Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Today's Montreal Canadiens

10/21/2016 at 1:49pm EDT

from Don Macpherson of the Montreal Gazette,

If winning the Cup or even reaching the finals is a measure of success in the National Hockey League, the Canadiens’ hands have been failing for the past 23 years.

In terms of even making the post-season playoffs, they have been only slightly above the middle of the pack. Half the teams in their 16-club conference qualify, but the Canadiens have fallen below even that low cut-off in eight of the 23 completed seasons since their last Cup (the 2004-05 season was cancelled because the players were locked out).

Nor are the Canadiens still a standard-bearer for French Canada. Currently, their most prominent French-speaking player is David Desharnais, a third-line centre. In a game in Colorado last Feb. 17, for what is believed to be the first time in its 107 years, the team formerly nicknamed “the Flying Frenchmen” did not have a single French-Canadian in its lineup.

There is no question that, in spite of all that, the Canadiens remain popular and financially successful, at least as long as they appear to have a chance of making the playoffs.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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