Why Stars Fans Should Support the Montreal Canadiens in the Playoffs

The last few years have been bad for Stars fans in terms of their rivals winning Stanley Cups.

The Montreal Canadiens are having a similar miracle run like the Stars had last season.

If the teams with the series lead hold out for the win, it will be a Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Final.

Stars fans have every reason to hate/like whatever team they do, but the Canadiens may be the team to root for as a Stars fan.

Some Stars fans have their other favorite teams whether or not they relocate from another city. They may like the Canadiens or not.

You might like the Lightning, but some Stars fans sure don’t.

Corey Perry went from hated rival to well-liked amongst Stars fans. His effort in last year’s playoffs helped propel the Stars to two wins from a Stanley Cup. He went to Montreal in the offseason and is doing the same thing he did last year with his veteran presence.

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The Vegas Golden Knights are not the primary rival of the Stars, but they are getting there. Denis Gurianov’s goal to end the Golden Knights’ season last year sent the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final. The Stars are one of only three NHL teams to ever eliminate the Golden Knights from the playoffs, so they may see us as their rivals more than we see them.

Between the New York Islanders, Canadiens, and Golden Knights, Stars fans would rather any three of these teams win the Stanley Cup than the Lightning. The Lightning will forever remain hated in the hearts of Stars fans, and it won’t go away for a decade. It’s second nature to dislike a team that ended your season so brutally and so close to winning it all.

The Canadiens remind Stars fans so much about their team last season. Down 3-1 to the historically cursed Toronto Maple Leafs, they came back and won that series through two overtime games.

After sweeping the Stars’ Central Division rivals in the Winnipeg Jets, they won on Friday to take a 2-1 series lead over the Golden Knights.

Starting with their Western Conference Final defeat in 6 games to the Detroit Red Wings, the Stars have had a rough 13 years. The Red Wings won it all after dispatching the Stars. The former Pacific Division rivals in the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup twice. The Chicago Blackhawks won three times. Jamie Benn was a wraparound chance away from ending the St. Louis Blues’ season in overtime of Round 2 Game 7 in 2019, but they won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Lightning eliminated the Stars in 2020.

The Canadiens are an exciting team to watch. Although you never want your team to miss the playoffs, watching without your team alleviates the games’ stresses. That Game 7 against the Avalanche last season made hearts pound everywhere, especially when Vladislav Namestnikov almost ended the Stars’ season with a go-ahead goal at 3:40 remaining of the 3rd period. With the Stars out, watching the Canadiens claw their way through the playoffs is good hockey.