The dismal showing by the Canadiens this season is bad not just for the team, but also for businesses that deal in sports merchandise.
The slump that started in December began taking its toll earlier this year. In January store owner Santana Enrique of Sports Crescent began returning jerseys and other Habs-branded items because fans were not buying.
Even cutting prices by 25 percent did very little to encourage sales.
Two months later, merchants say the drop in sales is much worse.
"Now it's completely, completely dead," said Enrique.
"I used to have a very good weekend when they played here against one of the six originals," he said the Monday after the Habs lost to the New York Rangers and were eliminated from the playoffs.
"But this weekend was completely dead. I was sitting and waiting, and some New York Rangers fans came and bought a T-shirt and hoodies, but the Canadiens fans, they were not there."
"I was waiting for them, and no one."
Enrique said sales of Blue Jays and Expos memorabilia are outselling Canadiens-branded items.
Bars, restaurants hiring fewer staff
The same drop in business was felt at sports bars as fans decided not to eat out before watching the game--or not bothering to watch the game at all.
Restaurant and bar owners who have been able to count on an extra few weeks of bumper sales in April and May are scheduling fewer staff than in the past.
At Station des Sports, sales are down 50 per cent since January.
“People will come, and since they have haven't been winning, they'll stay for the first period, not even, and then they’ll just pick up and leave,” said Kim Shore of the bar and restaurant.
They're trying whatever they can to offset the losses, like offering discounts and showing other sports, but hockey is what the people want.
