The 1990–91 Montreal Canadiens season was the Canadiens' 82nd season. The Canadiens finished second in both the division and the conference to the Boston Bruins. Montreal defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the first round before losing to Boston in the Adams Division Finals in seven games.
Offseason Co-Captain Chris Chelios was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Denis Savard, in August 1990. With Chelios' departure, Guy Carbonneau continued as Canadiens captain.
Mats Naslund resumes his playing career in Europe. Veteran forwards Brian Skrudland and Mike McPhee are named alternate captains.
NHL draft Montreal's draft picks at the 1990 NHL entry draft held at the BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)112Turner StevensonSeattle Thunderbirds (WHL)239Ryan KuwabaraOttawa 67's (OHL)358Charles PoulinSaint-Hyacinthe Laser (QMJHL)360Robert GuilletLongueuil College Francais (QMJHL)481Gilbert DionneKitchener Rangers (OHL)5102Paul DiPietroSudbury Wolves (OHL)6123Craig ConroyNorthwood School (USHS-NY)7144Stephen RohrCulver Military Academy (USHS-IN)8165Brent FleetwoodPortland Winter Hawks (WHL)9186Derek MaguireDelbarton School (USHS-NJ)10207Mark KettelhutEast High School (USHS-MN)11228John UniacKitchener Rangers (OHL)12249Sergei MartinyukTorpedo Yaroslavl (USSR)S23Bruce ColesRensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC)
Regular season In terms of injuries, Patrick Roy missed the most games due to injury during the 90–91 season. Backup goalies Andre Racicot and Jean-Claude Bergeron appeared in 25 games. December 12, 1990: Petr Svoboda and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Wendel Clark fell on Patrick Roy's left knee.Patrick Roy, winning, nothing else, p.279, by Michel Roy, translated by Charles Phillips, 2008, John Wiley & Sons, Mississauga, ON, Roy suffered strained ligaments. January 27, 1991: Donald Dufresne checked Bruins right winger Graeme Townshend. He fell on Patrick Roy's left ankle. Roy suffered a ruptured ligament and missed fourteen games.Patrick Roy, winning, nothing else, p.278, by Michel Roy, translated by Charles Phillips, 2008, John Wiley & Sons, Mississauga, ON, Roy would re-injure the ankle on March 16.
The Canadiens finished the regular season as the league's most disciplined team, being short-handed only 282 times.
Final standings
Playoffs The Montreal Canadiens were eliminated in the Adams Division final by the Boston Bruins, four games to three.
Schedule and results
|1||T||October 4, 1990||3–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres||0–0–1
|2||W||October 6, 1990||6–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres||1–0–1
|3||W||October 8, 1990||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers||2–0–1
|4||L||October 12, 1990||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers||2–1–1
|5||L||October 13, 1990||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers||2–2–1
|6||W||October 15, 1990||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals||3–2–1
|7||W||October 17, 1990||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres||4–2–1
|8||L||October 18, 1990||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings||4–3–1
|9||L||October 20, 1990||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers||4–4–1
|10||W||October 23, 1990||5–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins||5–4–1
|11||W||October 24, 1990||8–2 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders||6–4–1
|12||L||October 27, 1990||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues||6–5–1
|13||L||October 28, 1990||1–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Blackhawks||6–6–1
|14||W||October 31, 1990||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers||7–6–1
|15||W||November 3, 1990||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings||8–6–1
|16||T||November 4, 1990||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars||8–6–2
|17||L||November 7, 1990||0–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins||8–7–2
|18||W||November 10, 1990||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils||9–7–2
|19||W||November 11, 1990||5–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Quebec Nordiques||10–7–2
|20||L||November 13, 1990||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New Jersey Devils||10–8–2
|21||L||November 15, 1990||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||10–9–2
|22||T||November 17, 1990||1–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins||10–9–3
|23||W||November 19, 1990||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Quebec Nordiques||11–9–3
|24||L||November 24, 1990||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings||11–10–3
|25||W||November 25, 1990||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets||12–10–3
|26||L||November 28, 1990||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres||12–11–3
|27||W||November 30, 1990||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Washington Capitals||13–11–3
|28||L||December 1, 1990||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Calgary Flames||13–12–3
|29||L||December 3, 1990||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers||13–13–3
|30||W||December 5, 1990||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers||14–13–3
|31||W||December 6, 1990||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins||15–13–3
|32||W||December 8, 1990||7–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins||16–13–3
|33||L||December 12, 1990||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs||16–14–3
|34||L||December 15, 1990||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Winnipeg Jets||16–15–3
|35||L||December 18, 1990||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Quebec Nordiques||16–16–3
|36||T||December 19, 1990||1–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Quebec Nordiques||16–16–4
|37||W||December 22, 1990||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers||17–16–4
|38||T||December 23, 1990||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||17–16–5
|39||W||December 27, 1990||7–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks||18–16–5
|40||W||December 29, 1990||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings||19–16–5
|41||L||December 31, 1990||2–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Calgary Flames||19–17–5
|42||W||January 2, 1991||3–0 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers||20–17–5
|43||W||January 5, 1991||3–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Quebec Nordiques||21–17–5
|44||W||January 6, 1991||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins||22–17–5
|45||W||January 9, 1991||4–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders||23–17–5
|46||W||January 12, 1991||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals||24–17–5
|47||L||January 13, 1991||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues||24–18–5
|48||W||January 15, 1991||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars||25–18–5
|49||W||January 17, 1991||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues||26–18–5
|50||W||January 23, 1991||7–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs||27–18–5
|51||W||January 26, 1991||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres||28–18–5
|52||L||January 27, 1991||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins||28–19–5
|53||W||January 30, 1991||8–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Winnipeg Jets||29–19–5
|54||L||January 31, 1991||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins||29–20–5
|55||T||February 2, 1991||3–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders||29–20–6
|56||W||February 4, 1991||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars||30–20–6
|57||L||February 6, 1991||3–8 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Blackhawks||30–21–6
|58||W||February 7, 1991||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Quebec Nordiques||31–21–6
|59||W||February 9, 1991||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers||32–21–6
|60||L||February 13, 1991||4–7 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins||32–22–6
|61||T||February 15, 1991||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres||32–22–7
|62||L||February 16, 1991||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers||32–23–7
|63||L||February 20, 1991||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Hartford Whalers||32–24–7
|64||T||February 23, 1991||3–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs||32–24–8
|65||L||February 27, 1991||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings||32–25–8
|66||W||March 1, 1991||7–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks||33–25–8
|67||W||March 2, 1991||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers||34–25–8
|68||L||March 4, 1991||2–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Calgary Flames||34–26–8
|69||W||March 6, 1991||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Blackhawks||35–26–8
|70||W||March 9, 1991||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks||36–26–8
|71||T||March 10, 1991||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings||36–26–9
|72||T||March 12, 1991||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins||36–26–10
|73||L||March 14, 1991||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins||36–27–10
|74||W||March 16, 1991||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres||37–27–10
|75||L||March 17, 1991||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers||37–28–10
|76||L||March 20, 1991||2–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres||37–29–10
|77||T||March 23, 1991||3–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils||37–29–11
|78||W||March 25, 1991||3–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Hartford Whalers||38–29–11
|79||W||March 30, 1991||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Quebec Nordiques||39–29–11
|80||L||March 31, 1991||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Quebec Nordiques||39–30–11
Legend:
Player statistics
Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG RW 79 26 50 76 295515 RW 75 31 30 61 530904 C 70 28 31 59 52-1720 C 73 22 31 53 244802 LW 71 23 24 47 1389702 C 78 20 24 44 63-1413 LW 64 22 21 43 566204 RW 73 13 23 36 506212 C 57 15 19 34 8512112 D 69 10 20 30 637503 D 60 4 22 26 525301 D 62 7 18 25 277001 C 54 6 19 25 202103 LW 47 8 15 23 183402 D 63 5 18 23 30-11101 LW 57 9 11 20 32-8301 D 51 3 16 19 31-2200 LW 51 6 9 15 10-3101 D 53 2 13 15 555000 LW 19 5 7 12 20-2101 LW 10 2 5 7 21001 D 28 0 6 6 268000 RW 28 3 2 5 1284000 LW 17 1 3 4 0-1000 D 32 1 2 3 393000 LW 2 1 1 2 00000 D 10 0 2 2 41000 D 52 0 2 2 2597000 G 48 0 2 2 60000 G 18 0 1 1 00000 G 21 0 1 1 00000 C/LW 25 0 1 1 12-3000 G 3 0 0 0 00000 LW 2 0 0 0 0-2000 D 3 0 0 0 21000 LW 5 0 0 0 21-2000
Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SOSASVSV% 2835 48 25 15 6 128 2.71 113621234.906 941 18 7 6 2 59 3.76 0426367.862 975 21 7 9 2 52 3.20 1479427.891 108 3 0 0 1 6 3.33 04539.867 Team: 4859 80 39 30 11 245 3.03 223122067.894
Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG LW 13 9 6 15 36413 RW 13 9 5 14 6101 C 13 3 10 13 42100 C 13 2 11 13 35100 RW 13 8 3 11 7221 D 13 2 7 9 18100 LW 13 5 3 8 6001 LW 13 1 7 8 12100 C 13 1 5 6 10001 RW 12 3 2 5 6000 D 13 1 4 5 8100 C 7 2 1 3 2000 C 8 0 2 2 2000 D 11 0 2 2 26000 D 11 1 0 1 6000 D 5 0 1 1 0000 D 10 0 1 1 21000 D 2 0 1 1 2000 D 1 0 0 0 0000 LW 3 0 0 0 0000 D 12 0 0 0 54000 G 2 0 0 0 0000 LW 12 0 0 0 24000 G 13 0 0 0 2000 LW 5 0 0 0 2000 C/LW 5 0 0 0 2000
Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LGAGAA SOSASVSV% 785 13 7 5 40 3.06 0394354.898 12 2 0 1 2 10.00 01412.857 Team: 797 13 7 6 42 3.16 0408366.897
Transactions In November 1990, Brian Hayward was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for defenseman Jayson More.
References Canadiens on Hockey Database Canadiens on NHL Reference