Canadiens May Have A New Rivalry

It was fascinating last season to watch the Montreal Canadiens take on the Philadelphia Flyers, not only because the three duels were close contests, but because, against all odds, Daniel Briere and co. had managed to get Matvei Michkov to cross the Atlantic faster than anyone expected.

The two sides were well matched last year; they both scored 11 goals in the season series, but the Canadiens came out on top with two one-goal lead wins. Two of the games were played in Philadelphia, and the teams split the honours of those two, while the Habs won the only game in Montreal.

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The first matchup took place in the last week of October, in Pennsylvania, and was a short 4-3 win for the Canadiens. It was one of Cayden Primeau’s good games, with the netminder making 23 saves on 26 shots, while Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher led the charge for the Habs with two points each. Both teams’ best rookies were kept off the score sheet as Montreal managed to contain Michkov, and Philadelphia did the same with Lane Hutson.

The second duel took place five months later, toward the end of March, and the result was different. The former Broad Street Bullies signed a 6-4 win in which Michkov shone brightly, scoring two goals and an assist. He missed a golden hat-trick opportunity in an empty net, and frustrated by the miss, he tried to storm to the dressing room at the buzzer, but the Flyers' leadership stopped him in his tracks and made him salute the crowd after his two-goal performance. Meanwhile, Hutson recorded two assists in the loss while Jakub Dobes struggled and surrendered six goals on 30 shots.

The final duel was on the last Saturday night home game of the season, and the Canadiens managed to rock the building with a 3-2 win. It was Samuel Montembeault’s only game against the Flyers, and he made 21 saves on 23 shots for a .913 save percentage.

If the Canadiens want to build on the success they enjoyed last season, they need to find a way to dominate teams that are lower than they are in the standings; they cannot afford to play down to the opposition. The Flyers finished the season dead last in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points and missed the playoffs. These are the kind of teams the young Canadiens need to learn to take advantage of.

The Flyers' most significant offseason move was the acquisition of Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks. The center had been rumoured to be on the market for a couple of seasons now, and it only cost Briere former Canadiens Ryan Poehling, a second-round pick at the 2025 draft, and a fourth-round pick at the 2026 draft.

On the free agency market, they signed former Hab blueliner Noah Juulsen and center Christian Dvorak to a six-year deal with a $4.45 M AAV. They also tried to improve in front of the net by adding Dan Vladar, who had spent the last four seasons with the Calgary Flames. The 27-year-old was stuck between star rookie Dustin Wolf in Alberta and will be hoping to play a bigger role with the Flyers. The situation in the net has been a constant issue in Philadelphia. Goalies Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov both struggled against the Canadiens this past season, and some new blood will surely help.

When the Flyers take on the Habs this upcoming season, it won’t be a battle of the star rookies between Michkov and Hutson anymore, a battle that the Canadiens’ defenseman won since he was the Calder Trophy winner. Still, it will be the battle of the two young Russians. Michkov will surely want to show Montreal that they should have grabbed him in 2023 rather than waiting for Ivan Demidov in 2024.

There will be plenty of expectations for the youngster in Canadiens’ land this season, but those expectations will more than likely take center stage when Philadelphia comes to town. Michkov had a great rookie season with 63 points, despite playing for John Tortorella. This year, playing for Rick Tocchet, he should be on a longer leash. As for Demidov, he will surely benefit from Martin St-Louis’ tutelage. The coach has always been supportive of his players and seems to do exceptionally well with young players.

The duel of the season will take place on November 4, at the Bell Center, and while that’s a Tuesday night, there’s little doubt that the building will be sold out.

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