2012–13 Montreal Canadiens season
The 2012–13 Montreal Canadiens season was the 104th season of play for the franchise that was founded on December 4, 1909, and its 96th season in the National Hockey League. The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 48 due to a lockout.
Off-season
After a disappointing 2011–12 season, the Canadiens started over in the front office. Marc Bergevin was named the new general manager on May 2, 2012. Rick Dudley was then named as the assistant general manager. The search then began for a new head coach and on June 5, Michel Therrien was named the new head coach. This would be Therrien's second stint as the Canadiens head coach Scott Mellanby was hired as the director of player personnel and Randy Cunneyworth and Randy Ladouceur were relieved of their assistant coaching duties. Some other hockey operations changes included the hiring of Martin Lapointe as director of player development, Patrice Brisebois was hired as a player development coach and on June 15, Gerard Gallant, J. J. Daigneault and Clement Jodoin were added to Montreal's coaching staff as assistant coaches.Montreal held the third overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and selected Alex Galchenyuk from the Sarnia Sting.
Regular season
The Canadiens had the most power-play opportunities during the regular season, with 207. They also tied the Tampa Bay Lightning for the fewest shorthanded goals scored, with zero.Standings
Revised regular season schedule
Playoffs
Player statistics
Final stats;Skaters
| Player | ||||||
| 44 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 8 | 28 | |
| 42 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 12 | 57 | |
| 47 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 3 | 24 | |
| 48 | 10 | 20 | 30 | −9 | 14 | |
| 46 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 8 | 45 | |
| 48 | 10 | 18 | 28 | −2 | 26 | |
| 44 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 10 | 33 | |
| 48 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 14 | 20 | |
| 48 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 3 | 8 | |
| † | 27 | 10 | 11 | 21 | −2 | 8 |
| 38 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 11 | 110 | |
| 23 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 4 | 6 | |
| 27 | 7 | 6 | 13 | −1 | 32 | |
| 38 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 33 | |
| 48 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 21 | |
| 48 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 15 | |
| 45 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −4 | 32 | |
| ‡ | 19 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 |
| 37 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 12 | |
| 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | |
| † | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 13 | |
| † | 16 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −3 | 2 |
| 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | −1 | 2 | |
| 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | |
| 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | |
| 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 67 | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 4 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | ||||||
| 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | −5 | 2 | |
| 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −1 | 31 | |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −1 | 10 | |
| 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −4 | 0 | |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −7 | 5 | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −2 | 0 | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −3 | 14 | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 23 | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −3 | 15 | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −3 | 17 | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 17 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 15 | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −4 | 4 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −4 | 0 |
;Goaltenders
| Player | |||||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 239:05 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 3.26 | 123 | .894 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | 1 | 62:32 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6.67 | 31 | .774 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Canadiens. Stats reflect time with the Candadiens only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record
Awards and honours
Awards
Milestones
| Player | Milestone | Reached |
| 1st Career NHL Game | January 19, 2013 | |
| 1st Career NHL Game | January 19, 2013 | |
| Alex Galchenyuk | 1st Career NHL Goal 1st Career NHL Point | January 22, 2013 |
| Brendan Gallagher | 1st Career NHL Assist 1st Career NHL Point | January 22, 2013 |
| Brendan Gallagher | 1st Career NHL Goal | January 27, 2013 |
| 300th Career NHL Game | March 2, 2013 | |
| 700th Career NHL Game | March 7, 2013 | |
| 1st Career NHL Game | March 9, 2013 | |
| 300th Career NHL Assist | March 10, 2013 | |
| 1st Career NHL Assist 1st Career NHL Point | March 13, 2013 | |
| 1st Career NHL Game 1st Career NHL Assist 1st Career NHL Point | March 16, 2013 | |
| 100th Career NHL Point | March 21, 2013 | |
| 600th Career NHL Game | March 23, 2013 | |
| 1st Career NHL Game | March 30, 2013 | |
| Nathan Beaulieu | 1st Career NHL Assist 1st Career NHL Point | April 1, 2013 |
| 300th Career NHL Game | April 1, 2013 | |
| 900th Career NHL Game | April 11, 2013 | |
| Gabriel Dumont | 1st Career NHL Goal | April 17, 2013 |
| 200th Career NHL Game | April 23, 2013 | |
| 200th Career NHL Game | April 23, 2013 |
| Player | Milestone | Reached |
| 1st Career Playoff Game 1st Career Playoff Assist 1st Career Playoff Point | May 2, 2013 | |
| 1st Career Playoff Game | May 2, 2013 | |
| 1st Career Playoff Game 1st Career Playoff Goal 1st Career Playoff Point | May 2, 2013 | |
| 1st Career Playoff Goal | May 3, 2013 | |
| 1st Career Playoff Game | May 3, 2013 | |
| 1st Career Playoff Game | May 9, 2013 |
Transactions
The Canadiens have been involved in the following transactions during the 2012–13 season:Trades
Free agents acquired
| Player | Former team | Contract terms |
| Brandon Prust | New York Rangers | 4 years, $10 million |
| Cedrick Desjardins | Lake Erie Monsters | 1 year, $600,000 |
| Francis Bouillon | Nashville Predators | 1 year, $1.5 million |
| Colby Armstrong | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 year, $1 million |
| Mike Condon | Princeton University | 2 years, $1.36 million entry-level contract |
Free agents lost
| Player | New team | Contract terms |
| Garrett Stafford | Washington Capitals | 1 year |
| Brian Willsie | TPS | 1 year |
| Andreas Engqvist | Atlant Moscow Oblast | undisclosed |
| Brad Staubitz | Anaheim Ducks | 2 years, $1.275 million |
| Scott Gomez | San Jose Sharks | 1 year, $700,000 |
| Nathan Lawson | Ottawa Senators | 1 year, two-way contract |
| Chris Campoli | EHC Biel | 1 year |
| Joe Callahan | Abbotsford Heat | 1 year |
| Mark Mitera | Reading Royals | 1 year |
| Tomas Kaberle | HC Kladno | 1 year |
| Erik Nystrom | Medvescak Zagreb | 1 year |
Claimed via waivers
Lost via waivers
Player signings
| Player | Date | Contract terms |
| Steve Quailer | June 14, 2012 | 2 years, $1.3 million entry-level contract |
| Ryan White | June 26, 2012 | 1 year, $687,500 |
| Petteri Nokelainen | June 29, 2012 | 1 year, $575,000 |
| Brendon Nash | June 29, 2012 | 1 year, $575,000 |
| Travis Moen | June 29, 2012 | 4 years, $7.2 million |
| Alexei Emelin | June 30, 2012 | 2 years, $4 million |
| Mike Blunden | July 1, 2012 | 1 year, $575,000 |
| Carey Price | July 2, 2012 | 6 years, $39 million |
| Frederic St. Denis | July 5, 2012 | 1 year, $575,000 |
| Lars Eller | July 6, 2012 | 2 years, $2.65 million |
| Aaron Palushaj | July 12, 2012 | 1 year, $600,000 |
| Raphael Diaz | July 13, 2012 | 2 years, $2.45 million |
| Blake Geoffrion | July 16, 2012 | 1 year, $803,250 |
| Alex Galchenyuk | July 23, 2012 | 3 years, $2.775 million entry-level contract |
| Max Pacioretty | August 13, 2012 | 6 years, $27 million contract extension |
| P. K. Subban | January 28, 2013 | 2 years, $5.75 million |
| David Desharnais | March 15, 2013 | 4 years, $14 million contract extension |
| Darren Dietz | March 17, 2013 | 3 years, $1.995 million entry-level contract |
| Francis Bouillon | March 20, 2013 | 1 year, $1.5 million contract extension |
| Danny Kristo | April 3, 2013 | 2 years, $1.75 million entry-level contract |
| Peter Budaj | April 10, 2013 | 2 years, $2.8 million contract extension |
| Magnus Nygren | May 21, 2013 | 2 years, $1.7175 million entry-level contract |
| Sebastian Collberg | May 21, 2013 | 3 years, $2.775 million entry-level contract |
| Tim Bozon | May 30, 2013 | 3 years, $2.0275 million entry-level contract |
| Davis Drewiske | June 13, 2013 | 2 years, $1.275 million contract extension |
| Mike Blunden | June 28, 2013 | 1 year, $550,000 contract extension |
Draft picks
Montreal Canadiens' picks at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 22 & 23, 2012.| Round | # | Player | Pos | Nationality | College/Junior/Club Team |
| 1 | 3 | Alex Galchenyuk | C | United States | Sarnia Sting |
| 2 | 33 | Sebastian Collberg | RW | Sweden | Frolunda HC |
| 2 | 51 | Dalton Thrower | D | Canada | Saskatoon Blades |
| 3 | 64 | Tim Bozon | LW | United States | Kamloops Blazers |
| 4 | 94 | Brady Vail | C | United States | Windsor Spitfires |
| 5 | 122 | Charles Hudon | LW | Canada | Chicoutimi Sagueneens |
| 6 | 154 | Erik Nystrom | LW | Sweden | Modo Hockey Jr. |
;Draft Notes
- The Nashville Predators' second-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as a result of a February 17, 2012, trade that sent Hal Gill and a 2013 conditional fifth-round pick to the Predators in exchange for Blake Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and this pick.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets' fifth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as a result of a June 29, 2011, trade that sent James Wisniewski to the Blue Jackets in exchange for this pick.
- The Montreal Canadiens' fifth-round pick went to the Calgary Flames as the result of a January 12, 2012, trade that traded Rene Bourque, Patrick Holland and a 2013 second round pick to the Canadiens for Michael Cammalleri, Karri Ramo and this pick.
- The Montreal Canadiens' seventh-round pick went to the Phoenix Coyotes as the result of an October 23, 2011, trade that traded Petteri Nokelainen and Garrett Stafford to the Canadiens for Colin Stuart, Anton Stralman and this pick.