The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ' ( The Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs,Other nicknames for the team include ''Le Canadien'', ''Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge'', ''La Sainte-Flanelle'', ''Le Tricolore'', ''Les Glorieux'' (or ''Nos Glorieux''), ''Le CH'', ''Le Grand Club'', ''Les Plombiers'', and ''Les
Habitants
Habitants () were French settlers and the inhabitants of French origin who farmed the land along the two shores of the St. Lawrence River and Gulf in what is the present-day Province of Quebec in Canada. The term was used by the inhabitants ...
'' (from which "Habs" is derived). are a professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
team based in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
. They compete in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
Bell Centre
Bell Centre (), formerly known as Molson Centre (), is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montr ...
, originally known as Molson Centre. The team previously played at the
Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum (french: Le Forum de Montréal) is a historic building located facing Cabot Square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by '' Sporting News'', it was an indoor arena which served as the ...
, which housed the team for seven decades and all but their first two Stanley Cup championships.Earlier venues for the Canadiens include
Jubilee Rink
A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of ...
Mount Royal Arena
The Mount Royal Arena was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the corner of Mount Royal and St. Urbain Street.Mouton(1987), p. 111 It was home of the National Hockey League (NHL) Montreal Canadiens from 1920 to 1926, before mov ...
Founded in 1909, the Canadiens are the longest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide, and the only existing NHL club to predate the founding of the NHL. One of the oldest North American professional sports franchises, the Canadiens' history predates that of every other Canadian franchise outside football, as well as every American franchise outside
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
and the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
Original Six
The Original Six () are the teams that comprised the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1942 and 1967. The six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leaf ...
", the teams that made up the NHL from 1942 until the 1967 expansion. The team's championship season in 1992–93 marked the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup.
The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more times than any other franchise, having earned 24 championships, with 23 victories since the founding of the NHL, and 22 since 1927, when NHL teams became the only ones to compete for the Stanley Cup. The Canadiens also had the most championships by a team of any of the four major North American sports until the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
won their 25th
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
The Canadiens were founded by J. Ambrose O'Brien on December 4, 1909, as a charter member of the
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association (NHA), officially the National Hockey Association of Canada Limited, was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor of today's National Hockey Lea ...
,
the forerunner to the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
. It was to be the team of the francophone community in Montreal, composed of francophone players, and under francophone ownership as soon as possible. The founders named the team "Les Canadiens," a term identified at the time with French speakers. The team's first season was not a success, as they placed last in the league. After the first year, ownership was transferred to George Kennedy of Montreal and the team's record improved over the next seasons. The team won its first Stanley Cup championship in the 1915–16 season. In 1917, with four other NHA teams, the Canadiens formed the NHL, and they won their first NHL Stanley Cup during the 1923–24 season, led by
Howie Morenz
Howard William Morenz (September 21, 1902 – March 8, 1937) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Beginning in 1923, he played centre for three National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Montreal Canadiens (in two stints), the Chicago Blac ...
. The team moved from the
Mount Royal Arena
The Mount Royal Arena was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the corner of Mount Royal and St. Urbain Street.Mouton(1987), p. 111 It was home of the National Hockey League (NHL) Montreal Canadiens from 1920 to 1926, before mov ...
to the
Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum (french: Le Forum de Montréal) is a historic building located facing Cabot Square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by '' Sporting News'', it was an indoor arena which served as the ...
for the 1926–27 season.
The club began the 1930s decade successfully, with Stanley Cup wins in 1930 and 1931. The Canadiens and its then-Montreal rival, the
Montreal Maroons
The Montreal Maroons (officially the Montreal Professional Hockey Club) were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They played in the NHL from 1924 to 1938, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935. They were the las ...
, declined both on the ice and economically during the Great Depression. Losses grew to the point where the team owners considered selling the team to interests in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, Ohio, though local investors were ultimately found to finance the Canadiens. The Maroons suspended operations, and several of their players moved to the Canadiens.
Led by the "
Punch Line
A punch line (a. k. a. punch-line or punchline) concludes a joke; it is intended to make people laugh. It is the third and final part of the typical joke structure. It follows the introductory framing of the joke and the narrative which sets up ...
Toe Blake
Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being ''digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being ''plant ...
and
Elmer Lach
Elmer James Lach (, January 22, 1918 – April 4, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). A centre, he was a member of the Punch line, along with Ma ...
in the 1940s, the Canadiens enjoyed success again atop the NHL. From 1953 to 1960, the franchise won six Stanley Cups, including a record five straight from 1956 to 1960, with a new set of stars coming to prominence:
Jean Beliveau
Jean may refer to:
People
* Jean (female given name)
* Jean (male given name)
* Jean (surname)
Fictional characters
* Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character
* Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations
* J ...
Jacques Plante
Joseph Jacques Omer Plante (; January 17, 1929 – February 27, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947 to 1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey. He played ...
and Richard's younger brother,
Henri
Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry (given name), Henry.
People with this given name
; French noblemen
:'' See the 'List_of_rulers_named_Henry#France, List of rulers named Henry ...
.
The Canadiens added ten more championships in 15 seasons from 1965 to 1979, with another dynastic run of four-straight Cups from 1976 to 1979. In the 1976–77 season, the Canadiens set two still-standing team records – for most points, with 132, and fewest losses, by only losing eight games in an 80-game season. The next season, 1977–78, the team had a 28-game unbeaten streak, the second-longest in NHL
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
. The next generation of stars included
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
,
Yvan Cournoyer
Yvan Serge Cournoyer (born November 22, 1943) is a Canadian former professional hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens from 1963 to 1979. In 1972, Cournoyer scored the tying goal in the deciding ...
,
Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne Dryden (born August 8, 1947) is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a Liber ...
,
Pete Mahovlich
Peter Joseph Mahovlich (born October 10, 1946) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive. Known in his playing years as "Little M", as his older brother Frank was the "Big M", Mahovlich played in the National Hockey ...
,
Jacques Lemaire
Jacques Gerard Lemaire (born September 7, 1945) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward and head coach who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. He spent his entire twelve-year National Hockey League (NHL) playing career with the Mo ...
,
Pierre Larouche
Pierre Roland Larouche (born November 16, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Hartford Whalers, and New York Rangers between 1974 and ...
,
Steve Shutt
Stephen John Shutt (born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and NHL Hall of Famer who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 12 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens and 1 season for the Los Angeles King ...
,
Bob Gainey
Robert Michael Gainey (born December 13, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1973 until 1989. After retiring from active play, he became a hockey coach and later an executive wit ...
,
Serge Savard
Serge Aubrey Savard, OC, CQ (born January 22, 1946) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, most famously with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the Senior Vice President, Hockey Operations with t ...
,
Guy Lapointe
Guy Gerard Lapointe (born March 18, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League. He currently serves as Coordinator of Amateu ...
and
Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson (born June 2, 1951) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach, executive and player. His coaching career includes head coaching positions with the New Jersey Devils (which he held on two occasions), as well as the Los Angeles Ki ...
.
Scotty Bowman
William Scott Bowman, OC (born September 18, 1933) is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs and ...
, who would later set a record for most NHL victories by a coach, was the team's head coach for its last five Stanley Cup victories in the 1970s.
The Canadiens won Stanley Cups in 1986, led by rookie star goaltender
Patrick Roy
Patrick Jacques Roy (; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender and executive, who serves as the head coach for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 2017, Roy was named o ...
, and in 1993, continuing their streak of winning at least one championship in every decade from the 1910s to the 1990s (this streak came to an end in the 2000s). In 1996, the Habs moved from the Montreal Forum, their home during 70 seasons and 22 Stanley Cups, to Molson Centre (now called
Bell Centre
Bell Centre (), formerly known as Molson Centre (), is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montr ...
).
Following Roy's departure in 1995, the Canadiens fell into an extended stretch of mediocrity, missing the playoffs in four of their next ten seasons and failing to advance past the second round of the playoffs until 2010. By the late 1990s, with both an ailing team and monetary losses exacerbated by a record-low value of the Canadian dollar, Montreal fans feared their team would end up relocated to the United States. Team owner
Molson Brewery
The Molson Brewery is a Canadian based brewery company based in Montreal which was established in 1786 by the Molson family. In 2005, Molson merged with the Adolph Coors Company to become Molson Coors.
Molson Coors maintains some of its Ca ...
sold control of the franchise and the Molson Centre to American businessman
George N. Gillett Jr.
George Nield Gillett Jr. (born October 22, 1938) is an American businessman. Originally from Wisconsin, he lives in Vail, Colorado.
Biography
Gillett graduated from Lake Forest Academy in 1956. He attended Amherst College and is a 1961 graduate ...
in 2001, with the right of first refusal for any future sale by Gillett and a condition that the NHL Board of Governors must unanimously approve any attempt to move to a new city. Led by club president
Pierre Boivin
Pierre Boivin, OC (born October 28, 1953) is a French Canadian businessman and was president of the Montreal Canadiens from September 2, 1999, through June 30, 2011, succeeding Ronald Corey.
Business
At the age of 25, Boivin founded Norvinca ...
, the Canadiens returned to being a lucrative enterprise, earning additional revenues from broadcasting and arena events. In 2009, Gillett sold the franchise to a consortium led by the
Molson family
The Molson family of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was founded by John Molson, who immigrated to Canada in 1782 from his home in Lincolnshire, England. They are considered to be one of Canada's most prominent business families with a combined net w ...
which included
The Woodbridge Company
The Woodbridge Company Limited is a Canadian private holding company based in Toronto, Ontario. It is the primary investment vehicle for members of the family of the late Roy Thomson, the first Baron Thomson of Fleet. David Binet has been the ...
Fonds de solidarité FTQ
The largest development capital network in the province, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ was created on the initiative of the FTQ, Québec's largest central labour body.
As of Novembre 30, 2022, the Fonds held $17.8 billion in net assets and ha ...
, Michael Andlauer, Luc Bertrand and the
National Bank
In banking, the term national bank carries several meanings:
* a bank owned by the state
* an ordinary private bank which operates nationally (as opposed to regionally or locally or even internationally)
* in the United States, an ordinary p ...
Financial Group for $575 million, more than double the $275 million he spent on the purchase eight years prior.
During the 2008–09 season, the Canadiens celebrated their 100th anniversary with various events,
including hosting both the 2009 NHL All-Star Game,
and the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
The Canadiens became the first team in NHL history to reach 3,000 victories with their 5–2 victory over the Florida Panthers on December 29, 2008.
For the 2020–21 season, the league moved the Canadiens along with the other six teams from Canada to the
North Division Northern Division or North Division can refer to:
Sports
* Northern Division (Rugby Union) Leagues of England
* Queensland Rugby League Northern Division
* Southern League Northern Division of the Southern Football League in England
* FA Women' ...
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
in the first round of the playoffs 4–3, overcoming a 3–1 Maple Leafs lead in the series. The Canadiens then swept the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
in the second round, advancing to the Stanley Cup semifinals. The Canadiens defeated the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expa ...
in the semifinals, clinching an overtime victory in Game 6 of the series, and reaching their first Stanley Cup Finals in 28 years, whilst also being the first Canadian team to reach the Finals since the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
, 4 games to 1.
In 2021–22, the Canadiens were unable to replicate their success from the prior season, ultimately finishing last in the league for the first time since the 1939–40 season and the first time in the NHL's expansion era, in what was one of the worst seasons in the team's history. In the process they set team records for most regulation losses (49), most goals against (319), fewest wins (22),Minimum 70-game schedule and fewest points (55), while their .335 point percentage was the team's third-worst ever, after only 1925–26 (.319) and 1939–40 (.260).
Team identity
The Canadiens organization operates in both English and French. For many years, public address announcements and press releases have been given in both languages, and the team website and social media outlets are in both languages as well. At home games, the first stanza of
O Canada
"O Canada" (french: Ô Canada, italic=no) is the national anthem of Canada. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Théodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony; Calixa Lavallée composed the mus ...
is sung in French, and the chorus is sung in English.
Crest and sweater design
One of sport's oldest and most recognizable logos, the classic 'C' and 'H' of the Montreal Canadiens was first used together in the 1917–18 season, when the club changed its name to "Club de hockey Canadien" from "Club athlétique Canadien", before evolving to its current form in 1952–53. The "H" stands for "hockey", not "
Habitants
Habitants () were French settlers and the inhabitants of French origin who farmed the land along the two shores of the St. Lawrence River and Gulf in what is the present-day Province of Quebec in Canada. The term was used by the inhabitants ...
," a popular misconception. According to NHL.com, the first man to refer to the team as "the Habs" was American
Tex Rickard
George Lewis "Tex" Rickard (January 2, 1870 – January 6, 1929) was an American boxing promoter, founder of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL), and builder of the third incarnation of Madison Square Garden in New York City ...
, owner of the Madison Square Garden, in 1924. Rickard apparently told a reporter that the "H" on the Canadiens' sweaters was for "Habitants". In French, the "Habitants" nickname dates back to at least 1914, when it was printed in Le Devoir to report a 9–3 win over Toronto on the ninth of February.
The team's colours since 1911 are blue, white and red. The home
sweater
A sweater (North American English) or pullover, also called a jumper (British English and Australian English), ...
is predominantly red in colour. There are four blue and white stripes, one across each arm, one across the chest and the other across the waistline. The main road sweater is mainly white with a red and blue stripe across the waist, red at the end of both arm sleeves red shoulder yokes. The basic design has been in use since 1914 and took its current form in 1925, generally evolving as materials changed. Because of the team's lengthy history and significance in Quebec, the sweater has been referred to as (the holy flannel sweater).
Since 2015, the Canadiens' home red sweater is the only uniform in the league to feature the
French language
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
version of the NHL shield logo (LNH) on the neck collar, in acknowledgment of Montreal's French Canadian heritage. The road white sweater retains the English NHL shield logo.
The Canadiens used multiple designs prior to adopting the aforementioned design in 1914. The original shirt of the 1909–10 season was blue with a white C. The second season had a red shirt featuring a green
maple leaf
The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada.
History of use in Canada
By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by the French Canadians along th ...
with the C logo, and green pants. Lastly, the season before adopting the current look the Canadiens wore a "
barber pole
A barber's pole is a type of sign used by barbers to signify the place or shop where they perform their craft. The trade sign is, by a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, a staff or pole with a helix of colored stripes (often red and wh ...
" design jersey with red, white and blue stripes, and the logo being a white maple leaf reading "CAC", "Club athlétique Canadien". All three designs were worn during the 2009–10 season as part of the Canadiens centenary.
In the 2020–21 season, the Canadiens unveiled a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform in collaboration with Adidas. The uniform was essentially the same as their regular red uniform, but with blue as the primary colour and red as the stripe colour. A second "Reverse Retro" uniform was released in the 2022–23 season, again using the same template but with red relegated to the logo only and featuring a light blue base with white/dark blue/white stripes.
The Canadiens' colours are a readily identifiable aspect of French Canadian culture. In the short story "
The Hockey Sweater
''The Hockey Sweater'' (''Le chandail de hockey'' in the original French) is a short story by Canadian author Roch Carrier and translated to English by Sheila Fischman. It was originally published in 1979 under the title "'" ("An abominable map ...
", Roch Carrier described the influence of the Canadiens and their jersey within rural Quebec communities during the 1940s.
The story was later made into an animated short, ''The Sweater'', narrated by Carrier.
A passage from the short story appears on the 2002 issue of the Canadian five-dollar bill.
Motto
Nos bras meurtris vous tendent le flambeau, à vous toujours de le porter bien haut.
To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high.
The motto is from the poem "
In Flanders Fields
"In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in the form of a rondeau, written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend and ...
" by
John McCrae
Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae (November 30, 1872 – January 28, 1918) was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I, and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium. He is best known for writing the ...
, which was written in 1915, the year before the Canadiens won their first Stanley Cup championship. The motto appears on the wall of the Canadiens' dressing room as well as on the inside collar of the new Adidas 2017–18 jerseys.
Youppi!
Youppi! ( or , French for Yippee!) is the official mascot for the Montreal Canadiens, and former longtime mascot of Montreal Expos. Youppi! wears an "!" instead of a jersey number.
History
Youppi!, a creation of Acme Mascots, Inc. (a divisi ...
as their official mascot, the first costumed mascot in their long history. Youppi was the longtime mascot for the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
baseball team but was dropped from the franchise when they moved to Washington, D.C. in 2004–05 and became the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. With the switch, Youppi became the first mascot in professional sports to switch leagues. He is also the first mascot in professional sports to get ejected from a game. In June 2020, Youppi became the first mascot from a Canadian-based club to be honoured in The Mascot Hall of Fame. Youppi's induction in the Mascot Hall of Fame was decided by a long voting process, which included the public vote.
Rivalries
The Canadiens have developed strong rivalries with two fellow Original Six franchises, with whom they frequently shared divisions and competed in post-season play. The oldest is with the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
, who first faced the Canadiens as the
Toronto Arenas
The Toronto Arenas or Torontos were a professional men's ice hockey team that played in the first two seasons of the National Hockey League (NHL). It was operated by the owner of the Arena Gardens, the Toronto Arena Company. As the ownership of ...
in 1917. The teams met 16 times in the playoffs, including five Stanley Cup Finals. Featuring the two largest cities in Canada and two of the largest fanbases in the league, the rivalry is sometimes dramatized as being emblematic of Canada's
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and French linguistic divide. From 1938 to 1970, they were the only two Canadian teams in the league.
The team's other Original Six rival are the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
, who since their NHL debut in 1924 have played the Canadiens more than any other team in both regular season play and the playoffs combined. The teams have played 34 playoff series, seven of which were in the finals.
The Canadiens also had an intraprovincial rivalry with the
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
during its existence from 1979 to 1995, nicknamed the " Battle of Quebec."
Broadcasting
Montreal Canadiens games are broadcast locally in both the French and English languages. CHMP 98.5 is the Canadiens' French-language radio flagship. As of the 2017–18 season, the team's regional television in both languages, and its English-language radio rights, are held by
Bell Media
Bell Media Inc. ( French: ) is a Canadian company formed by the amalgamation of several companies.
Establishment (2011–13)
On December 9, 2011, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announced the sale of its majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports ...
TSN Radio
TSN Radio is a semi-national sports radio brand and part-time network in Canada carried on AM radio stations owned by Bell Media.
Regional television rights in French are held by
Réseau des sports
Réseau des sports (RDS), is a Canadian French language specialty channel oriented towards sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc. ( Bell Media 80% and ESPN 20%). Its ful ...
(RDS) under a 12-year deal that began in the 2014–15 NHL season. A sister to the English-language network TSN, RDS was the only French-language sports channel in Canada until the 2011 launch of
TVA Sports
TVA Sports is a Canadian French-language sports specialty channel owned by the Groupe TVA, a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media. The channel is a general-interest sports network, and the first major competitor to RDS, the only other ...
, and was also the previous national French rightsholder of the NHL; as a result, the Canadiens forwent a separate regional contract, and allowed all of its games to be televised nationally in French as part of RDS's overall NHL rights.
With TVA Sports becoming the national French rightsholder in the 2014–15 season through a sub-licensing agreement with Sportsnet, RDS subsequently announced a 12-year deal to maintain regional rights to Canadiens games not shown on TVA Sports. As a result, games on RDS are blacked out outside the Canadiens' home market of Quebec, Atlantic Canada and parts of Eastern Ontario shared with the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
. At least 22 Canadiens games per season (primarily through its Saturday night ''La super soirée LNH''), including all playoff games, are televised nationally by TVA Sports.
TSN2
TSN2 is a Canadian English language sports specialty channel that acts as the secondary feed of sports-centred channel The Sports Network (TSN) and owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc. It was launched in its current form on August 29, 2008.
F ...
assumed the English-language regional television rights in the 2017–18 season, with John Bartlett on play-by-play, and
Dave Poulin
David James Poulin (born December 17, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.
P ...
Craig Button
Craig J. Button (born January 3, 1963) is currently a ice hockey analyst for TSN and a former National Hockey League (NHL) executive.
Early life and hockey family
Born in Rochester, New York, Button entered the world of hockey at birth. His fa ...
on colour commentary. All other games, including all playoff games, are televised nationally by Sportsnet or CBC. Bartlett returned to Sportsnet over the 2018 off-season, and was succeeded by
Bryan Mudryk
Bryan Mudryk ( ; born July 13, 1979) is a Canadian sportscaster for TSN. He is a frequent host of SportsCentre and a play-by-play announcer as part of TSN's curling broadcast team. He has been with TSN since October 2005.
Career
Personal ...
.
English-language regional rights were previously held by Sportsnet East (with CJNT ''City Montreal'' as an overflow channel), under a 3-year deal that expired after the 2016–17 season; the games were called by Bartlett and Jason York. Prior to this deal, TSN held the rights from 2010 through 2014; the games were broadcast on a part-time channel with
Dave Randorf
Dave Randorf (born July 31, 1967) is a Canadian sportscaster who serves as the play-by-play announcer for the television broadcasts of the Tampa Bay Lightning professional hockey team. He is best known for his work at TSN hosting the network's Ca ...
on play-by-play.
Season-by-season record
''This is a list of the last five seasons completed by the Canadiens. For the full season-by-season history, see
List of Montreal Canadiens seasons
The Montreal Canadiens (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) and are one of the ...
.''
''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
Players and personnel
Current roster
Honoured members
Retired numbers
The Canadiens have retired 15 numbers in honour of 18 players, the most of any team in the NHL. All honourees were born in Canada and were members of at least two Stanley Cup winning Canadiens teams.
Howie Morenz
Howard William Morenz (September 21, 1902 – March 8, 1937) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Beginning in 1923, he played centre for three National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Montreal Canadiens (in two stints), the Chicago Blac ...
was the first honouree, on November 2, 1937. The NHL retired
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
's No. 99 for all its member teams at the
2000 NHL All-Star Game
The 2000 NHL All-Star Game was the 50th All-Star Game in the National Hockey League. It took place on February 6, 2000, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 1st NHL All-Star Game took place in 1947 and was also ho ...
.
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Montreal Canadiens have an affiliation with a number of inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Sixty-five inductees from the players category are affiliated with the Canadiens. Thirty-seven of these players are from three separate notable dynasties: 12 from 1955 to 1960, 11 from 1964 to 1969, and 13 from 1975 to 1979.
Howie Morenz
Howard William Morenz (September 21, 1902 – March 8, 1937) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Beginning in 1923, he played centre for three National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Montreal Canadiens (in two stints), the Chicago Blac ...
and
Georges Vezina Georges may refer to:
Places
* Georges River, New South Wales, Australia
* Georges Quay (Dublin)
*Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Other uses
*Georges (name)
* ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas
* "Georges" (song), a 19 ...
were the first Canadiens given the honour in 1945, while
Guy Carbonneau
Joseph Harry Guy Carbonneau (born March 18, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive in the National Hockey League. He was also the president of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Chicoutimi Saguenéens. ...
was the most recently inducted, in 2019. Along with players, a number of inductees from the builders category are affiliated with the club. The first inductee was Vice-President William Northey in 1945. The most recent inductee was
Pat Burns
Patrick John Joseph Burns (April 4, 1952 – November 19, 2010) was a National Hockey League head coach. Over 14 seasons between 1988 and 2004, he coached in 1,019 games with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New Jer ...
in 2014.
In addition to players and builders, five broadcasters for the Montreal Canadiens were also awarded the
Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
The Foster Hewitt Memorial Award is an annual accolade honoring a member of the ice hockey broadcasting world. It was named for the Canadian hockey radio broadcaster and newspaper journalist Foster Hewitt, and it has been presented every year at a ...
Newsy Lalonde
Édouard Cyrille "Newsy" Lalonde (October 31, 1887 – November 21, 1970) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League (NHL) and a professional lacrosse player. Lalonde is regarded as one of hockey's and lacrosse's ...
, 1910–1911, 1912–1913, 1916–1922
* Jimmy Gardner, 1913–1915
*
Howard McNamara
Howard Dennis McNamara (November 22, 1891 – September 24, 1940) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played professionally from 1908 to 1920, including two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, including the 1916 Stanley Cup cham ...
, 1915–1916
*
Sprague Cleghorn
Henry William Sprague "Peg" Cleghorn (March 11, 1890 – July 12, 1956) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player from Westmount, Quebec who played 17 professional seasons between 1911 and 1929 for the Renfrew Creamery Kings and Montreal Wand ...
, 1922–1925
*
Billy Coutu
Wilfrid Arthur "Billy" Coutu (March 1, 1892 – February 25, 1977), nicknamed "Wild Beaver", was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, the Hamilton Tigers, ...
, 1925–1926
*
Sylvio Mantha
Joseph Sylvio Theobald Mantha (April 14, 1902 – August 7, 1974) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. Elected to the Hockey ...
, 1926–1932, 1933–1936
*
George Hainsworth
George Henry Hainsworth (June 26, 1893 – October 9, 1950) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Weste ...
Toe Blake
Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being ''digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being ''plant ...
, 1940–1948
*
Bill Durnan
William Ronald Durnan (January 22, 1916 – October 31, 1972) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played seven seasons with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). During his career he was one of the most domin ...
Jean Beliveau
Jean may refer to:
People
* Jean (female given name)
* Jean (male given name)
* Jean (surname)
Fictional characters
* Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character
* Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations
* J ...
, 1961–1971
*
Henri Richard
Joseph Henri Richard (February 29, 1936 – March 6, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played centre with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1955 to 1975. He was nicknamed "Pocket Rocket" aft ...
, 1971–1975
*
Yvan Cournoyer
Yvan Serge Cournoyer (born November 22, 1943) is a Canadian former professional hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens from 1963 to 1979. In 1972, Cournoyer scored the tying goal in the deciding ...
, 1975–1979
*
Serge Savard
Serge Aubrey Savard, OC, CQ (born January 22, 1946) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, most famously with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the Senior Vice President, Hockey Operations with t ...
, 1979–1981
*
Bob Gainey
Robert Michael Gainey (born December 13, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1973 until 1989. After retiring from active play, he became a hockey coach and later an executive wit ...
, 1981–1989
*
Guy Carbonneau
Joseph Harry Guy Carbonneau (born March 18, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive in the National Hockey League. He was also the president of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Chicoutimi Saguenéens. ...
and
Chris Chelios
Christos Kostas Chelios (born January 25, 1962) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He was one of the longest tenured players in the National Hockey League, and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion—one with the Montreal ...
Mike Keane
Michael John Keane (born May 29, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Undrafted, Keane played over 1,100 games in the National Hockey League from 1988 until 2004. He then played five seasons for his hometown Manitoba Moose ...
, 1995 (April–December)
*
Pierre Turgeon
Pierre Julien Turgeon (born August 28, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player.
Selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Turgeon played in the NHL for the Sabres, New York Islanders, ...
, 1995–1996
*
Vincent Damphousse
Vincent François Damphousse (born December 17, 1967) is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for eighteen seasons. He played centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Cana ...
, 1996–1999
*
Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu (; born November 23, 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the ...
, 1999–2009
*
Brian Gionta
Brian Joseph Gionta (born January 18, 1979) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Gionta began his NHL career in 2001 with the New Jersey Devils and has served as captain ...
, 2010–2014
*
Max Pacioretty
Maximillian Kolenda Pacioretty (born November 20, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Pacioretty was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, in the 2007 NHL ...
, 2015–2018
*
Shea Weber
Shea Michael Weber (born August 14, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman under contract with the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played sixteen seasons in the NHL for the Nashville Predators and M ...
, 2018–2022
*
Nick Suzuki
Nicholas Suzuki (born August 10, 1999) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Vegas Golden Knights selected him in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2017 NHL ...
Newsy Lalonde
Édouard Cyrille "Newsy" Lalonde (October 31, 1887 – November 21, 1970) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League (NHL) and a professional lacrosse player. Lalonde is regarded as one of hockey's and lacrosse's ...
, 1915–1921, 1932–1934
*
Leo Dandurand
Leo or Léo may refer to:
Acronyms
* Law enforcement officer
* Law enforcement organisation
* '' Louisville Eccentric Observer'', a free weekly newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky
* Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
Arts a ...
, 1921–1926
*
Cecil Hart
Cecil Mordecai Hart (November 28, 1883 – July 16, 1940) was a head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.
Biography
Cecil Hart was Jewish, a direct descendant of Aaron Hart who was Canada's first Jewish settler, and was born in Bedford, Queb ...
, 1926–1932, 1936–1938
* Newsy Lalonde and Leo Dandurand, 1934–1935
*
Sylvio Mantha
Joseph Sylvio Theobald Mantha (April 14, 1902 – August 7, 1974) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. Elected to the Hockey ...
, 1935–1936
* Cecil Hart and
Jules Dugal Jules Dugal (1888–1976) was a head coach of the Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the Engl ...
Dick Irvin
James Dickinson "Dick" Irvin Jr. (or II) (July 19, 1892 – May 16, 1957) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played for professional teams in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, the Western Canada Hockey League, and th ...
Claude Ruel
Claude Ruel (September 12, 1938 – February 9, 2015) was a professional ice hockey Coach (ice hockey), coach for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Ruel grew up playing hockey in Sherbrooke. He was considered to be ...
Scotty Bowman
William Scott Bowman, OC (born September 18, 1933) is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs and ...
Jacques Lemaire
Jacques Gerard Lemaire (born September 7, 1945) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward and head coach who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. He spent his entire twelve-year National Hockey League (NHL) playing career with the Mo ...
, 1984–1985
*
Jean Perron
Jean Perron (born October 5, 1946) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and sports commentator, best known for being the 16th head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, serving from 1985 to 1988. Perron has more recently served as the head coach for Israe ...
, 1985–1988
*
Pat Burns
Patrick John Joseph Burns (April 4, 1952 – November 19, 2010) was a National Hockey League head coach. Over 14 seasons between 1988 and 2004, he coached in 1,019 games with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New Jer ...
, 1988–1992
*
Jacques Demers
Jacques Demers (born August 25, 1944) is a former Canadian Senator, former broadcaster and former professional ice hockey head coach. After a lengthy coaching career in the World Hockey Association and in the National Hockey League, Demers bec ...
, 1992–1995
*
Mario Tremblay
Joseph Daniel Mario Tremblay (born September 2, 1956) is a former professional ice hockey player and former coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). As a player, he was a five-time Stanley Cup winner with the Montreal Canadiens.
He was honou ...
, 1995–1997
*
Alain Vigneault
Alain Vigneault (born May 14, 1961) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. Vigneault has previously coached the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL, as well as in the Quebec Major Ju ...
, 1997–2000
*
Michel Therrien
Michel Therrien (born November 4, 1963) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. (NHL). Therrien formerly coached the Montreal Canadiens, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Prior to his coaching career, Therrien played pr ...
, 2000–2003, 2012–2017
* Claude Julien, 2003–2006, 2017–2021
*
Bob Gainey
Robert Michael Gainey (born December 13, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1973 until 1989. After retiring from active play, he became a hockey coach and later an executive wit ...
Guy Carbonneau
Joseph Harry Guy Carbonneau (born March 18, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive in the National Hockey League. He was also the president of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Chicoutimi Saguenéens. ...
Randy Cunneyworth
Randy William Cunneyworth (born May 10, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, former AHL head coach, NHL head coach and assistant coach, as well as a pro scout, and player development coach spanning nearly 40 years.
Cunneyw ...
, 2011–2012 (interim)
*
Dominique Ducharme
Dominique Ducharme (15 May 1765 – 3 August 1853), from Lachine, Quebec, was a French Canadian fur trader, settler, militia officer, and public servant.
He was named François Ducharme at birth, the son of Jean-Marie Ducharme. In 1793 Duch ...
, 2021–2022
*
Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis (French spelling Martin St-Louis, ; born June 18, 1975) is a Canadian hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is the current head coach of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). An undraf ...
Garry Monahan
Garry Michael Monahan (born October 20, 1946) is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League. He was the first-ever draft pick in NHL history.
Career
Monahan was selected first overall by the ...
Claude Chagnon
Claude Chagnon (born March 21, 1948) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft. Chagnon never played a game in the NHL.
Chagnon was bo ...
Phil Myre
Philippe Louis Myre (born November 1, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Atlanta Flames, St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers, Color ...
Elgin McCann
Elgin McCann (born July 2, 1946) is a former professional ice hockey right winger. He was drafted in the first round, eighth overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft. He never played in the National Hockey League, howeve ...
Michel Plasse
Michel Pierre Plasse (June 1, 1948 – December 30, 2006) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.
Playing career
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Plasse played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1970 to 1982 after being the first over ...
(1st overall),
Roger Belisle
Roger Belisle (born October 31, 1947) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1st round (2nd overall) of the 1968 NHL Amateur Draft.
Belisle played with the Muskegon Mohawks
The Mus ...
(2nd overall), and
Jim Pritchard
James George Pritchard (February 14, 1948 - April 1, 2014) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (3rd overall) of the 1968 NHL Amateur Draft.
Pritchard played two games w ...
Marc Tardif
Joseph Gérard Marquis Tardif (born June 12, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in both the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA), principally for the Quebec Nordiques, and is ...
Ray Martynuik
Ray Martynuik (March 28, 1950 – October 20, 2013), sometimes spelled Martyniuk, was a professional ice hockey goaltender. He was born in Flin Flon, Manitoba, and played for the Flin Flon Bombers in the Western Canada Hockey League, where he ear ...
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
(1st overall),
Chuck Arnason
Ernest Charles Arnason (born July 15, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right wing who played 401 games over eight seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Atlanta Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Kansas City ...
Steve Shutt
Stephen John Shutt (born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and NHL Hall of Famer who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 12 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens and 1 season for the Los Angeles King ...
John Van Boxmeer
John Martin Van Boxmeer (born November 20, 1952) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He has also served extensively as a hockey coach with various teams from 1984 to the present.
Bio
John Van Boxmeer was considered a top prospec ...
Bob Gainey
Robert Michael Gainey (born December 13, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1973 until 1989. After retiring from active play, he became a hockey coach and later an executive wit ...
Cam Connor
Cameron Duncan Connor (born August 10, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward and a Stanley Cup winner.
Connor was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in October 2015.
Early life
Connor grew up best friends with ...
(5th overall),
Doug Risebrough
Douglas John Risebrough (born January 29, 1954) is a Canadian former player, coach, and general manager in the National Hockey League. In his 31 years in the NHL, he has been involved with the Stanley Cup Playoffs 25 times. He is currently a pro s ...
(7th overall),
Rick Chartraw
Raymond Richard Chartraw (born July 13, 1954) is a Venezuelan-born Americans, American former professional ice hockey Defenceman (ice hockey), defenseman who played 420 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1974 and 1984. He was a fo ...
(10th overall),
Mario Tremblay
Joseph Daniel Mario Tremblay (born September 2, 1956) is a former professional ice hockey player and former coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). As a player, he was a five-time Stanley Cup winner with the Montreal Canadiens.
He was honou ...
Robin Sadler
Robin Sadler (born March 31, 1955) is a Canadian and Austrian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the first round, ninth overall, of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft by the Montreal Canadiens; in addition, he was drafted in the ...
(9th overall), and
Pierre Mondou
Joseph Julien Claude Pierre Mondou (born November 27, 1955) is a former Canadians, Canadian ice hockey forward (ice hockey), forward.
Mondou played in the National Hockey League from 1976–77 NHL season, 1977 to 1984–85 NHL season, 1985. Duri ...
Rod Schutt
Rodney Gordon Schutt (born October 13, 1956) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 286 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pitts ...
Dave Hunter
David P. Hunter (born January 1, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who won three Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets. Hunter was born in Petrol ...
Doug Wickenheiser
Douglas Peter Wickenheiser (March 30, 1961 – January 12, 1999) was a Canadian ice hockey player, who was drafted first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.
Career
Wickenheiser was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. A supe ...
Gilbert Delorme
Gilbert Delorme (born November 25, 1962, in Boucherville, Quebec) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who was a defenceman for five NHL teams. He played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Detroit Red Wi ...
Alfie Turcotte
Real Jean "Alfie" Turcotte (born June 5, 1965) is an American former ice hockey player.
Biography
Turcotte was born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Holt, Michigan. As a youth, he played in the 1978 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament ...
Petr Svoboda
Petr Svoboda (born February 14, 1966) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was ...
(5th overall), and
Shayne Corson
Shayne Paul Corson (born August 13, 1966) is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars. During hi ...
Tom Chorske
Thomas Patrick Chorske (born September 18, 1966) is an American former professional ice hockey player. A forward, he played for eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). In September, 2006, he was named color commentator for New Jers ...
Mark Pederson
Mark Patrick Pederson (born January 14, 1968) is a Canadians, Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who played 169 games in the National Hockey League, NHL. He is currently serving as head co ...
Andrew Cassels
Andrew William Cassels (born July 23, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus ...
Lindsay Vallis
Lindsay Grant Vallis (born January 12, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He was drafted in the first round, thirteenth overall, of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He played just one game in the ...
David Wilkie David Wilkie may refer to:
* David Wilkie (artist) (1785–1841), Scottish painter
* David Wilkie (surgeon) (1882–1938), British surgeon, scientist and philanthropist
* David Wilkie (footballer) (1914–2011), Australian rules footballer
* David ...
Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu (; born November 23, 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the ...
Brad Brown
Bradley Lorne Brown (born December 27, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman.
Playing career
As a youth, Brown played in the 1989 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Mississauga ...
Eric Chouinard
Eric Guy Chouinard (born July 8, 1980) is an American-born Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota Wild.
Playing career
Chouinard ...
Ron Hainsey
Ronald Martin Hainsey (born March 24, 1981) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played seventeen years in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets, Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets, Carolina Hurricanes, ...
(13th overall) and
Marcel Hossa
Marcel Hossa (; born 12 October 1981) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey left winger. Hossa previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes, having been drafted by ...
Mike Komisarek
Michael Komisarek (born January 19, 1982) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who spent his career with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career A ...
(7th overall), and
Alexander Perezhogin
Alexander Valerievich Perezhogin (russian: Александр Валерьевич Пережо́гин; born August 10, 1983) is a Kazakhstani-Russian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently pl ...
Andrei Kostitsyn
Andrei Olegovich Kostitsyn ( be, Андрэй Алегавiч Касціцын; russian: Андрей Олегович Костицын; born 3 February 1985) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently a free agent.
The me ...
Kyle Chipchura
Kyle Douglas Glen Chipchura (born February 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with Severstal Cherepovets of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was select ...
Carey Price
Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
Ryan McDonagh
Ryan Patrick McDonagh (born June 13, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted in the first round, 12th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in 2007, he play ...
(12th overall), and
Max Pacioretty
Maximillian Kolenda Pacioretty (born November 20, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Pacioretty was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, in the 2007 NHL ...
Louis Leblanc
Louis Jean Joseph Leblanc (born January 26, 1991) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Leblanc played minor hockey in the Montreal region before he moved to the United States in 2008, playing one season with the Omaha Lancers of ...
Jarred Tinordi
Jarred Michael Tinordi (born February 20, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens 22nd overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. ...
Nathan Beaulieu
Nathan Anthony Richard Beaulieu (born December 5, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 17th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by th ...
Alex Galchenyuk
Alexander Alexandrovich Galchenyuk (born February 12, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey center who is currently playing for the Colorado Eagles in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Colorado Avalanche of the ...
Noah Juulsen
Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
Mikhail Sergachev
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sergachev (russian: Михаил Александрович Сергачёв; born 25 June 1998) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selec ...
Ryan Poehling
Ryan Poehling (; born January 3, 1999) is an American professional ice hockey center currently playing for Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League (NHL). Poehling was drafted 25th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Entry ...
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Jesperi Kotkaniemi (; born 6 July 2000) is a Finnish professional ice hockey center currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2018 NHL Entry D ...
Cole Caufield
Cole Caufield (born January 2, 2001) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 15th overall by the Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Following succes ...
Juraj Slafkovsky Juraj is a given name used in a number of Slavic languages, including Czech, Slovak, and Croatian. Pronounced "You-rye" but with a trilled r.
The English equivalent of the name is George.
Notable people
* Juraj Chmiel, Czech diplomat and politic ...
These are the top-ten-point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.
* – current Canadiens player
''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game''
Sources: ,
Records – skaters
;Career
* Most seasons: 20,
Henri Richard
Joseph Henri Richard (February 29, 1936 – March 6, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played centre with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1955 to 1975. He was nicknamed "Pocket Rocket" aft ...
* Most games: 1,256, Henri Richard
* Most goals: 544, Maurice Richard
* Most assists: 728,
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
* Most points: 1,246, Guy Lafleur
* Most penalty minutes: 2,248,
Chris Nilan
Christopher John Nilan (born February 9, 1958) is an American former professional ice hockey player and former radio host. Nilan played 688 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season games as a right-wing for the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bru ...
* Most consecutive games played: 560,
Doug Jarvis
Douglas McArthur Jarvis (born March 24, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals and Hartford Whalers in the National Hockey League. He was a four-time Stanley Cup win ...
;Season
* Most goals in a season: 60,
Steve Shutt
Stephen John Shutt (born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and NHL Hall of Famer who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 12 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens and 1 season for the Los Angeles King ...
(1976–77);
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
(1977–78)
* Most powerplay goals in a season: 20,
Yvan Cournoyer
Yvan Serge Cournoyer (born November 22, 1943) is a Canadian former professional hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens from 1963 to 1979. In 1972, Cournoyer scored the tying goal in the deciding ...
(1966–67)
* Most powerplay goals in a season, defenceman: 19,
Sheldon Souray
Sheldon Souray (born July 13, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Anaheim Ducks. ...
(2006–07)*
* Most assists in a season: 82,
Pete Mahovlich
Peter Joseph Mahovlich (born October 10, 1946) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive. Known in his playing years as "Little M", as his older brother Frank was the "Big M", Mahovlich played in the National Hockey ...
(1974–75)
* Most points in a season: 136,
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
(1976–77)
* Most penalty minutes in a season: 358,
Chris Nilan
Christopher John Nilan (born February 9, 1958) is an American former professional ice hockey player and former radio host. Nilan played 688 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season games as a right-wing for the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bru ...
(1984–85)
* Most points in a season, defenceman: 85,
Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson (born June 2, 1951) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach, executive and player. His coaching career includes head coaching positions with the New Jersey Devils (which he held on two occasions), as well as the Los Angeles Ki ...
(1976–77)
* Most points in a season, rookie: 71, Mats Naslund (1982–83); Kjell Dahlin (1985–86)
* Most goals in a season, defenceman: 28,
Guy Lapointe
Guy Gerard Lapointe (born March 18, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League. He currently serves as Coordinator of Amateu ...
(1974–75)
* Indicates a league record.
Source:
Records – goaltenders
;Career
* Most games played: 707,
Carey Price
Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
* Most seasons: 16,
Georges Vezina Georges may refer to:
Places
* Georges River, New South Wales, Australia
* Georges Quay (Dublin)
*Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Other uses
*Georges (name)
* ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas
* "Georges" (song), a 19 ...
* Most shutouts: 75,
George Hainsworth
George Henry Hainsworth (June 26, 1893 – October 9, 1950) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Weste ...
* Most wins: 360,
Carey Price
Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
;Season
* Most games in a season: 72,
Carey Price
Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
(2010–11)
* Most wins in a season: 44,
Carey Price
Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
(2014–15)
* Most shutouts in a season: 22,
George Hainsworth
George Henry Hainsworth (June 26, 1893 – October 9, 1950) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Weste ...