2006–07 Montreal Canadiens season

2006–07 Montreal Canadiens
Division	4th Northeast
Conference	10th Eastern
2006–07 record	42–34–6
Home record	26–12–3
Road record	16–22–3
Goals for	245
Goals against	256
Team information
General manager	Bob Gainey Pierre Gauthier (interim, Dec. 10–Jan. 1)
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)
Penalty minutes	Sheldon Souray (135)
Plus/minus	Alexander Perezhogin (+11)
Wins	Cristobal Huet (19)
Goals against average	Cristobal Huet (2.81)

The 2006–07 Montreal Canadiens season was the club's 98th season, 90th in the National Hockey League (NHL). 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.

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.

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.

Standings

Northeast Division

No.	CR		GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	1	Buffalo Sabres	82	53	22	7	308	242	113
2	4	Ottawa Senators	82	48	25	9	288	222	105
3	9	Toronto Maple Leafs	82	40	31	11	258	269	91
4	10	Montreal Canadiens	82	42	34	6	245	256	90
5	13	Boston Bruins	82	35	41	6	219	289	76

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

R		Div	GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	P - Buffalo Sabres	NE	82	53	22	7	308	242	113
2	Y - New Jersey Devils	AT	82	49	24	9	216	201	107
3	Y - Atlanta Thrashers	SE	82	43	28	11	246	245	97
4	X - Ottawa Senators	NE	82	48	25	9	288	222	105
5	X - Pittsburgh Penguins	AT	82	47	24	11	277	246	105
6	X - New York Rangers	AT	82	42	30	10	242	216	94
7	X - Tampa Bay Lightning	SE	82	44	33	5	253	261	93
8	X - New York Islanders	AT	82	40	30	12	248	240	92
8.5
9	Toronto Maple Leafs	NE	82	40	31	11	258	269	91
10	Montreal Canadiens	NE	82	42	34	6	245	256	90
11	Carolina Hurricanes	SE	82	40	34	8	241	253	88
12	Florida Panthers	SE	82	35	31	16	247	257	86
13	Boston Bruins	NE	82	35	41	6	219	289	76
14	Washington Capitals	SE	82	28	40	14	235	286	70
15	Philadelphia Flyers	AT	82	22	48	12	214	303	56

Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NE – Northeast, SE – Southeast

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

Schedule and results

2006–07 regular season
October: 6–2–3 (home: 3–1–2; road: 3–1–1) Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap 1 October 6 Montreal 4–5 Buffalo SO Huet 18,690 0–0–1 1 Recap 2 October 7 Montreal 3–2 Toronto SO Aebischer 19,353 1–0–1 3 Recap 3 October 11 Montreal 3–1 Philadelphia Aebischer 19,256 2–0–1 5 Recap 4 October 14 Ottawa 3–2 Montreal SO Huet 21,273 2–0–2 6 Recap 5 October 17 Calgary 4–5 Montreal Huet 21,273 3–0–2 8 Recap 6 October 18 Montreal 1–2 Chicago Aebischer 11,095 3–1–2 8 Recap 7 October 21 Colorado 5–8 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 4–1–2 10 Recap 8 October 23 Buffalo 4–1 Montreal Huet 21,273 4–2–2 10 Recap 9 October 26 Montreal 3–2 Boston Huet 13,920 5–2–2 12 Recap 10 October 28 Toronto 5–4 Montreal SO Aebischer 21,273 5–2–3 13 Recap 11 October 31 Ottawa 2–4 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 6–2–3 15 Recap
November: 8–5–0 (home: 4–2–0; road: 4–3–0) Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap 12 November 2 Montreal 4–0 Carolina Huet 6,486 7–2–3 17 Recap 13 November 4 New Jersey 2–1 Montreal Huet 21,271 7–3–3 17 Recap 14 November 7 Edmonton 2–3 Montreal SO Aebischer 21,273 8–3–3 19 Recap 15 November 11 Montreal 1–5 Toronto Aebischer 19,501 8–4–3 19 Recap 16 November 13 Montreal 6–3 Ottawa Huet 20,051 9–4–3 21 Recap 17 November 15 Montreal 3–1 Tampa Bay Huet 19,920 10–4–3 23 Recap 18 November 16 Montreal 1–5 Florida Aebischer 13,506 10–5–3 23 Recap 19 November 18 Atlanta 1–3 Montreal Huet 21,273 11–5–3 25 Recap 20 November 22 Minnesota 2–4 Montreal Huet 21,273 12–5–3 27 Recap 21 November 24 Montreal 2–1 Buffalo OT Huet 18,690 13–5–3 29 Recap 22 November 25 Philadelphia 4–2 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 13–6–3 29 Recap 23 November 28 Florida 0–1 Montreal SO Huet 21,273 14–6–3 31 Recap 24 November 30 Montreal 2–4 Carolina Huet 13,103 14–7–3 31 Recap
December: 8–4–2 (home: 5–1–1; road: 3–3–1) Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap 25 December 2 Toronto 3–4 Montreal SO Huet 21,273 15–7–3 33 Recap 26 December 4 Boston 6–5 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 15–8–3 33 Recap 27 December 6 Montreal 1–2 New Jersey OT Aebischer 10,986 15–8–4 34 Recap 28 December 7 Montreal 4–2 NY Islanders Huet 9,551 16–8–4 36 Recap 29 December 9 Buffalo 3–2 Montreal SO Huet 21,273 16–8–5 37 Recap 30 December 12 Boston 3–4 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 17–8–5 39 Recap 31 December 14 Tampa Bay 2–4 Montreal Huet 21,273 18–8–5 41 Recap 32 December 16 Pittsburgh 3–6 Montreal Huet 21,273 19–8–5 43 Recap 33 December 19 Montreal 5–2 Buffalo Huet 18,690 20–8–5 45 Recap 34 December 21 Philadelphia 2–4 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 21–8–5 47 Recap 35 December 23 Montreal 2–4 Boston Huet 17,565 21–9–5 47 Recap 36 December 27 Montreal 4–1 Washington Huet 15,609 22–9–5 49 Recap 37 December 29 Montreal 1–3 Florida Huet 19,772 22–10–5 49 Recap 38 December 30 Montreal 1–3 Tampa Bay Huet 21,120 22–11–5 49 Recap
January: 6–7–0 (home: 4–3–0; road: 2–4–0) Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap 39 January 2 Tampa Bay 2–5 Montreal Huet 21,273 23–11–5 51 Recap 40 January 4 Montreal 1–5 Washington Huet 11,287 23–12–5 51 Recap 41 January 6 NY Rangers 4–3 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 23–13–5 51 Recap 42 January 7 New Jersey 3–0 Montreal Huet 21,273 23–14–5 51 Recap 43 January 9 Atlanta 2–4 Montreal Huet 21,273 24–14–5 53 Recap 44 January 11 Montreal 4–2 Philadelphia Aebischer 19,411 25–14–5 55 Recap 45 January 13 Montreal 3–8 Ottawa Huet 20,038 25–15–5 55 Recap 46 January 15 Montreal 0–2 Detroit Aebischer 20,066 25–16–5 55 Recap 47 January 16 Vancouver 4–0 Montreal Huet 21,273 25–17–5 55 Recap 48 January 18 Montreal 4–1 Atlanta Huet 14,025 26–17–5 57 Recap 49 January 20 Buffalo 3–4 Montreal Huet 21,273 27–17–5 59 Recap 50 January 27 Montreal 1–4 Toronto Huet 19,508 27–18–5 59 Recap 51 January 29 Ottawa 1–3 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 28–18–5 61 Recap
February: 5–9–1 (home: 3–5–0; road: 2–4–1) Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap 52 February 1 Montreal 4–5 Pittsburgh SO Aebischer 17,132 28–18–6 62 Recap 53 February 3 NY Islanders 4–2 Montreal Huet 21,273 28–19–6 62 Recap 54 February 4 Pittsburgh 3–4 Montreal OT Aebischer 21,273 29–19–6 64 Recap 55 February 6 Carolina 2–1 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 29–20–6 64 Recap 56 February 8 Montreal 1–4 Ottawa Huet 19,915 29–21–6 64 Recap 57 February 10 Ottawa 5–3 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 29–22–6 64 Recap 58 February 13 Florida 1–0 Montreal Huet 21,273 29–23–6 64 Recap 59 February 14 Montreal 2–5 New Jersey Huet 7,515 29–24–6 64 Recap 60 February 17 Carolina 5–3 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 29–25–6 64 Recap 61 February 18 Montreal 3–2 Columbus Halak 16,116 30–25–6 66 Recap 62 February 20 Washington 3–5 Montreal Halak 21,273 31–25–6 68 Recap 63 February 22 Montreal 6–5 Nashville SO Halak 15,808 32–25–6 70 Recap 64 February 24 Montreal 2–3 NY Islanders Halak 16,234 32–26–6 70 Recap 65 February 26 Toronto 5–4 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 33–26–6 72 Recap 66 February 27 Montreal 0–4 NY Rangers Halak 18,200 33–27–6 72 Recap
March: 8–5–0 (home: 6–0–0; road: 2–5–0) Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap 67 March 2 Montreal 5–8 Buffalo Aebischer 18,690 33–28–6 72 Recap 68 March 3 Montreal 1–3 Boston Halak 17,565 33–29–6 72 Recap 69 March 8 Montreal 2–6 Atlanta Halak 14,528 33–30–6 72 Recap 70 March 10 Montreal 4–3 St. Louis Aebischer 19,421 34–30–6 74 Recap 71 March 13 NY Islanders 3–5 Montreal Aebischer 21,273 35–30–6 76 Recap 72 March 16 Montreal 3–6 Pittsburgh Aebischer 17,132 35–31–6 76 Recap 73 March 17 Toronto 2–3 Montreal SO Halak 21,273 36–31–6 78 Recap 74 March 20 Boston 0–1 Montreal Halak 21,273 37–31–6 80 Recap 75 March 22 Montreal 6–3 Boston Halak 17,026 38–31–6 82 Recap 76 March 24 Washington 1–4 Montreal Halak 21,273 39–31–6 84 Recap 77 March 27 Rangers 4–6 Montreal Halak 21,273 40–31–6 86 Recap 78 March 30 Montreal 2–5 Ottawa Halak 20,185 40–32–6 86 Recap 79 March 31 Buffalo 3–4 Montreal Halak 21,273 41–32–6 88 Recap
April: 1–2–0 (home: 1–0–0; road: 0–2–0) Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap 80 April 3 Boston 0–2 Montreal Halak 21,273 42–32–6 90 Recap 81 April 5 Montreal 1–3 NY Rangers Halak 18,200 42–33–6 90 Recap 82 April 7 Montreal 5–6 Toronto Huet 19,723 42–34–6 90 Recap
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Player statistics

Scoring

• Position abbreviations: C = Centre; D = Defence; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing
• † = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
• ‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.

			Regular season
No.	Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM
11	Saku Koivu	C	81	22	53	75	−21	74
44	Sheldon Souray	D	81	26	38	64	−28	135
73	Michael Ryder	RW	82	30	28	58	−25	60
79	Andrei Markov	D	77	6	43	49	2	56
35	Tomas Plekanec	LW	81	20	27	47	10	36
27	Alexei Kovalev	RW	73	18	29	47	−19	78
21	Chris Higgins	C	61	22	16	38	−11	26
32	Mark Streit	D	76	10	26	36	−5	14
20	Mike Johnson	RW	80	11	20	31	6	40
84	Guillaume Latendresse	RW	80	16	13	29	−20	47
15	Sergei Samsonov	LW	63	9	17	26	−4	10
14	Radek Bonk	C	74	13	10	23	0	54
8	Mike Komisarek	D	82	4	15	19	7	96
52	Craig Rivet‡	D	54	6	10	16	−7	57
42	Alexander Perezhogin	LW	61	6	9	15	11	48
51	Francis Bouillon	D	62	3	11	14	−10	52
40	Maxim Lapierre	C	46	6	6	12	−7	24
46	Andrei Kostitsyn	W	22	1	10	11	3	6
22	Steve Begin	C	52	5	5	10	−6	46
25	Mathieu Dandenault	D	68	2	6	8	−8	40
57	Garth Murray	C	43	2	1	3	−10	32
6	Janne Niinimaa	D	41	0	3	3	−13	36
47	Aaron Downey	RW	21	1	0	1	−6	48
41	Jaroslav Halak	G	16	0	1	1		2
39	Cristobal Huet	G	42	0	1	1		0
62	Duncan Milroy	RW	5	0	1	1	−2	0
30	David Aebischer	G	32	0	0	0		2
26	Josh Gorges†	D	7	0	0	0	−1	0
59	Mikhail Grabovski	C	3	0	0	0	−2	0

Goaltending

		Regular season
No.	Player	GP	W	L	OT	SA	GA	GAA	SV%	SO	TOI
39	Cristobal Huet	42	19	16	3	1280	107	2.81	.916	2	2286
30	David Aebischer	32	13	12	3	929	93	3.17	.900	0	1760
41	Jaroslav Halak	16	10	6	0	469	44	2.89	.906	2	912

Awards and records

• King Clancy Memorial Trophy: Saku Koivu

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. 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)

See also

• 2006–07 NHL season

References

• "Montreal Canadiens 2006-07 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
• "2006-07 Montreal Canadiens Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.