The newly formed, all-Canadian North Division will get going with a clash in Toronto, as the local Maple Leafs will welcome the Montreal Canadiens on the first day of the 2020-21 NHL season.
Habs Add Anderson, Toffoli
Despite faring worse during the regular campaign than in 2018-19, when they didn’t even make the postseason, the Montreal Canadiens got out of the Stanley Cup qualifying round, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in four contests (3-1), reaching the First Round only for the second time in the last five years. The Habs eventually were bettered by the Philadelphia Flyers (4-2) during it, but still finished last year better than expected after ending the regular campaign 5th in the Atlantic Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference (31-31-9). Tomas Tatar was the team’s highest-scoring player throughout the regular season, picking up 61 points and a squad-high 22 goals alongside Brendan Gallagher (43 points).L'entraîneur-chef, Claude Julien, répond en direct aux questions des médias.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 12, 2021
Head coach Claude Julien is live taking questions from reporters.#GoHabsGo https://t.co/mk8oAJy02j
Goalie Carey Price went 27-25-6 before the coronavirus lockdown with a 2.79 GAA, a .909 save percentage and four shutouts, and was 5-5 during the postseason with a 1.78 GAA, a .936 save percentage and two shutouts. He has recorded a 26-15-4 career tally against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 2.62 GAA, a .917 save percentage and four shutouts. On Oct. 6, Montreal traded in Max Domi and 3rd-round pick in 2020 for Columbus Blue Jackets' Josh Anderson. The team has also acquired Tyler Toffoli (Vancouver Canucks), netminder Jake Allen (St. Louis Blues), as well as Corey Perry (Dallas Stars) and Michael Frolik (Buffalo Sabres), who both have been placed on waivers. The Canadiens finished last season, scoring the 13th lowest number of goals per game (2.93), while allowing the 11th highest quantity on the defensive end (3.10). The team was 22nd in power play (17.7%) and 19th in penalty kill (78.7%).
Leafs Capture Thornton, Simmonds
The 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs brought another disappointment for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who - after being eliminated in the First Round during the previous three seasons and failing to make the postseason for three straight years prior - were eliminated by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the qualifying round (2-3). And that despite ending the regular campaign with their third straight 3rd-place finish in the Atlantic Division (36-25-9). Predictably, Auston Matthews was the team’s top scorer throughout the 2019-20 season, amassing 47 goals and 80 points before the lockdown, adding further two snipes and four assists in the qualifiers against the Jackets.Off to work we go 💼 pic.twitter.com/yhgd9ngqI0
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 12, 2021
Goalie Frederik Andersen posted a 29-13-7 tally for the year with a 2.85 GAA, a .909 save percentage and three shutouts, and went 2-3 during the postseason with a 1.84 GAA, a .936 save percentage and one shutout. He is 7-3-2 against the Montreal Canadiens historically with a 2.57 GAA, a .923 save percentage and one shutout. Incomings-wise, the Leafs have heavily relied on experience, inking one-year contracts with the likes of Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks), Wayne Simmonds (Buffalo Sabres) and Zach Bogosian (Tampa Bay Lightning). Aaron Dell (Sharks), meanwhile, has joined as a third-string goalie. Toronto finished last year 3rd in most goals scored per game (3.39), 6th in most goals conceded on average (3.17), 5th in power play (23.1%) and 21st in penalty kill (77.7%).
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Montreal
- Canadiens are 1-3 in their last 4 games.
Toronto
- Maple Leafs are 3-1 in their last 4 regular-season home games.
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