Montreal Canadiens believe in process
It has been a difficult year for sports teams across the globe, being forced to play games inside bubbles with no fans and being unaware of what the future holds. The Montreal Canadiens benefitted on the ice from the pandemic, though as it allowed them to reach the playoffs under the altered format that the National Hockey League was forced to adopt after suspending play for months.
However, without fans in attendance revenue has been far lower that what teams are traditionally used to, and clubs are still learning how to adjust. Canadiens CEO Geoff Molson is hoping fans will be back in arenas sooner rather than later which would help the financial cause.
“I look around what’s happening around the hockey and sports world, and I continue to say we can do this,” Molson said in a recent interview with Sportsnet. “Will we be sold out and playing 41 games in front of all our fans? I highly doubt that this year. But nobody knows the answer to that question, either, because nobody knows when a vaccine is coming. But, at the same time, I look at what’s happening in Europe (where the 2020-21 season has commenced) and what’s happening in the U.S. with football and baseball, and there’s a way to do it. I’m convinced (NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman and the NHL will find a way to make sure that happens.”
The Canadiens were sitting in 12th spot in the Eastern Conference when the pandemic hit but knocked out the 5th seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in the play-in round to reach the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 season. Molson believes his club is heading in the right direction and should be a competitive side for any team to play. “We’ve got the foundation now for a team that can be good for many years,” said Molson.
Despite the pandemic, Montreal did not hold back from splashing the cash in free agency addressing a variety of their needs. Under the guidance of general manager Marc Bergevin, they spent nearly $80m in salary to bring in the likes of Jake Allen, Joel Edmundson, Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli. The team has one of the most demanding fan bases in the league and wants to put out a better product on the ice as they have fallen well short of expectations in recent seasons. “Marc filled every hole that he said he was going to fill, so I think that’s really exciting,” Molson said. “I’m really excited about this year coming up.
“We have a team that should make the playoffs, I can tell you that,” he added. “And I think the team and the organization and the fans would be extremely disappointed if we didn’t. I think we’ve gotten to the point where we can. So, with that in mind, it would be disappointing if we didn’t.”
While no official date has been announced yet, the league is looking to start the 2020-21 season in late December, but it remains to be seen whether the NHL will be able to stick to the timeline given the uncertainty of the pandemic.
