Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has won the 2021-22 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy as the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey," the NHL announced Friday.

"There's obstacles in life that will always challenge you, and I think having the ability to overcome those and keep things in perspective and keep moving forward is something that we should all be teaching our children and loved ones," Price said in his acceptance speech.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Carey Price took the opportunity to thank the many people in his life that supported him this season. #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/LxVdtwYws0

— NHL (@NHL) June 3, 2022

Price finished ahead of New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara and Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes for the honor. He received 50 first-place votes and finished with 343 points to win the award.

Here is the tabulation for the 2022 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, voted on by 183 @ThePHWA members.

We take a lot of pride in telling these @NHL and @NHLPA stories each year in our local markets. The proof is in 31 of the 32 deserving nominees receiving at least one vote. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bSklcDT0lc

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 4, 2022

Price is the sixth player in Canadiens history to claim the honor, joining Max Pacioretty (2011-12), Saku Koivu (2001-02), Serge Savard (1978-79), Henri Richard (1973-74) and Claude Provost (1967-68).

Price missed most of the 2021-22 season after undergoing offseason knee surgery. He also voluntarily entered the NHL's players assistance program, which helps players and their families with mental health, substance abuse and other issues, in October.

The 34-year-old didn't make his season debut until April 15 against the Islanders. In five games, he posted a 3.63 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage.

Price has been a staple in the Montreal crease since the 2007-08 season after the team selected him fifth overall in the 2005 NHL draft. He is 361-261-79 with 49 shutouts, a 2.51 GAA and a .917 save percentage in 712 games across 15 seasons.

Price has also won the Vezina Trophy (2014-15), Hart Memorial Trophy (2014-15), Ted Lindsay Award (2014-15) and the William M. Jennings Trophy (2014-15).

Price has four years remaining on the eight-year, $84 million deal he signed with the Canadiens in July 2017. He'll be a free agent after the 2025-26 campaign. 

The Montreal Canadiens announced Wednesday they've promoted Martin St. Louis to full-time head coach and signed him to a three-year contract extension.

St. Louis, a Hall of Fame player who retired in 2015, compiled a 14-19-4 record to finish the 2021-22 season after taking over the staff on an interim basis in February.

"We are happy to officially appoint Martin as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens," general manager Kent Hughes said. "Martin is a proven leader, a great communicator with a deep understanding of and passion for the game of hockey. His arrival brought a renewed energy to our group, and we look forward to him returning behind the bench to continue guiding our team for the foreseeable future."

The Habs entered the campaign with high expectations after reaching the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

A combination of key absences, including just five appearances from goalie Carey Price and none from defenseman Shea Weber, who's expected to retire because of injuries, and general underperformance caused a major drop off for the Canadiens.

Montreal finished with the NHL's worst record at 22-49-11, though the silver lining was winning the draft lottery to obtain the No. 1 overall pick. It'll get to decide between center Shane Wright or winger Juraj Slafkovsky with the top choice.

While it was a mostly forgettable season for the Canadiens, the most promising sign from St. Louis' tenure was the emergence of Cole Caufield.

The 2021 Hobey Baker Award winner as college hockey's top player struggled mightily throughout the season's first half, scoring just one goal in 30 games. After St. Louis took over, the 21-year-old winger tallied 35 points (22 goals and 13 assists) in 37 contests.

Like St. Louis (5'8"), the biggest questions about Caufield (5'7") aren't related to skill or compete level but rather size.

In March, the Habs' new coach explained he encouraged players to enjoy more free-flowing hockey with less emphasis on a system, which tends to benefit talented scorers like Caufield.

"In systems I feel like you box players in to be in a certain spot, and sometimes you don't allow them to make reads because of it," St. Louis said. "A concept is more playing with a little more instinct with ideas of how we want to be as a team. Now, there is structure inside concepts."

Montreal has a chance to bounce back next season if they deal with less season-altering injuries, and there was enough progress under 46-year-old Quebec native to believe he can lead the turnaround as the full-time coach.

The Montreal Canadiens went from a Stanley Cup Final in 2021 to picking No. 1 overall in the 2022 NHL draft during a year in which the Habs are hosting the event at Bell Centre.

What a wild year it's been for one of the NHL's most historic franchises. Montreal is going to party like it's 1993. 

Shane Wright is the projected first overall pick. There has been some debate as to whether or not the OHL center is worthy of the honor after a slow start to the season, but 94 points in 63 games with the Kingston Frontenacs was good enough to land him on top of the NHL's Central Scouting bureau's latest prospect rankings. 

The New Jersey Devils are picking second, marking the fourth time in six years the club has selected in the top five. The Arizona Coyotes, who had the second-best odds to land the first pick, will select third, the Seattle Kraken fourth and the Philadelphia Flyers will go fifth. 

The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings won a few too many games and they'll go seventh and eighth, respectively. The Columbus Blue Jackets got the Chicago Blackhawks' sixth pick as part of the terms of the Seth Jones trade and they'll make two selections in the first round. 

Let's take a look at some of the highs and lows from the night with draft lottery winners and losers. 

Winner: Montreal Canadiens

Wright should start brushing up on his French. 

The OHL forward is one of eight players in CHL history to be granted exceptional status and he was clearly worthy, scoring 39 goals in 58 games as a 15-year-old. A speedy, skilled center like Wright is the perfect building block piece for a team like the Habs. Putting Wright behind Nick Suzuki will give them a 1-2 punch up the middle that can grow together as new general manager Kent Hughes and president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton build around those two and winger Cole Caufield. 

Last year, the Canadiens were the talk of the draft for the wrong reason. Former general manager Marc Bergevin stood at the podium at Bell Centre and defiantly chose Logan Mailloux, a prospect who had asked teams not to choose him after he was convicted of a crime of sexual nature in Sweden. There was some concern that it would damage the brand and isolate women who support the team. 

But Bergevin was fired less than two months into the 2021-22 season and he's now working under Rob Blake in Los Angeles. It's a new era in Montreal, and though it likely won't be a successful one right away, the team has turned the page and the excitement is rapidly building. 

Loser: Philadelphia Flyers

This is a big offseason for general manager Chuck Fletcher. The Flyers don't have a coach, a clear team identity or a clear direction in which the team is headed. The club has decided to stick with the GM it hired in the fall of 2018 as they attempt an "aggressive retool" after a season Fletcher described as "beyond unacceptable." 

It's not that the fifth pick is bad. The general consensus is that this is a very good draft class, but one that still has some question marks after Wright.

Maybe they end up with another center like Matthew Savoie, a very skilled and disciplined playmaker. Maybe it's a big defenseman like David Jiricek they can pair with Ivan Provorov in the future (should they keep Provorov).

The 2023 class is absolutely loaded, but this one has a lot of high-end talent, so the Flyers are going to get a quality player and a possible franchise cornerstone. It just might not be one that makes an impact right away. Fletcher said he's not asking fans to wait 5-7 years for a winning product and a player like Wright, who could step into a lineup next season, would have helped expedite that retool. 

Winner: New Jersey Devils

The Devils have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to prospects these days, which is a change from some lottery seasons a few years ago. The cupboards were pretty bare when they took Swiss center Nico Hischier at No. 1 overall in 2017. They can add another talented young player to that stockpile with the second overall pick.

Things were looking up three years ago when they chose Jack Hughes with the first overall pick, but things quickly fell apart. And now the club is at a crossroads: This rebuild cannot last forever. 

The fans have been angry for years since this was not a club that really underwent any significant rebuilds when longtime former general manager and president Lou Lamoriello was running the show. But they've made the playoffs just once since 2012 and this last season was marred by injuries to top players like Hughes and Dougie Hamilton and bad goaltending. 

They won't find that goaltender with the No. 2 pick, but it could help them obtain one.

Could general manager Tom Fitzgerald be swayed to give it up for a true No. 1 goalie? He seemed to be open to the possibility last week when he addressed the media in his end-of-season press conference, saying if he see a trade that would upgrade the NHL roster he would not hesitate to make it.

The Anaheim Ducks are rebuilding, and John Gibson is rumored to be on the market. Or maybe it's an impact defenseman to play with Hamilton or a high-end winger for Hughes. 

There are tons of possibilities and the Devils are in a good spot with that second pick. 

Loser: Arizona Coyotes

All that tanking and the desert dogs only got the third pick. 

Look, it's not that the No. 3 overall pick is a bad thing, but a player like Wright would bring some much-needed excitement and talent to a team in desperate need of both. 

The Coyotes will play next season and possibly beyond at Arizona State's new rink. No offense to the Sun Devils because that program is a great success story of the growth of hockey in an untraditional market, but an NHL team shouldn't be playing in a 5000-seat college rink intended for intramural sports. The morale is low in the desert right now and for good reason.

Arizona can continue tanking next season to get Connor Bedard or Matvei Michkov. Maybe by the time Michkov, a KHL player who is under contract with SKA St. Petersburg through 2025, is able to play in North America the new arena in Tempe that has long been promised will finally be completed. 

Winner: Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have a whopping three first-round picks, while the Blue Jackets have two lottery picks. Both teams have options when it comes to using those selections. 

Columbus didn't move up or down, but it did get the Blackhawks first-round pick. Had Chicago won either of the top two picks, the Blue Jackets would have received the first-round pick next year. Chicago did Columbus a solid with such a dismal season but not too dismal, and as a result the team received the sixth pick and the Jones trade was finally completed.

Last season, the Blue Jackets used two of their 2021 draftees, Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger, and saw good production and development from both. They're hoping to replicate that success as they build toward becoming a playoff team in the near future.

This is a chance for the Sabres to grab a few more prospects and show that they have improved their player development program. So far, it appears as though strides have been made in this area, as is evidenced by center Tage Thompson and his breakout season, but these next few years be crucial for a franchise that tries to shed its losing reputation and prove that it can develop talent and build a winning team. 

Loser: Chicago Blackhawks

This was the result of bad management. The 'Hawks went all in last summer and as a result, they gave up that pick in the Jones trade. Former general manager Stan Bowman made a short-sighted decision to try and load up in an attempt to give Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews one more chance at a Stanley Cup. But Bowman resigned amid following the investigation of the sexual assault allegations against Brad Aldrich and the team was bad right from the start. They fired coach Jeremy Colliton and Derek King still has the interim tag. 

The Blackhawks took the interim tag off of general manager Kyle Davidson, and it sure sounds like he's going to start rebuilding. A first-round pick sure would help jump-start a rebuild, but the 'Hawks will have to wait until next year to select one.

The Montreal Canadiens will have the opportunity to select this year's most prized NHL prospect first overall after winning the 2022 draft lottery on Tuesday. It marks the first time since 1980 the franchise will pick first overall.

!!!!!1!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!1!!1!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/YIXOtObR8D

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 10, 2022

The Canadiens entered the draft lottery with the best odds to win the No. 1 overall pick at 18.5 percent. Montreal has been clamoring for the top pick in the draft for years, and now they'll finally get the opportunity to select a franchise-altering player.

Montreal had an incredibly disappointing 2021-22 season, finishing with the worst record in the NHL at 22-49-11. It marked the fourth time in the last seven seasons that the Canadiens missed the playoffs. 

That said, the Habs were just one season removed from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. 

The draft lottery determined the selection order for the 16 teams that did not qualify for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs or teams that acquired a first-round selection via trade. However, this year's lottery featured some changes.

Teams were allowed to move up a maximum of 10 spots, meaning only the top 11 teams had the opportunity to land the first overall pick. There were also two draws, with the first determining which team got the No. 1 pick and the second determining which team got the No. 2 pick. Once the first two picks were revealed, the remainder of the teams were assigned a pick in inverse order of regular-season points.

Lowering the number of lottery draws to two ensured the team with the worst record, in this case the Montreal Canadiens, wouldn't draft lower than third overall.

The process was changed after the Detroit Red Wings, who finished with the worst record in the NHL during the 2019-20 season, ended up selecting fourth overall in the 2020 draft, losing out on the opportunity to select the best player available.

That said, let's take a look at the order for this year's draft and some of the top prospects available.

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NHL Draft Selection Order

1. Montreal Canadiens
2. New Jersey Devils
3. Arizona Coyotes
4. Seattle Kraken
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Chicago Blackhawks)
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Detroit Red Wings
9. Buffalo Sabres
10. Anaheim Ducks
11. San Jose Sharks
12. Columbus Blue Jackets
13. New York Islanders
14. Winnipeg Jets
15. Vancouver Canucks
16. Buffalo Sabres (via Vegas Golden Knights)

---

Shane Wright, Center: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

Height/Weight: 6'1", 187 pounds

Shane Wright, who has been considered the valedictorian of the 2022 draft class by NHL draft analysts for years, is expected to be the first overall pick in this year's draft after a standout three-year career with the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs. 

The 18-year-old's draft stock took a dip early during the 2021-22 season after he posted 16 goals and 29 assists in 33 games for 1.36 points per game, which was just slightly better than his performance when he was 15 years old.

However, Wright, who served as the captain of the Frontenacs this past season, had a solid second half, rebounding to finish with 32 goals and 62 assists for 94 points in 63 regular-season games. He also added two goals and eight assists for 10 points in eight postseason games.

Wright has been highly sought after because of his impressive 200-foot game. He's one of the best skaters in junior hockey, often compared to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and his vision, passing and playmaking skills make him a dangerous dual threat.

Perhaps the best indicator of his two-way prowess came from TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button, who compared Wright to Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron.

"I continuously come back to Shane Wright as the clear-cut guy because I just see such a thoroughness in his play," Button said. "There's not a situation in the game that I wouldn't throw Shane Wright into and not feel confident that he can excel. And that's Bergeron."

If Wright turns out to be anything like Bergeron, he'll be a high-scoring, two-way center who can make plays on both ends of the ice. He would be a perfect fit for the Canadiens, and he is exactly the player they need to turn things around.

---

Logan Cooley, Center: United States National Team Development Program

Height/Weight: 5'11", 174 pounds

Like Wright, Logan Cooley is one of the top centers in the 2022 draft class, and he could be selected as high as second overall.

The 18-year-old from Pittsburgh has spent the last few seasons with the USNTDP. During the 2021-22 season, he tallied 27 goals and 48 assists for 75 points in 51 games for the U.S. National U18 Team.

While Cooley is also projected to be a high-scoring, two-way center at the NHL level, he plays a different game than Wright. His high-end speed, skill and offensive IQ separate him from the Frontenacs center. That said, he lacks size but isn't afraid to drive to the net for scoring opportunities.

And while Button views Wright as more of a Bergeron, he compared Cooley to Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho, who is one of the best all-around players in the NHL.

"They're really good centremen but very different," Button said. "And when I do the comparables, Bergeron and Sebastian Aho, I think that's how Logan plays the game, more like Sebastian Aho. Shane Wright plays it like Bergeron."

Aho is a tremendous skater, playmaker and also defends well. That said, his only detriment is his lack of size at 6'0", 176 pounds, but that hasn't necessarily limited him at the NHL level. He's a solid comparison to Cooley.

It's unclear if Cooley would make the jump straight to the NHL if given the opportunity. He is committed to play at the University of Minnesota next season.

---

Juraj Slafkovsky, Left Wing: TPS (Finland)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 218 pounds

Like Cooley, Juraj Slafkovsky has the potential to be selected as high as second overall after an impressive career with TPS in Finland.

During the 2021-22 season, Slafkovsky tallied five goals and five assists for 10 points in 31 regular-season games. He added two goals and five assists for seven points in 18 playoff games.

The 18-year-old also starred for Slovakia at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where he was named MVP of the men's ice hockey tournament after helping lead the country to a bronze medal with seven goals in seven games.

Slafkovsky is a solid skater who has a powerful stride and great leg strength. He sets up and finishes plays well and will use his body any way he can. That said, he's a multi-tool threat with the capability to pass, shoot and score with precision, which would be an asset to any NHL team.

Button compared Slafkovsky to Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, who is big, strong and highly talented.

"Big, weighty, hard players to play against, but not elite offensive players. That's the separator for me with [Joakim] Kemell and Slafkovsky,” Button said.

Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur has died at the age of 70.

His family confirmed the news to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette on Friday. He was diagnosed with lung cancer for the second time in 2020.

The Canadiens posted condolences on Twitter:

The entire Montreal Canadiens organization is mourning the loss of legendary Hall-of-Famer and Canadiens Ambassador Guy Lafleur, who passed away at the age of 70.

Rest in peace, Guy. 🕊️❤️https://t.co/vEqp39p0KL

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 22, 2022

Lafleur was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 after a career that included five Stanley Cup titles and winning the Hart Trophy twice as the NHL MVP.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is saddened to learn of the passing of Honoured Member Guy Lafleur.

We offer our condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/7jksIrfAWY

— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) April 22, 2022

NHL Network mourns the passing of 5x Stanley Cup Champion and Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur.@CanadiensMTL pic.twitter.com/Mr1cZJvblg

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) April 22, 2022

The Quebec native was selected by the Habs with the first overall pick in the 1971 NHL draft. He'd dominated the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts, scoring 130 goals in 1970-71 to set a record that would stand until Mario Lemieux tallied 133 in 1983-84.

Lafleur emerged as one of hockey's most dynamic offensive talents and recorded over 100 points in six straight seasons beginning in 1974-75. He captured the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leader in points three consecutive years from 1975-76 through 1977-78.

Guy Lafleur..A skating Louis Vuitton commercial who stylishly flew on the ice and murdered pucks. Ferrari winger that attracted all eyes during his shifts..Was 1970’s Habs rocket fuel (5 Cups). In ‘78-‘79 he led team in scoring by 52 points. #1 NHL player in 2nd half of 1970’s. pic.twitter.com/RMQ5mz2Hlf

— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) April 22, 2022

The winger retired from the NHL in 1985 amid a contentious relationship with Canadiens management, but he returned in 1988. He played one season with the New York Rangers and two with the Quebec Nordiques to finish his career.

I wish I got to see Guy Lafleur play hockey. The videos of him going end to end with his hair flowing, skating faster and shooting harder than anyone else are amazing to watch. A true game breaker and a winner. Rest In Peace

— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) April 22, 2022

In 2019, Lafleur was undergoing heart surgery when doctors discovered a cancerous spot on his lung. He had another surgery two months later to remove a portion of his lung and his lymph nodes, but the cancer returned in October 2020.

He discussed the treatment with Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian Press in November.

"It's the chemotherapy that really hurts you badly," Lafleur said. "There's not a week that's the same. The last two weeks, I was feeling very, very bad and sleeping a lot. But the last three days I feel a lot better—a lot of ups and downs."

While going through treatment, he worked with Merck Canada to launch the "Be The MVP" campaign aimed at raising awareness for early detection of lung cancer.

"The Flower," who helped the Habs win Stanley Cup championships in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979, was named one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history as part of the league's centennial celebration in 2017.

The Montreal Canadiens announced Wednesday they have fired head coach Dominique Ducharme, with Martin St.Louis—Tampa Bay Lightning legend and Hockey Hall of Famer—taking over as interim coach.

"We would like to sincerely thank Dominique for his work and contributions to the Montreal Canadiens organization. At this point in the season, we felt it was in the best interest of the club to make a change," general manager Kent Hughes said in a statement.

The Canadiens made a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final last season before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. The squad hasn't been able to replicate its success in 2021-22, however, producing an 8-30-7 record through 45 games.

The squad's 23 points are the fewest in the NHL entering Wednesday.

With a league-worst minus-79 goal differential and seven straight losses, there was seemingly little hope of a turnaround. Montreal has just one win since the start of January.

Ducharme took over as an interim coach in Feb. 2021 after replacing Claude Julien. The squad did enough to earn a playoff spot in the North division—comprised exclusively of Canadian teams because of COVID-19 restrictions—before a dramatic run in the postseason with series wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights.

It was enough for Ducharme to earn a three-year deal as the team's permanent coach, although there was some criticism about the move:

Hard to argue with this. Montreal started the season with a 9-9 record, 57% xG Share and a +11 goal difference. Once Ducharme took over, he turned them around and led them to a 28-32 record, 50% xG Share and a -21 goal difference. Worthy of a long-term commitment. https://t.co/NfrrYAs1gA

— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) July 13, 2021

Ducharme now finishes his tenure with just a .361 points percentage in 83 regular-season games.

The 48-year-old still has loads of professional hockey experience, including more than two years as an assistant on the Canadiens staff before becoming the interim coach. He also spent 10 years coaching in the QMJHL.  

The NHL announced Friday that Saturday's game between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens has been postponed.

Boston had seven players and one staff member in the league's COVID-19 protocols as of Thursday night.

No make-up date for Saturday's contest, which was slated to take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal, was immediately established.

The Bruins played Thursday's game against the New York Islanders as scheduled. They suffered a 3-1 loss.

Boston winger Nick Foligno didn't mince words when asked about what the team went through leading up to the clash with the Isles.

"It's been a nightmare, to be honest with you," Foligno told reporters.

Meanwhile, Habs winger Jonathan Drouin raised concerns about playing the B's amid their COVID-19 outbreak.

"That's a tough question to answer, but I wouldn't be that comfortable playing with guys who might have COVID or against a team that's had seven cases; tomorrow morning there might be three more or two more, we don't know," Drouin said Thursday. "I don't feel comfortable playing with that. It's not what we were told this year with the vaccines and all that. For sure, things change in times like this, but it's really not ideal."

The Bruins aren't the only team going through coronavirus issues. The Calgary Flames had their past four games postponed with 18 players and three coaches in the protocols.

It's also an issue that extends beyond the NHL with the NFL, NBA and England's Premier League among the numerous sports entities dealing with a surge of COVID-19 cases.

For now, Boston's road game against the Ottawa Senators remains scheduled for Sunday.

Montreal is slated to begin a six-game road trip Monday when it visits the Islanders.

There will be no fans in attendance for Thursday's game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens.

The Canadiens announced they will not host a crowd at the Bell Centre following a request from Quebec public health officials due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. The announcement explained there will be an update for Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins on Friday.

"We have accepted this request in order to help ensure the safety and security of our fans and fellow citizens throughout our community," the Canadiens said.

"We have obtained assurances that beginning with our games in January, we will return to a partial capacity scenario and be able to host fans once more," the team added. 

This comes after Sportsnet reported the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and Ottawa Senators will all limit crowds to 50 percent capacity starting Saturday because of new rules announced by Ontario that prevent more than half capacity for indoor venues with more than 1,000 people.

Ontario premier Doug Ford explained "you've got to target the largest venues" because "you're sitting side-by-side for hours. Compared to a restaurant, that's comparing apples and bananas as far as I'm concerned, not even apples and oranges."

With the emergence and spread of the Omicron variant dominating headlines, sports are facing new challenges every day as the pandemic continues.

There have been cancellations, postponements and rising numbers of players placed in health and safety protocols.

In the NHL, the league announced the Calgary Flames' return to play was delayed because 17 more members of the organization entered COVID protocols. Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets was postponed as part of the delay.

Calgary hasn't played since this past Saturday, and the Blue Jackets game was the fourth one postponed.                  

The Montreal Canadiens announced Sunday general manager Marc Bergevin has been fired as part of a massive front-office shakeup.

Assistant general manager Trevor Timmins and senior vice president Paul Wilson have also been relieved of their duties.

Jeff Gorton will remain with the team and serve as the executive vice president of hockey operations.

The Canadiens have been one of the worst teams in the NHL to this point, totaling only six wins and 14 points through 23 games. 

The Ottawa Senators are the only team in the Atlantic Division with a worse record, but they have played four fewer games than Montreal.

The Canadiens are coming off a trip to the Stanley Cup Final last season. They narrowly made the playoffs but went on a miracle run that included wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

However, Montreal now appears set to miss the playoffs for the third time in five years. Last year's run was the only time since 2015 that the squad advanced beyond the first round of the postseason.

"We wish them all the success they deserve in the pursuit of their careers," owner Geoff Molson said in a statement. "I think, however, that the time has come for a leadership change within our hockey operations department that will bring a new vision and should allow our fans and partners to continue cheering for a championship team."

Bergevin was in his 10th year as the Canadiens general manager. The 56-year-old had also spent 20 years in the NHL playing for eight different organizations, including six years with the St. Louis Blues. 

The team will now begin a search for a new GM while Gorton will lead the front office in the interim. Gorton served as general manager of the New York Rangers for six seasons before he was fired in May.