The 2019–20 Montreal Canadiens season was the 111th season for the franchise that was established on December 4, 1909, and their 103rd season as a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL).

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the season was suspended by league officials on March 12, 2020, after several other professional and collegiate sports organizations likewise followed suit. On May 26, the NHL regular season was officially declared over with all remaining games being cancelled. The Canadiens would advance to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016–17 season, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round, but were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round in six games.

Standings

Divisional standings

Eastern Conference

Schedule and results

Preseason The preseason schedule was published on June 18, 2019. 2019 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 4–1–0; Road: 1–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 16 New Jersey 2–4 Montreal Primeau 19,080 1–0–0 2 September 18 Florida 3–4 Montreal Lindgren 3,500 2–0–0 3 September 19 Florida 4–5 Montreal SO Price 19,101 3–0–0 4 September 21 Montreal 4–0 Ottawa Kinkaid 11,185 4–0–0 5 September 23 Toronto 3–0 Montreal Lindgren – 4–1–0 6 September 25 Montreal 0–3 Toronto Kinkaid 18,863 4–2–0 7 September 28 Ottawa 3–4 Montreal OT Price 20,746 5–2–0 Notes: Game played at K. C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst, New Brunswick as part of Kraft Hockeyville.

Regular season The regular season schedule was released on June 25, 2019. 2019–20 game logOctober: 7–4–2 (Home: 3–3–0; Road: 4–1–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 3 Montreal 3–4 Carolina SO Price 18,680 0–0–1 1 2 October 5 Montreal 6–5 Toronto SO Price 19,547 1–0–1 3 3 October 9 Montreal 4–5 Buffalo OT Kinkaid 15,383 1–0–2 4 4 October 10 Detroit 4–2 Montreal Price 21,302 1–1–2 4 5 October 12 St. Louis 3–6 Montreal Price 21,302 2–1–2 6 6 October 15 Tampa Bay 3–1 Montreal Price 20,406 2–2–2 6 7 October 17 Minnesota 0–4 Montreal Price 20,419 3–2–2 8 8 October 19 Montreal 5–2 St. Louis Price 18,096 4–2–2 10 9 October 20 Montreal 3–4 Minnesota Kinkaid 17,344 4–3–2 10 10 October 24 San Jose 4–2 Montreal Price 21,052 4–4–2 10 11 October 26 Toronto 2–5 Montreal Price 21,302 5–4–2 12 12 October 30 Montreal 4–1 Arizona Price 14,004 6–4–2 14 13 October 31 Montreal 5–4 Vegas OT Kinkaid 18,035 7–4–2 16 November: 4–5–4 (Home: 3–3–3; Road: 1–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 14 November 2 Montreal 1–4 Dallas Price 18,532 7–5–2 16 15 November 5 Boston 4–5 Montreal Price 21,302 8–5–2 18 16 November 7 Montreal 2–3 Philadelphia OT Price 16,788 8–5–3 19 17 November 9 Los Angeles 2–3 Montreal Price 21,302 9–5–3 21 18 November 12 Columbus 2–3 Montreal SO Price 20,758 10–5–3 23 19 November 15 Montreal 5–2 Washington Price 18,573 11–5–3 25 20 November 16 New Jersey 4–3 Montreal OT Kinkaid 21,016 11–5–4 26 21 November 19 Montreal 2–5 Columbus Price 14,118 11–6–4 26 22 November 20 Ottawa 2–1 Montreal OT Price 20,862 11–6–5 27 23 November 23 NY Rangers 6–5 Montreal Price 21,302 11–7–5 27 24 November 26 Boston 8–1 Montreal Price 21,302 11–8–5 27 25 November 28 New Jersey 6–4 Montreal Price 20,876 11–9–5 27 26 November 30 Philadelphia 4–3 Montreal OT Kinkaid 21,213 11–9–6 28 December: 7–7–0 (Home: 2–2–0; Road: 5–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 27 December 1 Montreal 1–3 Boston Price 17,850 11–10–6 28 28 December 3 NY Islanders 2–4 Montreal Price 20,440 12–10–6 30 29 December 5 Colorado 3–2 Montreal Primeau 21,302 12–11–6 30 30 December 6 Montreal 2–1 NY Rangers Price 17,354 13–11–6 32 31 December 10 Montreal 4–1 Pittsburgh Price 18,422 14–11–6 34 32 December 11 Ottawa 2–3 Montreal OT Primeau 21,055 15–11–6 36 33 December 14 Detroit 2–1 Montreal Price 21,302 15–12–6 36 34 December 17 Montreal 3–1 Vancouver Price 18,788 16–12–6 38 35 December 19 Montreal 4–3 Calgary OT Price 19,172 17–12–6 40 36 December 21 Montreal 3–4 Edmonton Price 18,347 17–13–6 40 37 December 23 Montreal 6–2 Winnipeg Price 15,325 18–13–6 42 38 December 28 Montreal 4–5 Tampa Bay Price 19,092 18–14–6 42 39 December 29 Montreal 5–6 Florida Price 19,651 18–15–6 42 40 December 31 Montreal 1–3 Carolina Lindgren 18,680 18–16–6 42 January: 5–6–1 (Home: 2–5–1; Road: 3–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 41 January 2 Tampa Bay 2–1 Montreal Price 20,904 18–17–6 42 42 January 4 Pittsburgh 3–2 Montreal OT Price 21,302 18–17–7 43 43 January 6 Winnipeg 3–2 Montreal Price 20,882 18–18–7 43 44 January 7 Montreal 3–4 Detroit Lindgren 17,538 18–19–7 43 45 January 9 Edmonton 4–2 Montreal Price 21,302 18–20–7 43 46 January 11 Montreal 2–1 Ottawa OT Price 18,088 19–20–7 45 47 January 13 Calgary 0–2 Montreal Price 20,790 20–20–7 47 48 January 15 Chicago 4–1 Montreal Lindgren 21,302 20–21–7 47 49 January 16 Montreal 4–1 Philadelphia Price 17,377 21–21–7 49 50 January 18 Vegas 4–5 Montreal SO Price 21,302 22–21–7 51 51 January 27 Washington 4–2 Montreal Price 21,302 22–22–7 51 52 January 30 Montreal 3–1 Buffalo Price 16,604 23–22–7 53 February: 7–6–2 (Home: 4–3–2; Road: 3–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 53 February 1 Florida 0–4 Montreal Price 21,302 24–22–7 55 54 February 2 Columbus 4–3 Montreal Price 21,302 24–23–7 55 55 February 4 Montreal 5–4 New Jersey SO Lindgren 13,283 25–23–7 57 56 February 6 Anaheim 2–3 Montreal OT Price 20,896 26–23–7 59 57 February 8 Toronto 1–2 Montreal OT Price 21,302 27–23–7 61 58 February 10 Arizona 3–2 Montreal Price 20,789 27–24–7 61 59 February 12 Montreal 1–4 Boston Price 17,850 27–25–7 61 60 February 14 Montreal 1–4 Pittsburgh Price 18,650 27–26–7 61 61 February 15 Dallas 4–3 Montreal OT Price 21,302 27–26–8 62 62 February 18 Montreal 3–4 Detroit Price 18,947 27–27–8 62 63 February 20 Montreal 4–3 Washington OT Price 18,573 28–27–8 64 64 February 22 Montreal 3–0 Ottawa Price 18,374 29–27–8 66 65 February 25 Vancouver 4–3 Montreal OT Price 21,187 29–27–9 67 66 February 27 NY Rangers 5–2 Montreal Price 20,946 29–28–9 67 67 February 29 Carolina 3–4 Montreal OT Lindgren 21,207 30–28–9 69 March: 1–3–0 (Home: 0–1–0; Road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 68 March 3 Montreal 6–2 NY Islanders Price 12,788 31–28–9 71 69 March 5 Montreal 0–4 Tampa Bay Price 19,092 31–29–9 71 70 March 7 Montreal 1–4 Florida Lindgren 17,873 31–30–9 71 71 March 10 Nashville 4–2 Montreal Price 21,021 31–31–9 71 Cancelled games # Date Visitor Home 72 March 12 Buffalo Montreal 73 March 15 Montreal Anaheim 74 March 17 Montreal Los Angeles 75 March 19 Montreal San Jose 76 March 21 Montreal Colorado 77 March 24 Buffalo Montreal 78 March 26 Florida Montreal 79 March 28 NY Islanders Montreal 80 March 31 Montreal Chicago 81 April 1 Montreal Nashville 82 April 4 Montreal TorontoLegend:

Playoffs

The Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round in four games.

The Canadiens faced the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, but were eliminated in six games. 2020 Stanley Cup playoffsEastern Conference Qualifying Round vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: Montreal won 3–1 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Series Recap 1 August 1 Montreal 3–2 Pittsburgh OT Price 1–0 2 August 3 Montreal 1–3 Pittsburgh Price 1–1 3 August 5 Pittsburgh 3–4 Montreal Price 2–1 4 August 7 Pittsburgh 0–2 Montreal Price 3–1 Eastern Conference First Round vs. (1) Philadelphia Flyers: Philadelphia won 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Series Recap 1 August 12 Montreal 1–2 Philadelphia Price 0–1 2 August 14 Montreal 5–0 Philadelphia Price 1–1 3 August 16 Philadelphia 1–0 Montreal Price 1–2 4 August 18 Philadelphia 2–0 Montreal Price 1–3 5 August 19 Montreal 5–3 Philadelphia Price 2–3 6 August 21 Philadelphia 3–2 Montreal Price 2–4 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular season Player 68 22 39 61 5 36 71 13 34 47 18 32 71 17 27 44 −3 35 59 22 21 43 9 29 71 13 28 41 −15 6 71 11 29 40 −10 26 65 15 21 36 8 33 58 16 14 30 2 28 70 13 14 27 2 24 ‡ 58 9 13 22 1 33 69 9 12 21 5 61 49 8 7 15 −8 14 27 7 8 15 −6 14 ‡ 63 4 10 14 −2 21 †‡ 22 6 7 13 6 2 51 4 7 11 5 20 29 4 6 10 5 4 36 6 2 8 −11 23 56 0 7 7 −1 12 23 1 4 5 1 16 ‡ 14 0 4 4 2 6 13 2 1 3 1 0 †‡ 20 1 2 3 1 8 16 1 1 2 −1 13 15 1 1 2 −9 0 27 1 1 2 −4 4 12 0 2 2 0 4 7 1 0 1 0 0 41 1 0 1 −4 6 4 0 0 0 −1 0 3 0 0 0 −4 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 ‡ 5 0 0 0 −2 0 ‡ 9 0 0 0 −1 2

Playoffs Player 10 4 3 7 3 0 10 1 6 7 3 8 10 3 2 5 3 16 10 3 2 5 5 10 10 4 0 4 4 23 10 1 3 4 4 6 10 1 3 4 4 8 9 1 3 4 −1 2 10 2 1 3 1 6 10 1 2 3 −1 6 10 0 3 3 2 0 10 0 3 3 −2 8 10 2 0 2 −1 4 10 0 2 2 1 2 10 0 2 2 2 12 6 0 1 1 1 0 6 0 1 1 −1 0 10 0 1 1 2 14 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 −1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 58 58 3,439:49 27 25 6 160 2.79 1,755 .909 4 0 0 6 6 6 360:51 2 4 0 20 3.33 178 .888 0 0 0 0 2 2 119:06 1 1 0 5 2.52 72 .931 0 0 0 0 6 5 339:59 1 1 3 24 4.24 192 .875 0 0 0 0

Playoffs Player 10 10 605:32 5 5 18 1.78 282 .936 2 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Canadiens. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Suspensions/fines Player Explanation Length Salary Date issued Ref Nick Cousins Boarding Red Wings defenceman Mike Green N/A $2,688.17 January 8, 2020 Claude Julien Inappropriate comments against officials during a postgame press conference N/A $10,000.00 February 17, 2020

Awards and honours

Awards

Regular season Player Award Awarded Ref NHL All-Star Game selection December 30, 2019 NHL All-Rookie Team selection September 21, 2020

Milestones

Regular season Player Milestone Reached Ref Cale Fleury 1st career NHL game October 3, 2019 Nick Suzuki 1st career NHL game October 3, 2019 Nick Suzuki 1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point October 9, 2019 Nate Thompson 700th career NHL game October 9, 2019 Jonathan Drouin 200th career NHL point October 12, 2019 Victor Mete 1st career NHL goal October 17, 2019 Nick Suzuki 1st career NHL goal October 17, 2019 Brendan Gallagher 300th career NHL point October 20, 2019 Brendan Gallagher 500th career NHL game October 30, 2019 Tomas Tatar 300th career NHL point November 9, 2019 Shea Weber 100th career NHL powerplay goal November 9, 2019 Phillip Danault 100th career NHL assist November 16, 2019 Cale Fleury 1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point November 16, 2019 Otto Leskinen 1st career NHL game December 5, 2019 Cayden Primeau 1st career NHL game December 5, 2019 Phillip Danault 300th career NHL game December 11, 2019 Cayden Primeau 1st career NHL win December 11, 2019 Joel Armia 100th career NHL point December 17, 2019 Jordan Weal 200th career NHL game December 29, 2019 Lukas Vejdemo 1st career NHL game December 31, 2019 Artturi Lehkonen 100th career NHL point January 4, 2020 Ilya Kovalchuk 900th career NHL game January 9, 2020 Nick Cousins 300th career NHL game January 13, 2020 Dale Weise 500th career NHL game January 27, 2020 Ryan Poehling 1st career NHL assist February 4, 2020 Jake Evans 1st career NHL game February 6, 2020 Brett Kulak 200th career NHL game February 8, 2020 Jake Evans 1st career NHL goal1st Career NHL point February 10, 2020 Lukas Vejdemo 1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point March 10, 2020 Jake Evans 1st career NHL assist March 10, 2020