The 2012–13 Montreal Canadiens season was the 104th season of play for the franchise that was founded on December 4, 1909, and its 96th season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 48 due to a lockout.

Off-season After a disappointing 2011–12 season, the Canadiens started over in the front office. Marc Bergevin was named the new general manager on May 2, 2012. Rick Dudley was then named as the assistant general manager. The search then began for a new head coach and on June 5, Michel Therrien was named the new head coach. This would be Therrien's second stint as the Canadiens head coach (previously coached team from 2000 to 2003) Scott Mellanby was hired as the director of player personnel and Randy Cunneyworth and Randy Ladouceur were relieved of their assistant coaching duties. Some other hockey operations changes included the hiring of Martin Lapointe as director of player development, Patrice Brisebois was hired as a player development coach and on June 15, Gerard Gallant, J. J. Daigneault and Clement Jodoin were added to Montreal's coaching staff as assistant coaches.

Montreal held the third overall pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft and selected Alex Galchenyuk from the Sarnia Sting.

|- bgcolor= | 1 || September 23 || Ottawa || Montreal || |- bgcolor= | 2 || September 24 || Buffalo || Montreal || |- bgcolor= | 3 || September 27 || Montreal || Ottawa || |- bgcolor= | 4 || October 2 || Montreal || Carolina || |- bgcolor= | 5 || October 3 || Carolina || Montreal || |- bgcolor= | 6 || October 6 || Boston || Montreal || |- bgcolor= | 7 || October 7 || New Jersey || Montreal ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 1 || October 11 ||Ottawa || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 2 || October 13 ||Montreal || Toronto || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 3 || October 16 ||Boston || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 4 || October 18 ||Montreal || Boston || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 5 || October 20 ||Washington || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 6 || October 23 ||Montreal || Minnesota || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 7 || October 25 ||Philadelphia || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 8 || October 27 ||Anaheim || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 9 || October 30 ||Montreal || Calgary ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 10 || November 1 || Montreal || Edmonton || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 11 || November 3 || Montreal || Vancouver || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 12 || November 6 || Phoenix || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 13 || November 8 || Winnipeg || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 14 || November 10 || NY Rangers || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 15 || November 13 || Calgary || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 16 || November 15 || Montreal || Winnipeg || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 17 || November 17 || Montreal || Colorado || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 18 || November 19 || Nashville || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 19 || November 20 || Montreal || New Jersey || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 20 || November 24 || Vancouver || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 21 || November 27 || Tampa Bay || Montreal ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 22 || December 1 || Toronto || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 23 || December 2 || Montreal || Columbus || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 24 || December 4 || Chicago || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 25 || December 6 || Montreal || Buffalo || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 26 || December 8 || Buffalo || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 27 || December 10 || Carolina || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 28 || December 12 || Montreal || NY Rangers || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 29 || December 13 || Los Angeles || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 30 || December 15 || Montreal || Buffalo || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 31 || December 17 || Buffalo || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 32 || December 19 || Montreal || Ottawa || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 33 || December 20 || Montreal || Washington || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 34 || December 22 || Montreal || Toronto || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 35 || December 27 || Montreal || Tampa Bay || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 36 || December 28 || Montreal || Florida || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 37 || December 31 || Montreal || Carolina ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 38 || January 3 || New Jersey || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 39 || January 5 || Toronto || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 40 || January 8 || Florida || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 41 || January 10 || Montreal || Philadelphia || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 42 || January 12 || Montreal || Dallas || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 43 || January 13 || Montreal || St. Louis || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 44 || January 16 || Pittsburgh || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 45 || January 18 || Montreal || Pittsburgh || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 46 || January 19 || Boston || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 47 || January 22 || Tampa Bay || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 48 || January 29 || Edmonton || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 49 || January 30 || Montreal || Detroit ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 50 || February 2 || NY Islanders || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 51 || February 3 || Ottawa || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 52 || February 6 || Carolina || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 53 || February 8 || Montreal || Pittsburgh || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 54 || February 9 || Toronto || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 55 || February 12 || Montreal || NY Islanders || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 56 || February 15 || Montreal || Buffalo || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 57 || February 17 || Montreal || Winnipeg || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 58 || February 19 || San Jose || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 59 || February 20 || Montreal || NY Rangers || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 60 || February 23 || Pittsburgh || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 61 || February 25 || Montreal || Ottawa || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 62 || February 28 || Boston || Montreal ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 63 || March 2 || NY Islanders || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 64 || March 4 || Montreal || Boston || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 65 || March 7 || Montreal || Washington || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 66 || March 9 || Montreal || Tampa Bay || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 67 || March 10 || Montreal || Florida || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 68 || March 13 || Ottawa || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 69 || March 15 || Montreal || Philadelphia || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 70 || March 16 || Montreal || New Jersey || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 71 || March 19 || Montreal || Ottawa || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 72 || March 21 || New Jersey || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 73 || March 23 || Montreal || NY Islanders || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 74 || March 26 || Winnipeg || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 75 || March 27 || Montreal || Winnipeg || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 76 || March 30 || NY Rangers || Montreal ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 77 || April 2 || Philadelphia || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 78 || April 4 || Washington || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 79 || April 6 || Buffalo || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 80 || April 9 || Florida || Montreal || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 81 || April 12 || Montreal || Carolina || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor= | 82 || April 13 || Montreal || Toronto ||

Regular season The Canadiens had the most power-play opportunities during the regular season, with 207. They also tied the Tampa Bay Lightning for the fewest shorthanded goals scored, with zero.

Standings

Schedule and results Revised regular season schedule

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fcc;" | 1 || 19 || 7:00 pm || Toronto Maple Leafs || 2–1 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 0–1–0 || 0 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 2 || 22 || 7:30 pm || Florida Panthers || 1–4 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 1–1–0 || 2 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 3 || 24 || 7:00 pm || Montreal Canadiens || 4–1 || Washington Capitals || Verizon Center (18,506) || 2–1–0 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 4 || 27 || 6:00 pm || New Jersey Devils || 3–4(OT) || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 3–1–0 || 6 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 5 || 29 || 7:30 pm || Winnipeg Jets || 3–4 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 4–1–0 || 8 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fcc;" | 6 || 30 || 7:00 pm || Montreal Canadiens || 1–5 || Ottawa Senators || Scotiabank Place (19,620) || 4–2–0 || 8 |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=9 | Legend:      = Win      = Loss      = OT/SO Loss

|- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 7 || 2 || 2:00 pm || Buffalo Sabres || 1–6 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 5–2–0 || 10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 8 || 3 || 2:00 pm || Ottawa Senators || 1–2 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 6–2–0 || 12 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fcc;" | 9 || 6 || 7:30 pm || Boston Bruins || 2–1 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 6–3–0 || 12 |- style="text-align:center; background:#ffc;" | 10 || 7 || 7:00 pm || Montreal Canadiens || 4–5 (SO) || Buffalo Sabres || First Niagara Center (18,866) || 6–3–1 || 13 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fcc;" | 11 || 9 || 7:00 pm || Toronto Maple Leafs || 6–0 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273)|| 6–4–1 || 13 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 12 || 12 || 7:30 pm || Montreal Canadiens || 4–3(SO) || Tampa Bay Lightning || Tampa Bay Times Forum (19,204)|| 7–4–1 || 15 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 13 || 14 || 7:30 pm || Montreal Canadiens || 1–0(OT) || Florida Panthers || BB&T Center (17,204) || 8–4–1 || 17 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 14 || 16 || 7:00 pm || Philadelphia Flyers || 1–4 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 9–4–1 || 19 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 15 || 18 || 7:30 pm || Carolina Hurricanes || 0–3 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273)|| 10–4–1 || 21 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 16 || 19 || 7:00 pm || Montreal Canadiens || 3–1 || New York Rangers || Madison Square Garden (17,200) || 11–4–1 || 23 |- style="text-align:center; background:#ffc;" | 17 || 21 || 7:30 pm || New York Islanders || 4–3(OT) || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 11–4–2 || 24 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 18 || 23 || 7:00 pm || New York Rangers || 0–3 || Montreal Canadiens || Bell Centre (21,273) || 12–4–2 || 26 |- style="text-align:center; background:#ffc;"