2020 FNHL Cup Champions

Montreal Canadians

Led By GM: Wesley Walsh

                                                                   

                            

                                   

                              

                             

 

Row 1: Craig Anderson, Calvin Pickard

Row 2: Eric Staal, Roman Voloshenko, Nicklas Bergsfors, Cam Barker, Michael Ratchuk

Row 3: Igor Mirnov, Daultan Leveille, Kyle Wellwood, Mike Komisarek, Joni Pitkanen

Row 4: Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Palmieri, Jakob Silfverberg, Simon Despres, Jonathan Ericsson

Row 5:  Valterri Filpulla, Colin Greening, Maxim Kondratiev  

 

Overcoming All Odds To Win First FNHL Title

The Montreal Canadians entrered this season with high hopes, not because of recent success but because the team was improving and a great GM was at the helm of it all. Montreal has never won a cup, heck, they have never even been to the FNHL Finals before so the idea of winning a cup was a bit lofty. As the season went along Montreal struggled and they struggled badly. Things were looking grim and now GM Walsh was only hoping they would make the playoffs. Trade Deadline came and we saw Pittsburgh almost triple their payroll and buy a ton of expiring contracts so they could win it all this year. A move like this could cripple every franchise in the Eastern Conference and it almost did. Montreal squeeked in with the 8th seed but we all know that the playoffs are a new life for teams and you can start all over.

Funny enough, Montreal found itself in the Conference Championship series to face off against powerhouse Pittsburgh. Prior to that series Pittsburgh was an undefeated 8-0 in the post season by embarassing past opponents. Montreal came into that series as extreme underdogs but still managed to get past the Penguins in 6 games and embark on their first FNHL Title shot. Even when Team USA defeated the Soviets in the 1980 Olympics, they still needed to win one more before winning the gold... in comes Arizona. Now we have two teams that have never won their conference or obviously a cup squaring off. Craig Anderson was gassed all series long and Montreal dumped $15 million ALONE into him bringing him back to 100% throughout the series. Just in the Finals alone Wesley Walsh spent $20 million bringing their players to full health and eventually win the series in 6 games. Is this a one and done for Montreal or do we have a new powerhouse in the Eastern Conference? A lot will be told this offseason.

Congrats to Wesley Walsh and the Montreal Canadians on the winning the 18th FNHL Cup!