The 2021–22 Montreal Canadiens season was the 113th for the club that was established on December 4, 1909, and their 105th season as a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Canadiens were unable to replicate their success from the prior season that saw them reach the Stanley Cup Final, whereas on March 25, 2022, they became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since the 2018–19 season following the Washington Capitals' 4–3 shootout victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Ultimately, the Canadiens finished last in the league for the first time since the 1939–40 season and the first time in the NHL's expansion era, in what was one of the worst seasons in the team's history. Collectively, they set team records for most regulation losses (49), most goals against (319), fewest wins (22),Minimum 70-game schedule and fewest points (55), while its .335 point percentage was third-worst in franchise history, after only both the 1925–26 (.319) and 1939–40 (.260) campaigns. As a result of this, Montreal won the draft lottery to select first overall in the NHL entry draft for the first time in 42 years. The Canadiens also became the first team since the 2002–03 Carolina Hurricanes to finish in last place in the NHL a year after making the Stanley Cup Final. With a total of 720 man-games lost, the team likewise set an NHL record for most injuries in a season, which they would subsequently break the following season.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason 2021 preseason game log: 2–3–1 (home: 2–0–1; road: 0–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 25 Montreal 4–1 Toronto Primeau — 0–1–0 2 September 27 Toronto 2–5 Montreal Allen 7,500 1–1–0 3 October 1 Montreal 2–7 Ottawa Allen — 1–2–0 4 October 2 Ottawa 1–2 Montreal Primeau 7,500 2–2–0 5 October 5 Montreal 2–6 Toronto Montembeault — 2–3–0 6 October 7 Ottawa 5–4 Montreal SO Allen 7,500 2–3–1

Regular season The regular season schedule was released on July 22, 2021. 2021–22 game logOctober: 2–8–0 (home: 1–3–0; road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 13 Montreal 1–2 Toronto Allen 18,493 0–1–0 0 2 October 14 Montreal 1–5 Buffalo Montembeault 8,467 0–2–0 0 3 October 16 NY Rangers 3–1 Montreal Allen 21,105 0–3–0 0 4 October 19 San Jose 5–0 Montreal Allen 16,095 0–4–0 0 5 October 21 Carolina 4–1 Montreal Allen 19,174 0–5–0 0 6 October 23 Detroit 1–6 Montreal Allen 19,706 1–5–0 2 7 October 26 Montreal 1–5 Seattle Allen 17,151 1–6–0 2 8 October 28 Montreal 4–0 San Jose Allen 11,463 2–6–0 4 9 October 30 Montreal 2–5 Los Angeles Allen 12,785 2–7–0 4 10 October 31 Montreal 2–4 Anaheim Montembeault 11,652 2–8–0 4 November: 4–8–2 (home: 3–4–1; road: 1–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 11 November 2 Detroit 0–3 Montreal Allen 19,547 3–8–0 6 12 November 4 NY Islanders 6–2 Montreal Allen 19,924 3–9–0 6 13 November 6 Vegas 5–2 Montreal Allen 20,156 3–10–0 6 14 November 9 Los Angeles 3–2 Montreal OT Allen 20,042 3–10–1 7 15 November 11 Calgary 2–4 Montreal Allen 20,399 4–10–1 9 16 November 13 Montreal 2–3 Detroit OT Montembeault 18,076 4–10–2 10 17 November 14 Montreal 2–5 Boston Montembeault 17,850 4–11–2 10 18 November 16 Montreal 2–3 NY Rangers Primeau 15,255 4–12–2 10 19 November 18 Pittsburgh 6–0 Montreal Primeau 20,712 4–13–2 10 20 November 20 Nashville 3–6 Montreal Montembeault 20,522 5–13–2 12 21 November 24 Montreal 3–6 Washington Allen 18,573 5–14–2 12 22 November 26 Montreal 1–4 Buffalo Montembeault 9,958 5–15–2 12 23 November 27 Montreal 6–3 Pittsburgh Allen 17,985 6–15–2 14 24 November 29 Vancouver 2–1 Montreal Allen 20,478 6–16–2 14 December: 1–6–2 (home: 1–3–0; road: 0–3–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 25 December 2 Colorado 4–1 Montreal Allen 20,092 6–17–2 14 26 December 4 Montreal 3–4 Nashville OT Allen 17,159 6–17–3 15 27 December 7 Tampa Bay 3–2 Montreal Allen 19,976 6–18–3 15 28 December 9 Chicago 2–0 Montreal Allen 20,447 6–19–3 15 29 December 11 Montreal 1–4 St. Louis Allen 16,829 6–20–3 15 30 December 14 Montreal 2–5 Pittsburgh Allen 17,005 6–21–3 15 31 December 16 Philadelphia 2–3 Montreal SO Primeau 0 7–21–3 17 — December 18 Boston – Montreal Postponed due to COVID-19. — December 20 Montreal – NY Islanders Postponed due to COVID-19. — December 22 Montreal – NY Rangers Postponed due to COVID-19. — December 23 Montreal – New Jersey Postponed due to COVID-19. 32 December 28 Montreal 4–5 Tampa Bay OT Montembeault 19,092 7–21–4 18 33 December 30 Montreal 0–4 Carolina Montembeault 17,722 7–22–4 18 January: 1–7–3 (home: 0–3–0; road: 1–4–3) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 34 January 1 Montreal 2–5 Florida Montembeault 13,584 7–23–4 18 — January 4 Washington – Montreal Postponed due to COVID-19. — January 6 Toronto – Montreal Postponed due to COVID-19. — January 8 Buffalo – Montreal Postponed due to COVID-19. — January 10 Columbus – Montreal Postponed due to COVID-19. 35 January 12 Montreal 1–5 Boston Allen 17,850 7–24–4 18 36 January 13 Montreal 2–3 Chicago OT Montembeault 17,472 7–24–5 19 — January 15 New Jersey – Montreal Postponed due to COVID-19. 37 January 17 Montreal 2–5 Arizona Primeau 9,495 7–25–5 19 38 January 18 Montreal 5–3 Dallas Montembeault 17,679 8–25–5 21 39 January 20 Montreal 3–4 Vegas OT Montembeault 18,121 8–25–6 22 40 January 22 Montreal 2–3 Colorado OT Primeau 17,646 8–25–7 23 41 January 24 Montreal 2–8 Minnesota Primeau 18,104 8–26–7 23 42 January 27 Anaheim 5–4 Montreal Montembeault 0 8–27–7 23 43 January 29 Edmonton 7–2 Montreal Montembeault 0 8–28–7 23 44 January 30 Columbus 6–3 Montreal Primeau 0 8–29–7 23 February: 5–4–0 (home: 3–4–0; road: 2–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 45 February 8 New Jersey 7–1 Montreal Primeau 500 8–30–7 23 46 February 10 Washington 5–2 Montreal Primeau 500 8–31–7 23 47 February 12 Columbus 2–1 Montreal Montembeault 500 8–32–7 23 48 February 13 Buffalo 5–3 Montreal Montembeault 500 8–33–7 23 49 February 17 St. Louis 2–3 Montreal OT Montembeault 500 9–33–7 25 50 February 20 Montreal 3–2 NY Islanders SO Hammond 17,255 10–33–7 27 51 February 21 Toronto 2–5 Montreal Montembeault 10,552 11–33–7 29 52 February 23 Buffalo 0–4 Montreal Montembeault 10,552 12–33–7 31 53 February 26 Montreal 2–1 Ottawa Hammond 9,958 13–33–7 33 March: 5–6–4 (home: 2–2–3; road: 3–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 54 March 1 Montreal 4–8 Winnipeg Montembeault 13,816 13–34–7 33 55 March 3 Montreal 5–4 Calgary OT Hammond 16,288 14–34–7 35 56 March 5 Montreal 5–2 Edmonton Montembeault 18,258 15–34–7 37 57 March 9 Montreal 3–5 Vancouver Montembeault 18,645 15–35–7 37 58 March 12 Seattle 4–3 Montreal SO Montembeault 20,608 15–35–8 38 59 March 13 Montreal 4–3 Philadelphia OT Montembeault 15,451 16–35–8 40 60 March 15 Arizona 6–3 Montreal Montembeault 20,532 16–36–8 40 61 March 17 Dallas 4–3 Montreal OT Allen 20,714 16–36–9 41 62 March 19 Ottawa 1–5 Montreal Allen 21,105 17–36–9 43 63 March 21 Boston 3–2 Montreal OT Allen 20,922 17–36–10 44 64 March 24 Florida 4–3 Montreal Allen 20,788 17–37–10 44 65 March 26 Toronto 2–4 Montreal Allen 21,105 18–37–10 46 66 March 27 Montreal 2–3 New Jersey SO Montembeault 12,080 18–37–11 47 67 March 29 Montreal 4–7 Florida Allen 15,587 18–38–11 47 68 March 31 Montreal 0–4 Carolina Allen 15,289 18–39–11 47 April: 4–10–0 (home: 1–7–0; road: 3–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 69 April 2 Montreal 5–4 Tampa Bay SO Allen 19,092 19–39–11 49 70 April 5 Ottawa 6–3 Montreal Allen 20,566 19–40–11 49 71 April 7 Montreal 7–4 New Jersey Allen 10,435 20–40–11 51 72 April 9 Montreal 2–3 Toronto Montembeault 19,113 20–41–11 51 73 April 11 Winnipeg 4–2 Montreal Montembeault 20,728 20–42–11 51 74 April 13 Montreal 1–5 Columbus Montembeault 16,708 20–43–11 51 75 April 15 NY Islanders 3–0 Montreal Price 21,105 20–44–11 51 76 April 16 Washington 8–4 Montreal Montembeault 21,105 20–45–11 51 77 April 19 Minnesota 2–0 Montreal Price 20,725 20–46–11 51 78 April 21 Philadelphia 6–3 Montreal Price 21,105 20–47–11 51 79 April 23 Montreal 4–6 Ottawa Price 19,410 20–48–11 51 80 April 24 Boston 5–3 Montreal Montembeault 21,105 20–49–11 51 81 April 27 Montreal 4–3 NY Rangers Montembeault 16,845 21–49–11 53 82 April 29 Florida 2–10 Montreal Price 21,105 22–49–11 55 Legend:

Player statistics

Final stats

Skaters Regular season Player 82 21 40 61 −29 30 67 23 20 43 −24 10 67 15 20 35 −24 32 56 11 22 33 −19 24 69 19 13 32 −25 65 ‡ 58 13 16 29 0 14 72 13 16 29 −5 22 68 6 21 27 −11 36 64 4 23 27 −25 67 ‡ 37 9 17 26 −8 4 † 46 9 17 26 −9 12 56 7 17 24 −7 69 34 6 14 20 −9 23 ‡ 54 7 11 18 −18 42 57 9 8 17 −21 6 62 3 14 17 −22 36 60 6 8 14 −15 14 ‡ 56 3 10 13 −10 33 79 3 10 13 −9 53 38 4 8 12 −10 25 51 5 6 11 −7 81 25 4 5 9 +2 4 27 4 3 7 −8 2 24 3 3 6 −1 35 24 2 4 6 −5 8 13 0 6 6 +3 2 † 25 2 3 5 −8 18 14 2 3 5 +2 2 † 14 1 2 3 −6 4 † 5 1 1 2 −2 0 24 0 2 2 −6 25 6 1 0 1 −3 0 10 1 0 1 +3 8 4 1 0 1 −2 0 † 3 0 1 1 +2 0 ‡ 4 0 1 1 −1 0 6 0 1 1 +2 2 11 0 0 0 0 4 ‡ 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 35 35 1,947:40 9 20 4 107 3.30 1,123 .905 2 0 0 2 38 30 1,942:49 8 18 6 122 3.77 1,124 .891 1 0 0 0 ‡ 4 3 200:10 3 0 0 8 2.40 100 .920 0 0 0 0 5 5 297:30 1 4 0 18 3.63 148 .878 0 0 0 0 12 9 519:13 1 7 1 40 4.62 302 .868 0 0 0 0 ‡ 1 0 20:00 0 0 0 3 9.00 7 .571 0 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 Cedric Paquette Boarding Ducks forward Trevor Zegras 2 games $9,500.00 November 1, 2021 Brendan Gallagher Roughing Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow N/A $2,500.00 November 17, 2021 Chris Wideman Head-butting Bruins forward Erik Haula 1 game $3,750.00 January 13, 2022 Jonathan Drouin Cross-checking Stars forward Tyler Seguin N/A $5,000.00 January 19, 2022 Michael Pezzetta Illegal check to the head of Capitals forward T.J. Oshie 2 games $7,500.00 April 18, 2022

Awards and honours

Awards Regular season Player Award Awarded Ref NHL All-Star Game selection January 13, 2022 NHL Rookie of the Month April 1, 2022 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy June 1, 2022

Milestones