Pittsburgh wasn't fighting the media saying the team was more than Sidney Crosby. Montreal, on the other hand, were constantly saying they were more than just Carey Price. It was a big deal to the team and they failed last season to prove it. And then the general manager came out, claimed that all the blame was on himself, and next season would be better because Carey Price would be healthy.
This isn't some back and forth. This is the actual reality of the Montreal Canadiens. They can't shake the fact that everyone in the league knows that if Carey isn't there, Montreal isn't a playoff team. Heck, Chris Kreider proved it in 2014.