Kevin Allen: Canadiens are playing as well as either the Islanders or Lightning Don't go to sleep on the Canadiens. They are playing at a high level.

Honestly feel like this year it’s anyone’s cup, Habs, or the Nyi/TB winner. I wouldn’t be shocked no matter who wins it all.

Dont forget the covid gift montreal received as mathematically in the former divisions montreal would not even have made the playoffs.

Yeah, and how COVID also gifted them 25 games in 43 nights with an injury-depleted roster.

Helps to have top centers on the opposition removed from every series.

Full credit to the habs for playing hard and making opposition forwards pay for getting close to the net while being relentless in checking. The habs deserve to be in the finals given the effort but wow I have never witnessed such disproportionate luck in the playoffs.

Gotta love the ultimate underdog!

Go habs!

The Habs are far from just Price, and they will make this a really good series. Bolts in 6, but if Kuch can't play in a few games, then I think Montreal wins it in 6.

Helps to have top centers on the opposition removed from every series.

Full credit to the habs for playing hard and making opposition forwards pay for getting close to the net while being relentless in checking. The habs deserve to be in the finals given the effort but wow I have never witnessed such disproportionate luck in the playoffs.

Gotta love the ultimate underdog!

Go habs!
- BrainSap

Please you are not talking about Stephenson--give me a break, if he is a top center the NHL is a joke

I will give you Tavares----break

Schiefle on the other hand played game one and Montreal dominated- then the series was swept, this is not Connor we are talking about here-no way he makes that big a difference.

You fail to mention Petry playing with 8 fingers, is that a break too??

This idea that Montreal has had all the breaks is nauseating to say the least.

What a joke of a final.. one team that only made it because of a short season in an all canadian division lol and the other had to circumvent the cap. Bleh

Dont forget the covid gift montreal received as mathematically in the former divisions montreal would not even have made the playoffs.

People keep saying this but it’s nonsensical because it is unknowable. One can estimate the likelihood of a hypothetical outcome but no one can guarantee one. This flawed assumption presumes far too many variables not in evidence—starting with the idea that had all divisions remained as pre-COVID, all teams in question would’ve had the same records they did in the new divisions. Impossible to know. And in any case, the divisions were not the same, events unfolded as they did (rather than some hypothetical alternative rooted in fantasy) and the Habs did, in fact, make the playoffs according to the rules in place, agreed upon by all concerned parties before the season began. Moreover, once having qualified for the playoffs in a manner equally legitimate as any other qualifying team (finish in the top four in the division), they have proceeded to eliminate their opponents until now.

The mental gymnastics required to find a way to delegitimize the Habs’ presence in the final that I’ve seen on this site and elsewhere have ranged from entertaining to tedious but all share one thing in common. They’re wrong.

Dont forget the covid gift montreal received as mathematically in the former divisions montreal would not even have made the playoffs.
- Shynes57

It’s hard to comprehend how stupid you have to be to write that sentence. Thank you for expanding my universe.

NHL goaltenders are the single most important position in the playoffs. Vasilevskiy and Price are top two in postseason save%. There's nothing that compares in significance to having an elite goalie.

I said last year I thought Montreal could be a sleeper team; Said it again this year. Something about them makes me want to root for them, and I've never been biased toward them one way or the other, I'm a Sabres fan but I hate Toronto, Ottawa and Boston but not Montreal.

Go Habs

Also the Lightning are an all-time dirty team. they learned it after Columbus swept them a few years back. Scuzzy team.

I really like Montreal's 4th line, people forget Perry and Staal may be in the twilight of their careers but they still have that hockey IQ that made them point per game players, also Staal still has his wicked wrist shot.

Cant wait until this whole nightmare is over.
It’s like watching trump and all his supporters.

Cant wait until this whole nightmare is over.
It’s like watching trump and all his supporters.
- Avery40

I’m sorry the Habs ruined the “Leafs’ Nation” narrative the Toronto media and Leafs’ PR machine force fed you all season, but your statement is, well...incoherent at best.

Dont forget the covid gift montreal received as mathematically in the former divisions montreal would not even have made the playoffs.
- Shynes57

Yeah, Covid messed up last year too in terms of teams getting charity berths in the playoffs. At least the winner made sense, so it washed out, but this year if MTL wins 90% of that had to do with generosity -- because they wouldn't have been there normally at all.

Please you are not talking about Stephenson--give me a break, if he is a top center the NHL is a joke

I will give you Tavares----break

Schiefle on the other hand played game one and Montreal dominated- then the series was swept, this is not Connor we are talking about here-no way he makes that big a difference.

You fail to mention Petry playing with 8 fingers, is that a break too??

This idea that Montreal has had all the breaks is nauseating to say the least.
- bigmacdaddy

Well then, excuse me while I vomit a little

Your definitely right about the drop off in talent in the center lost in the Vegas series but that line with stone stephenson patches was one of the most productive 2 way threats during the season and through out the playoffs.

You seam to want to ignore how luck plays a massive role in sports. So unless Perry destroyed jt on purpose. Luck. Jets best player needlessly injuring a 4th liner when it meant nothing to the out come of the game. Luck. A center on a productive top line being sidelined due to the series before. Luck. The habs ability and work ethic has everything to do with them making the finals and very little to do with fluky events out side of the habs control resulting in…..Luck

Bringing up the loss of schifle as inconsequential because the jets lost the first game with him in the line up is hilarious. So having the top player missing for all those overtime games really made no difference?…..right

Please tell me of a playoff team that has had such a disproportionate injury scenario as 3 top centers in a row compared to petry top defencman(great player finally getting credit for how important he is) out for a few games then playing injured for 1 series. Oh ya and a 4th liner in evans.

Montreal has only played one good team In the playoffs and no good teams In the regular season. Perry and Staal will disappear In the covid asterisk tournament because they are old and slow.

Cant wait until this whole nightmare is over.
It’s like watching trump and all his supporters.
- Avery40

Love that Montreal lives rent free in your pee brain----

Guess I can't blame you since it is going to take the leafs 20 years to knock out three teams----what a pathetic organization---

and dont ever insult the Trumpster

Montreal has only played one good team In the playoffs and no good teams In the regular season. Perry and Staal will disappear In the covid asterisk tournament because they are old and slow.
- Shady1962

Thanks I am now officially dumber after your posts---keep it up

Go leafs go ahhahahhahahahha

What a joke of a final.. one team that only made it because of a short season in an all canadian division lol and the other had to circumvent the cap. Bleh
- Theathletic is for libs

hahahaha you my friend are a tool ---my God are you really that stupid??


Enjoy cause you will never see the devils in the playoffs again

Well then, excuse me while I vomit a little

Your definitely right about the drop off in talent in the center lost in the Vegas series but that line with stone stephenson patches was one of the most productive 2 way threats during the season and through out the playoffs.

You seam to want to ignore how luck plays a massive role in sports. So unless Perry destroyed jt on purpose. Luck. Jets best player needlessly injuring a 4th liner when it meant nothing to the out come of the game. Luck. A center on a productive top line being sidelined due to the series before. Luck. The habs ability and work ethic has everything to do with them making the finals and very little to do with fluky events out side of the habs control resulting in…..Luck

Bringing up the loss of schifle as inconsequential because the jets lost the first game with him in the line up is hilarious. So having the top player missing for all those overtime games really made no difference?…..right

Please tell me of a playoff team that has had such a disproportionate injury scenario as 3 top centers in a row compared to petry top defencman(great player finally getting credit for how important he is) out for a few games then playing injured for 1 series. Oh ya and a 4th liner in evans.
- BrainSap

For the love of Jesus stop it-----Chandler Stephenson is not a first liner---my God comical---- Christ I am still laughing ahahh--- he didnt miss the whole series---last time I checked he played the last game as well and lost----

So with Schiefle they win the series ahahhahaahhahaha----- go smoke some more crack

Tell me one team that has one the cup without a few breaks-----now shut up and crawl back in the hole you came from---

Stone ---no points--- yup that was luck too---- my God---- where do these people come from

Remember everyone talks about the North division being poopty---look at that Pacific division--- Colorado Minnesota Vegas and a bunch of duds--- maybe that is why they were dominant--- but lets cherry pick stats that fits your narrative---TOOL

You are still making me sick

Montreal has only played one good team In the playoffs and no good teams In the regular season. Perry and Staal will disappear In the covid asterisk tournament because they are old and slow.
- Shady1962

I hate this weak excuse oh a team only made it because they played weak teams yet I bet you said the Habs would have lost every series

They played a strong offensive leafs team and Matthews who lead the league in goals was held in check offensively and the leafs couldn't get anything going.....and the Habs came back to win that series

Jets may not be a very strong team but not a walk over especially since it seems you feels the Habs wouldn't be able to make the playoffs in any other division

Then they beat Vegas in 6 and Vegas is a very good team

You don't make it to the finals without going through good teams and playing good hockey. Sure there is luck but everyone has that along the road to the finals.

hahahaha you my friend are a tool ---my God are you really that stupid??


Enjoy cause you will never see the devils in the playoffs again
- bigmacdaddy

Childish

https://www.tsn.ca/former...s-alleged-abuse-1.1660541

Not to be a downer but feels like this is the biggest story in hockey right now, even with the Finals on the horizon.