Canadiens have as Many Wins as Jacob Markstrom has Shutouts

The Montreal Canadiens have become and disappeared from being contenders in just about one year. Carey Price carried the team (yes, he carried the team) to the Stanley Cup Final last season where they ran into the Tampa Bay Lightning juggernaut led by Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman. Yes, I agree, their use of the salary cap is more than questionable.

With that said, however, the Montreal Canadiens approached this season with the playoffs and a return to the Stanley Cup final in mind… Until they found themselves without Shea Weber and Carey Price after acquiring Christian Dvorak for a package that includes the Canadiens’ first-round pick this season (though they will definitely keep this pick and give over the Hurricanes’ pick per conditions).

Since the departure of their two leaders, the Canadiens’ have not been close to playing to expectations and have had a steady plummet to the basement of the league. The team’s brass seemed to have caught on to the decline and fired both Marc Bergevin and Dominique Ducharme.

Bergevin let Phillip Danault walk in free agency, though he was the dependable centerman the team needed to play against the stars of the Vegas Golden Knights. Though the season looks as bad as it is, it seems to be hitting an almost all-time-low.

The Montreal Canadiens are not in a good position… But this stat makes their season that much worse.

Here’s the stat: Jacob Markstrom has as many shutouts (8) as the Canadiens have WINS (8).

Whether you are a fan of the Canadiens or not, this stat is truly astonishing. You can point the finger at whoever you want to, but when a goalie has as many shutouts as you have wins, something is horrendously wrong.

With that said, Markstrom has been playing amazing hockey as of late behind a competitive Calgary Flames team, which would bode for amazing stats for any quality goaltender. But… This is just sad.

From former Stanley Cup finalists to the loss of their GM and coach,  two franchise players to injury, one shutdown centerman to free agency, AND earning as many wins as Jacob Markstrom’s shutout count.

Yikes. But brighter days are ahead as the Canadiens are for sure to have a high first-round pick in a stacked 2022 draft class.