Montreal Canadiens Schedule 2013: 10 Games You Can't Miss

Considering the circumstances, one can certainly forgive the National Hockey League for releasing a flawed regular-season schedule.

For example, there are no inter-conference games, meaning the Montreal Canadiens will not face the upstart Edmonton Oilers at all; unless both make it to the Stanley Cup Final, of course, which, to put it in the proper perspective, is even less likely than just the Montreal Canadiens making it to the Stanley Cup Final.

Additionally, teams will play two of their division rivals four times and the other two five times, resulting in an inherent difference in difficulty in the schedules of some teams who could be jockeying with one another for playoff position come, what is it now? July?

No need to worry if you’re a Habs fan, though, as they do indeed get the Toronto Maple Leafs five times.

With that, here are 10 Montreal Canadiens games, including three sure-to-be Habs-Leafs classics, you can’t miss in this shortened, 48-game 2013 season.

Toronto at Montreal

When: Saturday, Jan. 19, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: CBC, RDS

Clearly, January 19 will be circled on the calendar of any hockey fan, as that is when hockey returns. For Canadiens fans, it’s also the day the Habs renew hostilities with their most famous rivals—the Toronto Maple Leafs.

For the record, Montreal has an all-time regular-season record of 378-280-88 against Toronto. Last season Montreal was 3-2-1, though; so anything can happen these days with both sides poised to be just as mediocre in 2013.

However, the one thing that is for certain is no matter what goes down, it will be entertaining as hell.

Boston at Montreal

When: Wednesday, Feb. 6, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: RDS, TSN, NBCSN

If NHL schedule makers were looking to do Habs fans a favor by giving them five games against Toronto and not the Boston Bruins, they clearly missed the memo. The Bruins have actually taken over as Montreal’s most hated rivals, with this game serving as the first meeting of the season between the two.

Granted, a lot of that stems from all the playoff meetings between the two teams in recent years (and Toronto missing them).

That still doesn’t take away the deep-seated hatred each team’s fans feel for the opposing players and each other, nor Montrealers’ endless embarrassment from watching and rewatching Mike Komisarek “take on” Milan Lucic on YouTube (or from Komisarek ever wearing a Habs jersey to begin with).

Pittsburgh at Montreal

When: Saturday, March 2, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: CBC, RDS, NHLN-US

I’m pretty sure it’s Evgeni Malkin’s turn to suffer a debilitating injury at some point this year, so run, don’t walk to get your tickets to see the Stanley Cup-favorite and in-theory star-studded Pittsburgh Penguins in Montreal for their earliest possible meeting this season, on March 2 in Montreal.

Montreal at New York

When: Tuesday, Feb. 19, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: RDS

That’s the Rangers, by the way, and not the Islanders. As impressive as John Tavares is, Lubomir Visnovsky is still overseas for a reason.

In any case, the mere possibility of seeing a Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards and Rick Nash line is definitely worth tuning in for the Rangers-Habs game on Feb. 19, even if it will likely result in a rout.

Montreal at Florida

When: Sunday, March 10, 6:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: RDS

Whenever Montreal is on the road in Florida to face the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, the Habs always seem to find a way to muck it up and leave the Sunshine State empty handed…yes, empty handed and curiously well-tanned.

However, Jose Theodore is 36, and he is on the last year of his two-year deal with Florida, meaning this could possibly be the last chance Habs fans have to see everyone’s favorite dual Vezina and Hart Trophy winner.

OK, "favorite" may be a stretch as Jacques Plante accomplished the same feat in 1962 and the always-colorful Dominik Hasek did it in 1997 and 1998, but third-favorite for sure.

Carolina at Montreal

When: Monday, April 1, 7:30 p.m. ET

TV Info: RDS

If you’re going to give yourself one April Fool’s Day gift, make it a date in front of the television set with the Habs and Carolina Hurricanes, who, despite entering this season with a revamped and improved-on-paper lineup, will no doubt still struggle to make the playoffs.

The Eric-and-Jordan Staal brother act is also worth catching, just for the novelty of it all. No bachelor parties on tap for this night, though.

Montreal at Winnipeg

When: Thursday, April 25, 8:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: RDS

There is no other team that got screwed quite as much by the shortened schedule as the Winnipeg Jets, a team that, for all intents and purposes, should be in the Western Conference, in the Northwest Division, but will be playing in the Southeast and against only Eastern opponents.

As such, everyone knows the Jets, despite their depth up front, will still be battling for a playoff spot come the final week of the season.

As a result, this game will likely carry playoff implications aplenty as 48 games just simply aren’t enough for the projected-to-be-bad Habs to fall completely out of the race to the postseason.

Ottawa at Montreal

When: Sunday, Feb. 3, 2:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: CBC, RDS

It’s become something of a Super Bowl tradition for the Habs to play matinee games on both the Saturday (Buffalo Sabres) and Sunday that weekend at home. On the Sunday, the Ottawa Senators visit for the second of four games between the two teams this year.

Needless to say, the game will make for a key part of the day-long family festivities, even if the Senators are thin on defense and not so thin on offense due only to the signing of Guillaume Latendresse.

Toronto at Montreal

When: Saturday, Feb. 9, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV Info: CBC, RDS, NHLN-US

Speaking of day-long festivities, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s annual Hockey Day in Canada is still on despite the lockout-shortened season and will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9.

As part of the triple bill, Montreal faces the Leafs, with the Jets also facing the Senators, and the Calgary Flames playing the Vancouver Canucks.

The Edmonton Oilers unfortunately drew the short straw and will play the non-Canadian Detroit Red Wings. So, look for the short-on-defense Wings to score 13 there and the even-shorter-on-defense Oilers to score a few less.

Interestingly, though, if Devan Dubnyk is unjustifiably left in for nine goals by new head coach Ralph Krueger in ill-advised power trip and then approaches team president Kevin Lowe to tell him he’s just played his last game for the Oilers, no one will really care.

Montreal at Toronto

When: Saturday, April 27, 7:00 p.m.

TV Info: CBC, RDS

While it’s entirely possible that both the Leafs and Habs will have been eliminated from playoff contention by the time the last game of the season comes along, there could, just the same, be a repeat of 2007.

Then, under similar circumstances, they also played each other the last game of the season, with both vying for the final Eastern Conference postseason berth.

After bouncing back from a 3-1 deficit to take a 5-3 lead in the second period of that game, the Habs ended up losing 6-5 in typical Canadiens fashion. In typical Leafs fashion, Toronto then lost out on that final playoff spot the next day when the New York Islanders eked out a shootout victory against the New Jersey Devils.

Interestingly enough, the Devils seemingly toyed with Leafs fans that day, coming back from a two-goal deficit late in the third period, even tying the game with one second left in the game before being stymied by Wade Dubielewicz of all people in the shootout.

Ah, good times.