1971–72 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1971–72 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's 63rd season of play. The Canadiens qualified for the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round.

1971–72 Montreal Canadiens
Division	3rd East
1971–72 record	46–16–16
Home record	29–3–7
Road record	17–13–9
Goals for	307
Goals against	205
Team information
General manager	Sam Pollock
Coach	Scotty Bowman
Captain	Henri Richard
Arena	Montreal Forum
Team leaders
Goals	Yvan Cournoyer (47)
Assists	Frank Mahovlich (53)
Points	Frank Mahovlich (96)
Penalty minutes	Pete Mahovlich (103)
Plus/minus	J. C. Tremblay (+52)
Wins	Ken Dryden (39)
Goals against average	Ken Dryden (2.24)
← 1970–71 1972–73 →

Regular season

Final standings

East Division^[1]

• v
• t
• e

		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	DIFF	Pts
1	Boston Bruins	78	54	13	11	330	204	+126	119
2	New York Rangers	78	48	17	13	317	192	+125	109
3	Montreal Canadiens	78	46	16	16	307	205	+102	108
4	Toronto Maple Leafs	78	33	31	14	209	208	+1	80
5	Detroit Red Wings	78	33	35	10	261	262	−1	76
6	Buffalo Sabres	78	16	43	19	203	289	−86	51
7	Vancouver Canucks	78	20	50	8	203	297	−94	48

Record vs. opponents

Vs. East Division 1971–72 NHL records[2] Team BOS BUF DET MTL NYR TOR VAN Total Boston — 3–1–2 5–1 2–3–1 5–1 4–1–1 6–0 25–7–4 Buffalo 1–3–2 — 0–4–2 1–4–1 0–6 1–5 2–3–1 5–25–6 Detroit 1–5 4–0–2 — 3–3 1–4–1 3–3 5–0–1 17–15–4 Montreal 3–2–1 4–1–1 3–3 — 1–3–2 4–1–1 6–0 21–10–5 New York 1–5 6–0 4–1–1 3–1–2 — 2–2–2 5–1 21–10–5 Toronto 1–4–1 5–1 3–3 1–4–1 2–2–2 — 2–2–2 14–16–6 Vancouver 0–6 3–2–1 0–5–1 0–6 1–5 2–2–2 — 6–26–4

Vs. West Division 1971–72 NHL records Team CAL CHI LAK MIN PHI PIT STL Total Boston 4–2 4–1–1 4–1–1 5–0–1 6–0 2–1–3 4–1–1 29–6–7 Buffalo 0–3–3 2–3–1 2–3–1 2–2–2 2–2–2 2–1–3 1–4–1 11–18–13 Detroit 2–2–2 0–5–1 3–2–1 2–4 3–2–1 4–2 2–3–1 16–20–6 Montreal 3–0–3 2–1–3 5–0–1 4–1–1 3–2–1 4–1–1 4–1–1 25–6–11 New York 4–1–1 2–1–3 6–0 1–3–2 6–0 3–1–2 5–1 27–7–8 Toronto 3–2–1 0–4–2 4–1–1 2–2–2 2–2–2 4–2 4–2 19–15–8 Vancouver 4–2 2–3–1 0–5–1 2–3–1 1–5 2–4 3–2–1 14–24–4

Schedule and results

1971–72 regular season[3]
October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 1 T October 9, 1971 4–4 New York Rangers (1971–72) 0–0–1 2 T October 14, 1971 1–1 @ Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) 0–0–2 3 W October 16, 1971 9–3 Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) 1–0–2 4 L October 17, 1971 4–8 @ New York Rangers (1971–72) 1–1–2 5 W October 20, 1971 4–2 @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) 2–1–2 6 W October 22, 1971 6–0 @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) 3–1–2 7 W October 23, 1971 3–1 @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) 4–1–2 8 W October 27, 1971 5–2 Boston Bruins (1971–72) 5–1–2 9 W October 30, 1971 3–0 Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) 6–1–2 10 L October 31, 1971 3–5 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) 6–2–2
November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 11 W November 3, 1971 5–1 St. Louis Blues (1971–72) 7–2–2 12 W November 6, 1971 2–1 Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) 8–2–2 13 W November 7, 1971 3–2 @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) 9–2–2 14 W November 10, 1971 5–2 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) 10–2–2 15 W November 13, 1971 5–1 @ Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) 11–2–2 16 T November 14, 1971 2–2 @ Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) 11–2–3 17 W November 16, 1971 7–2 California Golden Seals (1971–72) 12–2–3 18 T November 18, 1971 2–2 St. Louis Blues (1971–72) 12–2–4 19 T November 20, 1971 2–2 Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) 12–2–5 20 T November 24, 1971 3–3 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) 12–2–6 21 W November 27, 1971 3–1 Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) 13–2–6 22 L November 28, 1971 2–4 @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) 13–3–6
December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 23 W December 1, 1971 5–3 Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) 14–3–6 24 W December 4, 1971 7–0 Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) 15–3–6 25 W December 8, 1971 4–2 Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) 16–3–6 26 W December 11, 1971 4–3 Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) 17–3–6 27 L December 12, 1971 1–4 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) 17–4–6 28 W December 15, 1971 3–1 @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) 18–4–6 29 W December 17, 1971 6–2 @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) 19–4–6 30 T December 19, 1971 3–3 @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) 19–4–7 31 W December 22, 1971 4–2 Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) 20–4–7 32 L December 25, 1971 2–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) 20–5–7 33 L December 26, 1971 1–5 @ New York Rangers (1971–72) 20–6–7 34 W December 29, 1971 3–2 California Golden Seals (1971–72) 21–6–7
January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 35 L January 1, 1972 2–5 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) 21–7–7 36 L January 2, 1972 4–6 @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) 21–8–7 37 W January 5, 1972 6–4 Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) 22–8–7 38 W January 8, 1972 10–2 Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) 23–8–7 39 L January 9, 1972 2–5 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) 23–9–7 40 L January 11, 1972 3–7 @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) 23–10–7 41 W January 13, 1972 7–1 Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) 24–10–7 42 W January 15, 1972 6–2 Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) 25–10–7 43 L January 16, 1972 2–4 @ Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) 25–11–7 44 W January 19, 1972 1–0 Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) 26–11–7 45 L January 22, 1972 5–8 Boston Bruins (1971–72) 26–12–7 46 T January 23, 1972 3–3 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) 26–12–8 47 L January 27, 1972 5–6 Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) 26–13–8 48 W January 29, 1972 4–0 St. Louis Blues (1971–72) 27–13–8
February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 49 W February 1, 1972 3–1 @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) 28–13–8 50 T February 3, 1972 1–1 @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) 28–13–9 51 T February 4, 1972 2–2 @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) 28–13–10 52 W February 6, 1972 4–2 @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) 29–13–10 53 W February 10, 1972 7–1 Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) 30–13–10 54 W February 12, 1972 6–5 Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) 31–13–10 55 T February 13, 1972 2–2 @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) 31–13–11 56 T February 16, 1972 1–1 California Golden Seals (1971–72) 31–13–12 57 W February 19, 1972 3–1 Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) 32–13–12 58 W February 20, 1972 4–0 @ Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) 33–13–12 59 L February 22, 1972 3–7 New York Rangers (1971–72) 33–14–12 60 W February 24, 1972 4–2 @ Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) 34–14–12 61 W February 26, 1972 8–1 Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) 35–14–12 62 W February 27, 1972 5–3 Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) 36–14–12
March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 63 W March 1, 1972 4–1 Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) 37–14–12 64 W March 4, 1972 5–0 Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) 38–14–12 65 W March 5, 1972 4–0 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) 39–14–12 66 W March 8, 1972 5–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) 40–14–12 67 W March 9, 1972 5–1 @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) 41–14–12 68 T March 11, 1972 1–1 Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) 41–14–13 69 W March 13, 1972 2–1 Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) 42–14–13 70 W March 15, 1972 5–2 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) 43–14–13 71 W March 18, 1972 4–3 Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) 44–14–13 72 L March 19, 1972 6–7 @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) 44–15–13 73 T March 22, 1972 3–3 Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) 44–15–14 74 T March 25, 1972 3–3 New York Rangers (1971–72) 44–15–15 75 L March 26, 1972 4–5 @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) 44–16–15 76 T March 29, 1972 5–5 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) 44–16–16
April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 77 W April 1, 1972 6–2 Boston Bruins (1971–72) 45–16–16 78 W April 2, 1972 6–5 @ New York Rangers (1971–72) 46–16–16
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

After winning the Stanley Cup the previous season, the Canadiens could not repeat. The Canadiens lost to the New York Rangers in the first round, losing four games to two.

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG
Frank Mahovlich	76	43	53	96	36	42	14	4	4
Yvan Cournoyer	73	47	36	83	15	23	18	0	5
Jacques Lemaire	77	32	49	81	26	37	8	0	7
Pete Mahovlich	75	35	32	67	103	16	7	4	6
Guy Lafleur	73	29	35	64	48	27	5	0	5
J. C. Tremblay	76	6	51	57	24	52	3	0	2
Marc Tardif	75	31	22	53	81	15	9	0	4
Guy Lapointe	69	11	38	49	58	15	4	0	4
Henri Richard	75	12	32	44	48	10	0	0	1
Claude Larose	77	20	18	38	64	9	1	3	4
Réjean Houle	77	11	17	28	21	9	1	0	1
Jacques Laperrière	73	3	25	28	50	36	2	0	0
Jim Roberts	51	7	15	22	53	3	0	3	1
Larry Pleau	55	7	10	17	19	4	0	0	2
Terry Harper	52	2	12	14	35	9	0	0	0
Serge Savard	23	1	8	9	16	21	0	0	0
Pierre Bouchard	60	3	5	8	39	10	0	0	0
Phil Roberto	27	3	2	5	22	3	0	0	0
Chuck Arnason	17	3	0	3	4	−1	0	0	0
Ken Dryden	64	0	3	3	4	0	0	0	0
Bob Murdoch	11	1	1	2	8	8	0	0	0
Chuck Lefley	16	0	2	2	0	−1	0	0	0
Denis DeJordy	7	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Rey Comeau	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Germain Gagnon	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dale Hoganson	21	0	0	0	2	5	0	0	0
Phil Myre	9	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0
Rogie Vachon	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
Ken Dryden	3800	64	39	8	15	142	2.24	8
Phil Myre	528	9	4	5	0	32	3.64	0
Denis DeJordy	332	7	3	2	1	25	4.52	0
Rogie Vachon	20	1	0	1	0	4	12.00	0
Team:	4680	78	46	16	16	203	2.60	8

Playoffs

Scoring

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
Frank Mahovlich	6	3	2	5	2	1	0	0
Marc Tardif	6	2	3	5	9	0	0	1
Guy Lafleur	6	1	4	5	2	0	0	0
Yvan Cournoyer	6	2	1	3	2	0	0	0
Claude Larose	6	2	1	3	23	0	0	0
Jacques Lemaire	6	2	1	3	2	0	0	0
Henri Richard	6	0	3	3	4	0	0	0
Terry Harper	5	1	1	2	6	0	0	0
Pete Mahovlich	6	0	2	2	12	0	0	0
J. C. Tremblay	6	0	2	2	0	0	0	0
Jim Roberts	6	1	0	1	0	0	0	1
Guy Lapointe	6	0	1	1	0	0	0	0
Pierre Bouchard	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ken Dryden	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Réjean Houle	6	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
Jacques Laperrière	4	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
Bob Murdoch	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Larry Pleau	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Serge Savard	6	0	0	0	10	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA	SO
Ken Dryden	360	6	2	4	17	2.83	0
Team:	360	6	2	4	17	2.83	0

^[4]

Awards and records

• Calder Memorial Trophy: Ken Dryden

Transactions

May 22, 1971	To California Golden Seals Bobby Sheehan	To Montreal Canadiens cash
August 31, 1971	To California Golden Seals Marshall Johnston	To Montreal Canadiens cash
October, 1971	To California Golden Seals cash	To Montreal Canadiens Jocelyn Hardy
October, 1971	To California Golden Seals cash	To Montreal Canadiens Mike Laughton
October, 1971	To California Golden Seals Lyle Carter John French	To Montreal Canadiens Randy Rota
October 6, 1971	To California Golden Seals Ray Martyniuk	To Montreal Canadiens Tony Featherstone

Draft picks

Montreal's draft picks at the 1971 NHL amateur draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.

Round	#	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	1	Guy Lafleur	Canada	Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
1	7	Chuck Arnason	Canada	Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
1	11	Murray Wilson	Canada	Ottawa 67's (OHA)
2	20	Larry Robinson	Canada	Kitchener Rangers (OHA)
2	24	Michel DeGuise	Canada	Sorel Eperviers (QMJHL)
2	25	Terry French	Canada	Ottawa 67's (OHA)
3	31	Jim Cahoon	Canada	University of North Dakota (WCHA)
4	45	Ed Sidebottom	Canada	Estevan Bruins (WCHL)
4	53	Greg Hubick	Canada	University of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA)
5	67	Mike Busniuk	Canada	University of Denver (WCHA)
6	81	Ross Butler	Canada	Winnipeg Jets (WCHL)
7	95	Peter Sullivan	Canada	Oshawa Generals (OHA)

See also

• 1971–72 NHL season