As Tuesday’s contest between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens showed, even pre-season NHL games can be intense and emotional.
Even if there’s a potential risk of injury in rivalry friendlies, anyone who argues pre-season games should only be between non-rivals should compare the attendance in the Senators‘ two games in Quebec City.
Sunday’s matchup between the Senators and New Jersey Devils at Videotron Centre drew in 12,159 fans. Tuesday’s game had 18,259 fans, even though most of them wore the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge and were happy to see a 5-0 win over the “home team” Senators. The intensity of a game between two teams that really don’t like each other should often sell more tickets.
That said, it was obvious why emotions were running high between Ottawa and Montreal. These teams will be duelling all season long, whether it’s on the ice, in the standings or in the trade market.
Playing in the Atlantic Division – arguably the NHLâ€s toughest division – the Sens and Habs are essentially in the same boat this season. Both teams wanted the other to know they won’t lay down and roll over for their opponent.
Indeed, only six points separated fourth-place Ottawa and fifth-place Montreal last season, and many pundits have the Senators and Canadiens finishing in the same vicinity this season. Thatâ€s only the equivalent of three wins that was the difference between the two teams. One bad week could be the difference between these longtime rivals.
2 Senators Fined For Actions vs. Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens faced off against the Ottawa Senators on Sep. 30 in a preseason contest. While it may have been a preseason game, there is no question that tempers flared during this matchup in Quebec City, as there was plenty of fightning and nastiness.
Hereâ€s something else to picture: if these two teams meet in the playoffs, watch out. Youâ€re going to get two passionate fan bases in close geographical locations, with a healthy hate-on for each other. We already saw it in 2012-13 when the Sens and Habs had a line brawl and in 2014-15 when Montreal got revenge for their first-round loss two years earlier.
Given that the NHL has long been trying to develop and maintain divisional rivalries, we should expect that the league would be thrilled to have Montreal and Ottawa squaring off in the first or second round.
And above and beyond the four regular-season games the Habs and Sens will play against one another this season, the rivalry between the two franchises will manifest in other areas.
Depending on how the regular season plays out, the Senators and Canadiens could be vying for the same players on the trade market. Ottawa has $3.5 million in salary cap space at the moment – a number that could swell to $16 million by this yearâ€s trade deadline. Meanwhile, Montreal has $4.5 million in cap space, which could balloon to $20.8 million by the deadline. So both teams have the financial flexibility to do big things via trades this season, with Montreal potentially wanting a second-line center and Ottawa looking wherever it can for upgrades.
It could well come to pass that the Canadiens and Senators could be wrapped up in an arms race that has a significant effect on their bottom line.
In any case, we should never be surprised to see ill feelings between the Sens and Habs, no matter what time of year it is. Itâ€s true that the pre-season proves nothing to anyone, but the NHL needs its divisional rivalries to thrive for the league to succeed – and in that regard, the Canadiens and Senators have nothing to worry about.
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