Montreal Canadiens

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Le club de hockey Canadien Montreal Canadiens
Conference	Eastern
Division	Northeast
Founded	1909
History	Haileybury Hockey Club 1909-10 Montreal Canadiens 1910-present
Arena	Le Centre Bell/Bell Centre
City	Montreal, Quebec
Local Media Affiliates	English CJAD (800 AM) French RDS CKAC (730 AM)
Team Colours	Red, White, and Blue
Owner	George N. Gillett, Jr.
General Manager	Bob Gainey
Head Coach	Guy Carbonneau
Captain	Saku Koivu
Minor League Affiliates	Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL)
Stanley Cups	1915-16, 1923-24, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1943-44, 1945-46, 1952-53, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1985-86, 1992-93
Conference Championships	1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1980-81, 1985-86, 1988-89, 1992-93
Division Championships	1927-28, 1928-29, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1936-37, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1972-73, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1991-92

The Montreal Canadiens are the oldest established National Hockey League (NHL) franchise. Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the Canadiens are one of the NHL's 'Original Six' franchises. The team has won twenty-four Stanley Cups, the most championships by any team in the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens play their home games at the Bell Centre, previously named Molson Centre. They played their home games in Jubilee Rink, Montreal Westmount Arena, Mount Royal Arena and the Montreal Forum before that.

The franchise is officially known as Le Club de Hockey Canadien, but is usually referred to in French as "Les Canadiens de Montréal" and in English as the "Montreal Canadiens". French nicknames for the team include Le Bleu-Blanc-et-Rouge, Le Tricolore, Les Glorieux, Les Habitants and Le Grand Club. The team jersey is referred to as La Sainte-Flanelle (the holy sweater). In English, the main nicknames are the Habs and (usually historically) The Flying Frenchmen. The Montreal Canadiens are the most recent Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, in 1992-93.

Contents 1 Franchise history 1.1 1909-32: The Early National Hockey League 1.2 1932-67: The end of Morenz and the Original Six 1.3 1967-86: Expansion era 1.4 1986-present — The Modern NHL 1.5 The near future and beyond 2 Season-by-season record 2.1 Current roster 2.2 Team captains 2.3 Hall of Famers 2.4 Retired numbers 2.5 First-round draft picks 2.6 Franchise scoring leaders 3 NHL awards and trophies 4 Franchise individual records 5 Miscellaneous 5.1 Infamous moments 5.2 Motto 6 References 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Franchise history

With the exception of baseball's New York Yankees (26 World Series’), no North American sports team has won as many professional sports titles as the Montreal Canadiens,^[1] the oldest team in professional hockey.^[2] They have won 24 Stanley Cups, eleven more than the team with the next largest number – the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Canadiens and the Maple Leafs are long-time rivals. From 1937-70, they were the only two Canadian teams in the NHL ^[2], and so in the eyes of hockey fans they became representatives of French and English Canada ^[3], which fueled their rivalry.

In the 1970s, the Boston Bruins began a strong rivalry with the Canadiens as a result of their almost annual playoff encounters. After the merger of the World Hockey Association into the NHL in 1979, the former Quebec Nordiques were also bitter rivals of the Canadiens, and their matchups came to be known as "The Battle of Quebec" ^[4].

[edit] 1909-32: The Early National Hockey League

Before there was an NHL, there was a Montreal Canadiens team. They were a charter member of the league's forerunner, the National Hockey Association (NHA), in 1909, operating as the Haileybury Hockey Club. The next season, the Club Athletique-Canadien, threatened suit for copyright infringement over the NHA's Les Canadiens club, and were admitted to the league, taking over the Haileybury franchise and renaming it the Canadiens, while the former Les Canadiens franchise was taken over by Toronto interests only the next season.

In 1916 the Canadiens beat the Portland Rosebuds of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association to win their first Stanley Cup; and they returned to the finals the following season, only to lose to the Seattle Metropolitans.

The Canadiens and four other NHA team executives formed the NHL in 1917. Two years later, they once again faced Seattle for the Stanley Cup, but tragedy struck with the series tied at two games apiece: Seattle was struck by a Spanish Flu pandemic, and star Joe Hall died. Another star, Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde, was seriously ill for close to a month. The remainder of the series was cancelled.

In addition to Hall's death, the next season they lost Joe Malone, the league's leading scorer. Malone was on loan from the dormant Quebec Bulldogs, but that team returned to the ice in 1919-20.

With rookie Howie Morenz completing a line between Aurel Joliat and Billy Boucher, the Canadiens once again reached the top in 1924, defeating both the Calgary Tigers (of the Western Canada Hockey League) and the Vancouver Maroons (of the PCHA) in a convoluted playoff format. In 1925, the Habs lost to the Victoria Cougars (now the Detroit Red Wings) in the last year of the old Western Hockey League challenging for the Stanley Cup.

The Canadiens lost star goaltender Georges Vézina to tuberculosis in late 1925, and finished last in the league. The following season, the Canadiens signed a suitable replacement in George Hainsworth, who would win the newly created Vezina Trophy, which was awarded to the goalie who allowed the fewest goals scored against himself. But as of 1982 it has simply awarded to the league's "best goaltender", as voted by NHL general managers, and the William M. Jennings Trophy goes to the goalie with the fewest goals-against/lowest GAA. Hainsworth would be the winner of that prize for the next few years.

Generally, however, the Habs stumbled in the playoffs until they won their third Stanley Cup in 1930, defeating the seemingly invincible Boston Bruins (who had lost a mere six games in a 44-game schedule). The "Flying Frenchmen" once again beat the regular-season champion Bruins in the 1931 playoffs, then beat the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Black Hawks to win their fourth Cup.

[edit] 1932-67: The end of Morenz and the Original Six

The Canadiens' stars (Morenz and Joliat) faded out in the early 1930s, and they had the worst record in the league by the 1935-36 NHL season. Stunned by such a horrible performance, the NHL gave the Habs rights to all French Canadian players for two years. They had the second-best record in the NHL in 1936-37, but were stunned again by Morenz's death following an on-ice injury from a serious hit from Hawk Earl Seibert. Joliat claimed that after Morenz "was told by doctors that he'd never play [hockey] again, he couldn't live with it. Howie died of a broken heart, I think."

The Canadiens were once again mired in mediocrity for several more seasons, until a team led by the "Punch Line" of Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Hector "Toe" Blake and Elmer Lach lifted the Cup again in 1944 after losing only five games in the regular season. The sophomore Richard proved he was not "small, fragile and too brittle for the National Hockey League", as coach Dick Irvin, after Richard's rookie year, concernedly voiced. If anything, he was Morenz's successor as one of hockey's preeminent superstars. Like Morenz, Richard was a great goal-scoring forward — and both Richard and Morenz were quite physical. Richard, in fact, became the first recipient of a 1000-penalty minute tag.

In 1945, Richard made NHL history by becoming the first player to score 50 goals in one season, reaching the mark on the final night of the season — 50 goals in 50 games. Despite their power, the Habs lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the semi-finals. The team was to be invigourated in the 1946 playoffs, winning their sixth Stanley Cup. But in 1947, despite Rocket Richard winning the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL Most Valuable Player, the Habs lost in the Stanley Cup Final against the nemesis Maple Leafs.

In 1957, brothers Tom and Hartland Molson, owners of the Molson brewery, purchased the team. The 1950s were by far the most successful decade for the Canadiens, and it is believed by many that the Habs of this era were the best team in NHL history. Between 1951 and 1960, the Canadiens made the finals every year, winning six times (including a record five straight between 1956 and 1960). Toe Blake would become coach, and they added more of the league's great players such as Jean Béliveau (nicknamed Le Gros Bill), Tim Paquin Hot Shot" Dickie "Digger" Moore, Doug Harvey, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, goalie Jacques Plante (who, in 1959, became the first goalie to regularly wear a mask on November 1 in a 3-1 win at the New York Rangers, but not without some resistance, even from coach Toe Blake), "Rocket" Richard, and his younger brother, Henri, who became known as the "Pocket Rocket" — many thought the Habs were merely placating the elder Richard when his brother was signed.

Montreal fell into a state of unbridled love, if not obsession, with the Habs team. At no time was this more evident than when Rocket Richard was suspended for the rest of the season on March 13, 1955, for assaulting an official and a Boston player in the aftermath of a stick fight in a game against the Bruins. Montrealers rioted in the streets at the following game (on March 17, at home versus the Detroit Red Wings), causing millions of dollars in damage. The Canadiens had to forfeit the game, and went on to lose in the finals to the Red Wings. The previous year, the Habs had also fallen at the hands of the Red Wings, when Harvey (considered one of the best defencemen of all time) redirected a clearing attempt by the Red Wings' Tony Leswick into the Montreal net past Canadiens goalie Gerry McNeil. In 1956 the Canadiens established a "farm team" in Peterborough, Ontario (now known as the Peterborough Petes), which is in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League).

Despite Rocket Richard's retirement in 1960, the Canadiens looked ready to win yet another, a sixth straight Cup in 1961; but they were stunned in the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks (who eventually won the Stanley Cup behind the goal-producing genius of left-winger Bobby Hull) in the semi-finals. The Canadiens continued to suffer (relative) playoff frustration until they won the Cup again in 1965, in Yvan Cournoyer's rookie season, and repeated in 1966. The following season, the favoured Canadiens lost to the Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup finals, the last time the Habs and Leafs have met in the final round.

[edit] 1967-86: Expansion era

The centennial of the Dominion of Canada was momentous for the country, but more importantly the city of Montreal. Expo '67 was set for Montreal, and the Canadiens promised to deliver the Stanley Cup to the Quebec Pavillion of the Canadian Showcase. The Stanley Cup of that year was a dream for Canada, the Canadiens of Montreal and the Maple Leafs of Toronto. Toronto's beat-up old goalies, Terry Sawchuk and Johnny Bower, in the new Leaf design, were thought to be no match for the Habs. However the Leafs won in a surprising upset, Sawchuk and Bower tag-teaming to save TO, and the Cup was paraded downtown Toronto, instead of the promised Quebec Pavillion.

But the Maple Leafs have never been to the Final since then, and with expansion in 1968, the Canadiens handily defeated the fledgling St. Louis Blues in the finals during each of the next two seasons. The Canadiens missed out on a playoff spot in 1970 on the final day of the regular season, thanks to a tiebreaker (and since Toronto missed out as well, it meant the only time in NHL history no Canadian teams made the playoffs).

Quickly, though, the Habs got back to their winning ways in 1971, defeating the Black Hawks to capture yet another Stanley Cup in goalie Ken Dryden's rookie season (starting a career where he would average an astonishing two goals allowed per game), in addition to long-time Leafs' star Frank Mahovlich's first in a Canadiens uniform. After 1969-70, captain Jean Béliveau, who retired in 1971, had only stayed on for the one last season at the insistence of General Manager Sam Pollock, who knew there had to be a veteran leader in Montreal. According to Hockey Superstars: All-time Greats by sportscaster Paul Romanuk, after the first round of the 1971 playoffs, the Boston Bruins' Phil Esposito screamed, referring to Dryden, "I can't believe that giraffe stopped me so many times, OK!!!!"

Of note, Dryden had only played six regular-season games in '70-'71, but Al MacNeil, Habs coach, had made a very wise choice for Dryden to start in the playoffs against Boston. It may have been due to Dryden's perfect winning streak during this time, or to his 1.65 GAA.

After losing in the quarter-finals to the New York Rangers in 1972 (Guy Lafleur's rookie season as well as Dryden's official one), they would once again win the Cup over Chicago in 1973.

But without Dryden, the Canadiens were upset hard by the Rangers in the first round in 1974, and would lose out to the Buffalo Sabres in the semi-finals in 1975. But in 1976, under the leadership of head coach Scotty Bowman, they went on to win the Cup again, thwarting the Philadelphia Flyers' hopes for a third consecutive championship, after which Pocket Rocket Richard acknowledged having no regrets that he'd retired in 1975. The series was so physical the Canadiens were dubbed "The St. Catherine Street Cannibals" and the Flyers were "The Broad Street Bullies". The team was led by Lafleur (who was in the midst of six straight 50-goal seasons, the league's first ever six-consecutive-time 50-goal and 100-point scorer), Cournoyer, Dryden, Frank Mahovlich's brother Pete, Steve Shutt, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson (the last three of whom a powerful triumvirate of All-Star defencemen dubbed "The Big Three"). In 1976-77 the Canadiens would set a modern-day record by only losing eight games in an 80-game season. The Canadiens would then go on to win three more consecutive Cups to close out the 1970s.

Most of the Canadiens' best players were retired or traded by the early 1980s (the major exceptions being Bob Gainey, Robinson, and Lafleur). They would, however, pick up star Swedish left-winger Mats Naslund, as well as Guy Carbonneau in the early 1980s. By the 1985-86 NHL season, they once again had a top goalie in rookie Patrick Roy, and another All-Star in sophomore Chris Chelios, manning the blue line. Carbonneau, Chelios, Naslund, Robinson and Roy would lead the Canadiens to their only Stanley Cup of the decade that season, defeating the Calgary Flames.

[edit] 1986-present — The Modern NHL

The "Habs" won their 24th (and, to date, last) Stanley Cup against the Los Angeles Kings in 1993. But in 1995, the Canadiens missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. In December of that year, when the Canadiens lost 11-1 at home to the Detroit Red Wings, then-head coach Mario Tremblay refused to pull Patrick Roy from the net until after the ninth goal, despite the goalie's repeated pleas. After he was pulled, Roy, approached then team president Ronald Corey and told him, "This is my last game in a Montreal Canadiens uniform."^[5][6] He was traded to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche along with Mike Keane for Jocelyn Thibault, Andrei Kovalenko, and Martin Rucinsky.

On March 11, 1996, the Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars, 4-1 in the final game at the historic Montreal Forum. The final goal at the Forum was scored by Andrei Kovalenko. The Stars were chosen as the final Forum opponent because their captain, Guy Carbonneau, and their general manager, Bob Gainey, were both former Canadien captains.^{[citation needed]} Following the game, a closing ceremony was held, in which each living Canadiens captain, wearing an up-to-date version of the uniform with his old number on it, passed a torch, the older one to the younger one: Butch Bouchard to Maurice Richard to Jean Béliveau to Henri Richard to Yvan Cournoyer to Serge Savard to Gainey to Carbonneau to Pierre Turgeon, the then-captain. (Three living former captains were unavailable because they were still active with other teams: Mike Keane with the Avalanche, Kirk Muller with the New York Islanders, and Chris Chelios with his hometown Chicago Blackhawks).

The team moved into the new Molson Centre (renamed the Bell Centre for 2003-04) the following Saturday, defeating the New York Rangers, 4-2. However, the Canadiens missed the playoffs three straight seasons between 1999 and 2001. There was even brief talk of the team moving, especially after American investor George N. Gillett Jr. was the only interested buyer when the Molson family sold the team in 2001.

In the fall of 2001, it was revealed that centre Saku Koivu, who had been with the team since 1995, had cancer and would miss the season. However, he came back to win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perservance, sportmanship and dedication to hockey, register two assists in the last three games and, along with the surprising strong play of goalie Jose Theodore (who won the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy that season), inspired the team for a run to the 2002 playoffs as the final seed in the Eastern Conference. Here they upset their nemesis, the Boston Bruins, in the first round, but lost to the Cinderella-story Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.

On November 22, 2003, the Canadiens participated in the Heritage Classic, the first outdoor hockey game in the history of the NHL. The Canadiens defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in front of more than 55,000 fans — an NHL attendance record — at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. The team seemed to turn a corner at that point, and finished the season in the 7th playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The team would again play the Bruins in the playoffs. Coming back from a 3-1 deficit, with the superb plays of Alexei Kovalev, the Canadiens won the final three games, to again upset the Bruins.

On September 16, prior to the start of the 2005-06 season, the Canadiens announced that they had adopted "Youppi!", the popular former Montreal Expos mascot who was left behind when the Expos became the Washington Nationals and moved to Washington D.C.^[7] This is the first time the Canadiens have had a mascot in their 90+ year history.

On January 13, 2006, Claude Julien was fired as coach, and replaced on an interim basis by Bob Gainey, the team's general manager. Later on in the season, Montreal starting goalie José Théodore was traded to the Colorado Avalanche after numerous disappointing starts, in return for goalie David Aebischer. The Canadiens narrowly made the playoffs, but lost in 6 games to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Guy Carbonneau has taken over as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens for the 2006-07 season.^[8]

[edit] The near future and beyond

A major announcement about the one hundred year anniversary of Les Habs was made on October 2, 2005. On October 15 of that year, to begin the Canadiens' centennial countdown, it was announced that three more jersey numbers would be retired — Dickie Moore's and Yvan Cournoyer's number 12 on November 12 before their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the number 5 worn by Bernard "Boom Boom" Geoffrion on March 11, 2006 prior to their contest against the New York Rangers, the other team he played for after a two-year retirement — the first since moving from "Le Forum" during a "Legends Night" ceremony, with one additional number to be hoisted to the rafters in each of the three following seasons. Boom Boom Geoffrion died on the day his number was to be retired.

On September 23, 2006, the Montreal Canadiens announced the retirement of number 18 for Serge Savard, on November 18, 2006, and number 29 for Ken Dryden, on January 29, 2007. ^{[9] [10]}.

The Canadiens also announced ambitious plans for their Centennial year of 2008-09, including plans to bid on hosting the World Junior Hockey Championships (which were since awarded to Ottawa), the NHL Draft, and the 2009 NHL All-Star Game, all to be held at the Bell Centre, although it has been widely expected that the Phoenix Coyotes are scheduled to receive the honour of hosting the NHL All-Star Game, because of the cancelled 2006 event due to the 2006 Winter Olympics.

For most of the 2006 free-agent market, the Habs were inactive until they eventually acquired wingers Sergei Samsonov and Mike Johnson, via free agency from the Oilers and via a trade with the Coyotes, respectively. They lost Jan Bulis to the Vancouver Canucks via free agency and then traded Richard Zednik back to the Washington Capitals (Zednik had been traded along with Bulis to the Canadiens in 2000 for Dainius Zubrus).

[edit] Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Records as of August 21, 2006. ^[11]

Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	GF	GA	PTS	PIM	Finish	Playoffs
1915-16					—						First ever Stanley Cup (in the NHA.)
1916-17					—						(last NHA season).
1917-18	22	13	9	0	—	115	84	26	—	1st, NHL	Lost in NHL Finals, 7-10 (TG) (Arenas)
1918-19	18	10	8	0	—	88	78	20	257	2nd, NHL	Tied1 in Finals, 2-2 (Metropolitans)
1919-20	24	13	11	0	—	129	113	26	221	2nd, NHL	Did not qualify
1920-21	24	13	11	0	—	112	99	26	315	3rd, NHL	Did not qualify
1921-22	24	12	11	1	—	88	94	25	174	3rd, NHL	Did not qualify
1922-23	24	13	9	2	—	73	61	28	174	2nd, NHL	Lost in NHL Finals (Senators)
1923-24	24	13	11	0	—	59	48	26	144	2nd, NHL	Stanley Cup Champions, 2-0 (Maroons), 2-0 (Tigers)
1924-25	30	17	11	2	—	93	56	36	371	3rd, NHL	Lost in Finals, 8-16 (TG) (Cougars)
1925-26	36	11	24	1	—	79	108	23	458	7th, NHL	Did not qualify
1926-27	44	28	14	2	—	99	67	58	395	2nd, Canadian	Won in Quarterfinals, 2-1 (TG) (Maroons) Lost in Semifinals, 1-5 (TG) (Senators)
1927-28	44	26	11	7	—	116	48	59	496	1st, Canadian	Lost in Semifinals, 2-3 (TG) (Maroons)
1928-29	44	22	7	15	—	71	43	59	465	1st, Canadian	Lost in Semifinals, 0-3 (Bruins)
1929-30	44	21	14	9	—	142	114	51	600	1st, Canadian	Won in Quarterfinals, 3-2 (TG) (Black Hawks) Won in Semifinals, 2-0 (Rangers) Stanley Cup Champions, 2-0 (Bruins)
1930-31	44	26	10	8	—	129	89	60	602	1st, Canadian	Won in Semifinals, 3-2 (Bruins) Stanley Cup Champions, 3-2 (Black Hawks)
1931-32	48	25	16	7	—	128	111	57	450	1st, Canadian	Lost in Semifinals, 1-3 (Rangers)
1932-33	48	18	25	5	—	92	115	41	468	3rd, Canadian	Lost in Quarterfinals, 5-8 (TG) (Rangers)
1933-34	48	22	20	6	—	99	101	50	308	2nd, Canadian	Lost in Quarterfinals, 3-4 (TG) (Black Hawks)
1934-35	48	19	23	6	—	110	145	44	314	3rd, Canadian	Lost in Quarterfinals, 5-6 (TG) (Rangers)
1935-36	48	11	26	11	—	82	123	33	317	4th, Canadian	Did not qualify
1936-37	48	24	18	6	—	115	111	54	298	1st, Canadian	Lost in Semifinals, 2-3 (Red Wings)
1937-38	48	18	17	13	—	123	128	49	340	3rd, Canadian	Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Black Hawks)
1938-39	48	15	24	9	—	115	146	39	294	6th, NHL	Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Red Wings)
1939-40	48	10	33	5	—	90	167	25	338	7th, NHL	Did not qualify
1940-41	48	16	26	6	—	121	147	38	435	6th, NHL	Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Black Hawks)
1941-42	48	18	27	3	—	134	173	39	504	6th, NHL	Lost Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Red Wings)
1942-43	50	19	19	12	—	181	191	50	318	4th, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 1-4 (Bruins)
1943-44	50	38	5	7	—	234	109	83	557	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Maple Leafs) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Black Hawks)
1944-45	50	38	8	4	—	228	121	80	376	1st, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Maple Leafs)
1945-46	50	28	17	5	—	172	134	61	337	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Black Hawks) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Bruins)
1946-47	60	34	16	10	—	189	138	78	561	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Bruins) Lost in Finals, 2-4 (Maple Leafs)
1947-48	60	20	29	11	—	147	169	51	724	5th, NHL	Did not qualify
1948-49	60	28	23	9	—	152	126	65	782	3rd, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1949-50	70	29	22	19	—	172	150	77	736	2nd, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1950-51	70	25	30	15	—	173	184	65	835	3rd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Red Wings) Lost in Finals, 1-4 (Maple Leafs)
1951-52	70	34	26	10	—	195	164	78	661	2nd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-3 (Bruins) Lost in Finals, 0-4 (Red Wings)
1952-53	70	28	23	19	—	155	148	75	777	2nd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-3 (Black Hawks) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Bruins)
1953-54	70	35	24	11	—	195	141	81	1064	2nd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Bruins) Lost in Finals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1954-55	70	41	18	11	—	228	157	93	890	2nd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Bruins) Lost in Finals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1955-56	70	45	15	10	—	222	131	100	977	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Rangers) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Red Wings)
1956-57	70	35	23	12	—	210	155	82	870	2nd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Rangers) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Bruins)
1957-58	70	43	17	10	—	250	158	96	945	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Red Wings) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Bruins)
1958-59	70	39	18	13	—	258	158	91	760	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Black Hawks) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Maple Leafs)
1959-60	70	40	18	12	—	255	178	92	756	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Black Hawks) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Maple Leafs)
1960-61	70	41	19	10	—	254	188	92	811	1st, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Black Hawks)
1961-62	70	42	14	14	—	259	166	98	818	1st, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Black Hawks)
1962-63	70	28	19	23	—	225	183	79	751	3rd, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 1-4 (Maple Leafs)
1963-64	70	36	21	13	—	209	167	85	982	1st, NHL	Lost in Semifinals, 3-4 (Maple Leafs)
1964-65	70	36	23	11	—	211	185	83	1033	2nd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Maple Leafs) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-3 (Black Hawks)
1965-66	70	41	21	8	—	239	173	90	884	1st, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Maple Leafs) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Red Wings)
1966-67	70	32	25	13	—	202	188	77	879	2nd, NHL	Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Rangers) Lost in Finals, 2-4 (Maple Leafs)
1967-68	74	42	22	10	—	236	167	94	700	1st, East	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Bruins) Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Black Hawks) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Blues)
1968-69	76	46	19	11	—	271	202	103	780	1st, East	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Rangers) Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Bruins) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Blues)
1969-70	76	38	22	16	—	244	201	92	892	5th, East	Did not qualify
1970-71	78	42	23	13	—	291	216	97	1271	3rd, East	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-3 (Bruins) Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (North Stars) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-3 (Black Hawks)
1971-72	78	46	16	16	—	307	205	108	783	3rd, East	Lost in Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Rangers)
1972-73	78	52	10	16	—	329	184	120	783	1st, East	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Sabres) Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Flyers) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Black Hawks)
1973-74	78	45	24	9	—	293	240	99	761	2nd, East	Lost in Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Rangers)
1974-75	80	47	14	19	—	374	225	113	1155	1st, Norris	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Canucks) Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Sabres)
1975-76	80	58	11	11	—	337	174	127	977	1st, Norris	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Black Hawks) Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Islanders) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Flyers)
1976-77	80	60	8	12	—	387	171	132	764	1st, Norris	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Blues) Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Islanders) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Bruins)
1977-78	80	59	10	11	—	359	183	129	745	1st, Norris	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Red Wings) Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Maple Leafs) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Bruins)
1978-79	80	52	17	11	—	337	204	115	803	1st, Norris	Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Maple Leafs) Won in Semifinals, 4-3 (Bruins) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Rangers)
1979-80	80	47	20	13	—	328	240	107	874	1st, Norris	Won in Preliminary Round, 3-0 (Whalers) Lost in Quarterfinals, 3-4 (North Stars)
1980-81	80	45	22	13	—	332	232	103	1398	1st, Norris	Lost in Preliminary Round, 0-3 (Oilers)
1981-82	80	46	17	17	—	360	223	109	1463	1st, Norris	Lost in Division Semifinals, 2-3 (Nordiques)
1982-83	80	42	24	14	—	350	286	98	1116	2nd, Adams	Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-3 (Sabres)
1983-84	80	35	40	5	—	286	295	75	1371	4th, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 3-0 (Bruins) Won in Division Finals, 4-2 (Nordiques) Lost in Conference Finals, 2-4 (Islanders)
1984-85	80	41	27	12	—	309	262	94	1464	1st, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 3-2 (Bruins) Lost in Division Finals, 3-4 (Nordiques)
1985-86	80	40	33	7	—	330	280	87	1372	2nd, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 3-0 (Bruins) Won in Division Finals, 4-3 (Whalers) Won in Conference Finals, 4-1 (Rangers) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Flames)
1986-87	80	41	29	10	—	277	241	92	1802	2nd, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Bruins) Won in Division Finals, 4-3 (Nordiques) Lost in Conference Finals, 2-4 (Flyers)
1987-88	80	45	22	13	—	298	238	103	1830	1st, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Whalers) Lost in Division Finals, 1-4 (Bruins)
1988-89	80	53	18	9	—	315	218	115	1537	1st, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Whalers) Won in Division Finals, 4-1 (Bruins) Won in Conference Finals, 4-2 (Flyers) Lost in Finals, 2-4 (Flames)
1989-90	80	41	28	11	—	288	234	93	1590	3rd, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Sabres) Lost in Division Finals, 1-4 (Bruins)
1990-91	80	39	30	11	—	273	249	89	1425	2nd, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Sabres) Lost in Division Finals, 3-4 (Bruins)
1991-92	80	41	28	11	—	267	207	93	1556	1st, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 4-3 (Whalers) Lost in Division Finals, 0-4 (Bruins)
1992-93	84	48	30	6	—	326	280	102	1788	3rd, Adams	Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Nordiques) Won in Division Finals, 4-0 (Sabres) Won in Conference Finals, 4-1 (Islanders) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Kings)
1993-94	84	41	29	14	—	283	248	96	1524	3rd, Northeast	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 3-4 (Bruins)
1994-952	48	18	23	7	—	125	148	43	840	6th, Northeast	Did not qualify
1995-96	82	40	32	10	—	265	248	90	1847	3rd, Northeast	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Rangers)
1996-97	82	31	36	15	—	249	276	77	1469	4th, Northeast	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 1-4 (Devils)
1997-98	82	37	32	13	—	235	208	87	1547	4th, Northeast	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Penguins) Lost in Conference Semifinals, 0-4 (Sabres)
1998-99	82	32	39	11	—	184	209	75	1299	5th, Northeast	Did not qualify
1999-00	82	35	34	9	4	196	194	83	1067	4th, Northeast	Did not qualify
2000-01	82	28	40	8	6	206	232	70	1020	5th, Northeast	Did not qualify
2001-02	82	36	31	12	3	207	209	87	974	4th, Northeast	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Bruins) Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2-4 (Hurricanes)
2002-03	82	30	35	8	9	206	234	77	900	4th, Northeast	Did not qualify
2003-04	82	41	30	7	4	208	192	93	1039	4th, Northeast	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-3 (Bruins) Lost in Conference Semifinals, 0-4 (Lightning)
2004-053	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2005-064	82	42	31	—	9	243	247	93	1312	3rd, Northeast	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Hurricanes)
2006-07	18	10	5	—	3	57	53	23	308	—	—
Totals	5646	2901	1870	837	38	18585	15086	6677	72978	—	—

¹ The 1918-19 Stanley Cup Final was suspended after five games due to the Spanish Flu Pandemic.

² Season was shortened due to the 1994-95 NHL lockout.

³ Season was cancelled due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

⁴ As of the 2005-06 NHL season, all games will have a winner; the OTL column includes SOL (Shootout losses).

[edit] Current roster

As of November 15, 2006. [1]

Goaltenders
#		Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of Birth
30		David Aebischer	L	2006	Fribourg, Switzerland
39		Cristobal Huet	L	2004	Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France

Defencemen
#		Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
6		Janne Niinimaa	L	2006	Raahe, Finland
8		Mike Komisarek	R	2001	West Islip, New York
25		Mathieu Dandenault	R	2005	Sherbrooke, Quebec
32		Mark Streit	L	2004	Englisberg, Switzerland
44		Sheldon Souray - A	L	2000	Elk Point, Alberta
51		Francis Bouillon (IR)	L	2002	New York City, New York
52		Craig Rivet - A	R	1992	North Bay, Ontario
79		Andrei Markov	L	1998	Voskresensk, U.S.S.R.

Forwards
#		Player	Position	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
11		Saku Koivu - C	C	L	1993	Turku, Finland
14		Radek Bonk	C	L	2004	Krnov, Czechoslovakia
15		Sergei Samsonov	LW	R	2006	Moscow, U.S.S.R.
20		Mike Johnson	RW	R	2006	Scarborough, Ontario
21		Christopher Higgins (IR)	C	L	2002	Smithtown, New York
22		Steve Bégin	C	L	2003	Trois-Rivières, Quebec
27		Alexei Kovalev	RW	L	2004	Togliatti, U.S.S.R.
35		Tomas Plekanec	LW	L	2001	Kladno, Czechoslovakia
42		Alexander Perezhogin	RW	L	2001	Ust-Kamenogorsk, U.S.S.R.
46		Andrei Kostitsyn	RW	L	2003	Novopolotsk, Belarus
47		Aaron Downey	RW	R	2006	Shelburne, Ontario
57		Garth Murray	C	L	2005	Regina, Saskatchewan
73		Michael Ryder	RW	R	1998	Bonavista, Newfoundland
84		Guillaume Latendresse	RW	L	2005	Sainte-Catherine, Quebec

[edit] Team captains

[edit] Hall of Famers

[edit] Retired numbers

• 1 Jacques Plante, G, 1952-63, number retired October 7, 1995
• 2 Doug Harvey, D, 1947-61, number retired October 26, 1985
• 4 Jean Béliveau, C, 1950-51 & 1952-71, number retired October 9, 1971
• 5 Bernard "Boom-Boom" Geoffrion, RW, 1950-64, number retired March 11, 2006
• 7 Howie Morenz, C, 1923-34 & 1936-37, number retired November 2, 1937
• 9 Maurice "Rocket" Richard, RW, 1942-60, number retired October 6, 1960
• 10 Guy Lafleur, RW, 1971-85, number retired February 16, 1985
• 12 Dickie Moore, LW, 1951-63 & Yvan Cournoyer, RW, 1963-79, number retired November 12, 2005
• 16 Henri Richard, C, 1955-75, number retired December 10, 1975
• 18 Serge Savard, D, 1966-81, number to be retired November 18, 2006
• 29 Ken Dryden, G, 1970-79, number to be retired January 29, 2007

• 99 Wayne Gretzky, C, 1979-99 (Retired NHL wide, though a banner doesn't hang in the rafters of the Bell Centre)

• The Canadiens honoured the four retired numbers of the Montreal Expos by raising a banner with the following numbers:

8 Gary Carter, C, 1975-84 & 1992 10 Andre Dawson, OF, 1977-86 10 Rusty Staub, OF, 1969-71 & 1979 30 Tim Raines, OF, 1979-90 & 2001

[edit] First-round draft picks

[edit] Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; * = current Canadiens player

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	P/G
Guy Lafleur	RW	961	518	728	1246	1.30
Jean Beliveau	C	1125	507	71