Here’s what the schedule for the final should look like if the Habs make it there

Félix Forget
Here’s what the schedule for the final should look like if the Habs make it there
Credit: Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images

Tonight, the Canadiens will play Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hurricanes. Martin St-Louis's team will have to win tonight if they don't want to head back to North Carolina on the brink of elimination.

Because a win tonight would effectively turn the series into a good old-fashioned best-of-three.

That said, we already know that the Golden Knights will represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final. And the NHL, according to reports, has already drafted a preliminary schedule for the Stanley Cup Final based on the outcome of the series between the Habs and the Hurricanes.

According to the established plan, a Habs victory (whether in six or seven games) would mean the finals would begin on June 4 in Montreal. Reminder: the Montreal team would have home-ice advantage (or the disadvantage, if you prefer) for the first time in the playoffs.

And in the event that a Game 7 is necessary, it would take place in Montreal on June 20. Another game in Montreal against Vegas on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day would therefore not be possible.

If the Hurricanes win in six or seven games, the schedule would remain the same. However, if they win in five games, the final would begin on June 2, and a potential Game 7 would take place on June 17.

And note that if Montreal wins, the games wouldn't always be every other day, as has been the case for the Canadiens over the past two rounds. There would be two days off when travel is involved, possibly due to the greater distance between the two cities. The scenario would be the same if the Canes win in more than five games, by the way, but not if they win in five games.

If the Canadiens win, it's worth noting that the team would be entitled to two home games on a Saturday night: Game 1 and Game 7. A Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals on a Saturday night at the Bell Centre—now that would be something.

We should also expect the games to start at 8 p.m., much like we're seeing in the Eastern Conference Finals. Maybe a game in Montreal could start at 7 p.m. or a game in Vegas could start at 9 p.m., but 8 p.m. is generally the time slot targeted by the league.

It's worth noting that these schedules aren't set in stone, but this is the league's plan as of today. The fact that the Golden Knights won their series so quickly allowed the league to put this outline together.

If you still believe in the Habs' chances, it might be worth noting these dates in your calendar, just in case…


Quick thoughts

– What do you think?

– Heads up.

– Makes sense.

– Indeed.

– It's not just the Canadiens who aren't shooting enough.

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