A little over two years ago, Montreal Canadiens fans were bursting with excitement amidst an unlikely run to the Stanley Cup Final.
While they possessed a good roster and were riding the wave of goalie Carey Price’s sensational play, the Canadiens, who finished fourth in the adapted North Division, were by no means a powerhouse.
And yet, they just kept winning. From crawling their way back from a 3-1 deficit in Round 1 against a much stronger Toronto Maple Leafs to sweeping the Winnipeg Jets in Round 2, Montreal really hit their stride when they eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights on St. Jean Baptiste in the Conference Final.
But as fate would have it, their luck would run out when they faced off against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Despite a disappointing ending, Montrealers still look back on the epic run with nostalgia and hope for what’s to come.
With that said, a lot has changed in two years. And only seven players from that roster remain:
- Brendan Gallagher
- Nick Suzuki
- Cole Caufield
- Jake Evans
- Joel Armia
- Jake Allen
- Josh Anderson
Here’s what the rest are up to nowadays:
Retired
Paul Byron
On August 15, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes revealed that Paul Byron would be retiring after 12 NHL seasons. It’s possible that the 34-year-old returns to the Canadiens in an off-ice role, though.
Playing for another NHL team
Erik Gustafsson
Over 16 playoff games in 2021, defenceman Erik Gustafsson netted one goal and two assists. He is currently under contract with the New York Rangers.
Alexander Romanov
Alexander Romanov was a rookie during the 2021 run, but showed real potential. He was surprisingly traded during the 2022 NHL Entry Draft in a three-way deal that sent him to the New York Islanders and saw Montreal acquire Kirby Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Phillip Danault
A key piece of the Canadiens’ top six, centre Phillip Danault’s contract was up after the 2021 season. He signed with the Los Angeles Kings a few weeks after Tampa Bay lifted the Cup.
Jon Merrill
Jon Merrill suited up for 13 games on the Habs blueline during the playoffs. But his time in Montreal didn’t last as he promptly signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Wild that offseason.
Artturi Lehkonen
After scoring the iconic overtime goal that clinched Montreal’s ticket to the Final, Finnish forward Artturi Lehkonen spent the majority of the following season with Montreal until he was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche near the 2022 trade deadline.
Ben Chiarot
An excellent playoff performer and physical blueliner, Ben Chiarot was traded to the Florida Panthers in March of 2022. He currently plays for the Detroit Red Wings.
Joel Edmundson
After sticking around Montreal for two more seasons after the 2021 run, defenceman Joel Edmundson was traded to the Washington Capitals for a third and seventh-round pick in July of 2023.
Tyler Toffoli
Among his many highlights over a brief stint in Montreal, Tyler Toffoli scored the series-winning goal in overtime in Round 2. The following year, though, the Canadiens dealt the promising forward to the Calgary Flames.
He was recently traded to the New Jersey Devils.
Jeff Petry
The Habs traded Jeff Petry twice over the past 13 months.
The first came in July of 2022, when the 35-year-old was packaged in a deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After reacquiring him from Pittsburgh this past month, he was promptly flipped again, this time to the Detroit Red Wings.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
The Canadiens lost Jesperi Kotkaniemi ahead of the 2021-2022 season, when the Carolina Hurricanes offer sheeted him, signing the young centre to a $6.1 million deal that was much higher than the contract he was expected to sign with Montreal.
Corey Perry
After losing two Stanley Cup Finals in a row to Tampa Bay, Corey Perry decided to try his luck and sign with the Lightning in 2021. Unfortunately for him, his team advanced to the Final and lost to the Colorado Avalanche the following year.
Brett Kulak
In March of 2022, the Canadiens traded blueliner Brett Kulak to the Edmonton Oilers for William Lagesson, a conditional second-round pick in the 2022 draft, and a seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft.
Unsigned
Eric Staal
At 38, Eric Staal, who was most recently a member of the Florida Panthers, is not ready to hang up the skates just yet. He is currently listed as a free agent.
Tomas Tatar
After playing for the New Jersey Devils for the past two seasons, Slovakian winger Tomas Tatat is currently looking for a new team via free agency.
LTIR
Shea Weber
Although he has yet to announce his retirement, former captain Shea Weber’s playing days are essentially over.
After missing the 2021-2022 season, his contract was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Evgenii Dadonov. Vegas subsequently flipped his cap hit to the Arizona Coyotes.
Carey Price
While his contract remains with the Habs under LTIR status due to a knee injury that has plagued him for the better part of two seasons, Carey Price’s recent move to British Columbia is a good indicator that we may never see him between the pipes in the NHL again.
Nonetheless, some fans are still holding out hope for a comeback.