–20–6	64
56	February 8	Montreal	1 – 4	Ottawa		Huet	19,915	29–21–6	64
57	February 10	Ottawa	5 – 3	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	29–22–6	64
58	February 13	Florida	1 – 0	Montreal		Huet	21,273	29–23–6	64
59	February 14	Montreal	2 – 5	New Jersey		Huet	7,515	29–24–6	64
60	February 17	Carolina	5 – 3	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	29–25–6	64
61	February 18	Montreal	3 – 2	Columbus		Halak	16,116	30–25–6	66
62	February 20	Washington	3 – 5	Montreal		Halak	21,273	31–25–6	68
63	February 22	Montreal	6 – 5	Nashville	SO	Halak	15,808	32–25–6	70
64	February 24	Montreal	2 – 3	NY Islanders		Halak	16,234	32–26–6	70
65	February 26	Toronto	5 – 4	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	33–26–6	72
66	February 27	Montreal	0 – 4	NY Rangers		Halak	18,200	33–27–6	72

March

Record for Month 8–5–0 (Home 6–0–0 Away 2–5–0)

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
67	March 2	Montreal	5 – 8	Buffalo		Aebischer	18,690	33–28–6	72
68	March 3	Montreal	1 – 3	Boston		Halak	17,565	33–29–6	72
69	March 8	Montreal	2 – 6	Atlanta		Halak	14,528	33–30–6	72
70	March 10	Montreal	4 – 3	St. Louis		Aebischer	19,421	34–30–6	74
71	March 13	NY Islanders	3 – 5	Montreal		Aebischer	21,273	35–30–6	76
72	March 16	Montreal	3 – 6	Pittsburgh		Aebischer	17,132	35–31–6	76
73	March 17	Toronto	2 – 3	Montreal	SO	Halak	21,273	36–31–6	78
74	March 20	Boston Bruins	0 – 1	Montreal		Halak	21,273	37–31–6	80
75	March 22	Montreal	6 – 3	Boston		Halak	17,026	38–31–6	82
76	March 24	Washington	1 – 4	Montreal		Halak	21,273	39–31–6	84
77	March 27	Rangers	4 – 6	Montreal		Halak	21,273	40–31–6	86
78	March 30	Montreal	2 – 5	Ottawa		Halak	20,185	40–32–6	86
79	March 31	Buffalo	3 – 4	Montreal		Halak	21,273	41–32–6	88

April

Record for Month 1–2–0 (Home 1–0–0 Away 0–2–0)

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
80	April 3	Boston Bruins	0 – 2	Montreal		Halak	21,273	42–32–6	90
81	April 5	Montreal	1 – 3	New York Rangers		Halak	18,200	42–33–6	90
82	April 7	Montreal	5 – 6	Toronto Maple Leafs		Huet	19,723	42–34–6	90

Green background indicates win.
Red background indicates regulation loss.
White background indicates overtime/shootout loss.

Player Stats

Scoring Leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM
Saku Koivu	81	22	53	75	-21	74
Sheldon Souray	81	26	38	62	-28	135
Michael Ryder	82	30	28	58	-25	60
Andrei Markov	77	6	43	49	2	56
Tomas Plekanec	81	20	27	47	10	36

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime Losses; GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	OT	GA	SO	Sv%	GAA
Cristobal Huet	42	2286	19	16	3	107	2	.916	2.81
David Aebischer	32	1760	13	12	3	93	0	.900	3.17
Jaroslav Halak	16	912	10	6	0	44	2	.906	2.89

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

Player	Former Team
F Sergei Samsonov	Edmonton Oilers

Free Agents Lost

Player	Current Team
F Jan Bulis	Vancouver Canucks

Claimed Off Waivers

Player	Former Team	Date
G Michael Leighton	Philadelphia Flyers	February 27

Draft Picks

Montreal's picks at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver, British Columbia.^[2] 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 (WHL)
2	53	Mathieu Carle (D)	Canada	Montreal Canadiens (from San Jose)	Acadie-Bathurst (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 Winter Hawks (WHL)

Awards and Records

Saku Koivu, King Clancy Memorial Trophy

External links

Official site of the Montreal Canadiens

References

Team standings: NHL standings on espn.com
Game log: Montreal Canadiens game log on espn.com
Season Stats: [2] on espn.com

^ TSN : NHL - Canada's Sports Leader
^ 2006 NHL Entry Draft Results[1] - accessed January 4, 2007

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

v • d • e Montreal Canadiens

Club • History • Players • Coaches • GMs • Seasons • Heritage Classic • Records • Draft picks Youppi • Bell Centre • Montreal Forum

Stanley Cups	1916, 1924, 1930, 1931, 1944, 1946, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1993

Affiliates	Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL), Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL)

v • d • e

Montreal Canadiens seasons

1909–10 • 1910–11 • 1911–12 • 1912–13 • 1913–14 • 1914–15 • 1915–16 • 1916–17 • 1917–18 • 1918–19 • 1919–20 • 1920–21 • 1921–22 • 1922–23 • 1923–24 • 1924–25 • 1925–26 • 1926–27 • 1927–28 • 1928–29 • 1929–30 • 1930–31 • 1931–32 • 1932–33 • 1933–34 • 1934–35 • 1935–36 • 1936–37 • 1937–38 • 1938–39 • 1939–40 • 1940–41 • 1941–42 • 1942–43 • 1943–44 • 1944–45 • 1945–46 • 1946–47 • 1947–48 • 1948–49 • 1949–50 • 1950–51 • 1951–52 • 1952–53 • 1953–54 • 1954–55 • 1955–56 • 1956–57 • 1957–58 • 1958–59 • 1959–60 • 1960–61 • 1961–62 • 1962–63 • 1963–64 • 1964–65 • 1965–66 • 1966–67 • 1967–68 • 1968–69 • 1969–70 • 1970–71 • 1971–72 • 1972–73 • 1973–74 • 1974–75 • 1975–76 • 1976–77 • 1977–78 • 1978–79 • 1979–80 • 1980–81 • 1981–82 • 1982–83 • 1983–84 • 1984–85 • 1985–86 • 1986–87 • 1987–88 • 1988–89 • 1989–90 • 1990–91 • 1991–92 • 1992–93 • 1993–94 • 1994–95 • 1995–96 • 1996–97 • 1997–98 • 1998–99 • 1999–00 • 2000–01 • 2001–02 • 2002–03 • 2003–04 • 2004–05 • 2005–06 • 2006–07 • 2007–08 • 2008–09
Bold indicates Stanley Cup Championship

v • d • e 2006–07 NHL season by team

Atlantic	New Jersey • NY Islanders • NY Rangers • Philadelphia • Pittsburgh

Northeast	Boston • Buffalo • Montreal • Ottawa • Toronto

Southeast	Atlanta • Carolina • Florida • Tampa Bay • Washington

Central	Chicago • Columbus • Detroit • Nashville • St. Louis

Northwest	Calgary • Colorado • Edmonton • Minnesota • Vancouver

Pacific	Anaheim • Dallas • Los Angeles • Phoenix • San Jose

See also	2006 NHL Entry Draft • All-Star Game • Stanley Cup Playoffs • Finals • Transactions