CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Ray Ratto

Claude Lemieux carries the torch in the opening ceremony of Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Tragedy Of Appreciating SOBs Too Late

MONTREAL, CANADA - MAY 27: Joe Veleno #90, Jakub Dobes #75, and Mike Matheson #8 of the Montreal Canadiens look on from the bench during the third period in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes at Bell Centre on May 27, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Canadiens Have A Weird Fetish For Not Shooting The Puck And They’re Making It Everybody’s Problem

Lauren Theisen

Taylor Hall #71 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores a goal past Jakub Dobes

Close Isn’t Good Enough For The Canadiens

Nikolaj Ehlers #27 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates the overtime winning goal in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Nikolaj Ehlers Rewrote The Hurricanes’ Old Script

What If The Canadiens Are Just This Good?

Jakub Dobes #75 of the Montreal Canadiens is congratulated by Alexandre Carrier #45 of the Montreal Canadiens

Jakub Dobes Is Growing Up

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MAY 18: Alex Newhook #15 of the Montréal Canadiens celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during overtime in Game Seven of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 18, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images)

The Canadiens Must Be Blessed

Cole Caufield #13 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates after scoring a goal

The Montreal Crowd Claimed A Victory

Barry Petchesky

TAMPA, FLORIDA - MAY 03: Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning reacts after the 2-1 defeat against the Montréal Canadiens in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 03, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Tampa Lost An Unlosable Game

Jakub Dobes #75, Alexandre Carrier #45 and Kaiden Guhle #21 of the Montréal Canadiens celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 3, 2026.

The Canadiens Butted Their Way Into An Upset

TAMPA, FL - APRIL 29: Montréal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (93) checks Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) into the boards in the third period during game five of the first round playoff series between the Montreal Canadians and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, April 29. 2026 at Benchmark Intl Arena in Tampa, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

These Canadiens Will Not Be Pushed Around

Brandon Hagel #38 of the Tampa Bay Lightning cheers on the crowd as heads to the penalty box after a fight against the Montréal Canadiens

This Frickin’ Guy

Cason Wallace #22, Isaiah Hartenstein #55, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2, Chet Holmgren #7, and Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 23, 2025.

Are The Thunder Too Good?

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - NOVEMBER 22: Dakota Mermis #36 of the Toronto Maple Leafs fights Florian Xhekaj #63 of the Montréal Canadiens during the third period at Bell Centre on November 22, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Reuben Polansky-Shapiro/NHLI via Getty Images)

You’re Either An Arber Xhekaj Or A Simona Xhekaj

The Montreal Canadiens celebrate on ice after a win in overtime against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on October 22, 2025 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada