Les Canadiennes de Montréal
Four-time Clarkson Cup champions and Canadiens affiliate.
Les Canadiennes de Montréal were a professional women's ice hockey team from Montreal, Quebec. They began in 2007 as the Montreal Stars and played every season in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL). No other CWHL team appeared in or won the Clarkson Cup as often—they claimed the championship four times. In 2015, the team partnered with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, which brought resources and marketing support and led to a new name, Les Canadiennes, for the 2015–16 season, along with jerseys and colors that echoed the Canadiens’ look. That December, the Canadiennes faced the Boston Pride in the first outdoor game in professional women’s hockey, held as part of the 2016 NHL Winter Classic festivities in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The CWHL shut down in 2019, and all teams it directly owned, including Les Canadiennes, ceased operations.
The Stars formed from players of the Montreal Axion, a team from the former National Women’s Hockey League. In their debut 2007–08 season, they won 23 of 30 regular-season games and finished first overall, but lost to the Mississauga Chiefs in a two-game playoff. The next season, on March 19, 2009, they won the Clarkson Cup in Kingston, Ontario—the first time the trophy was contested between professional clubs rather than national teams. Montreal beat the Minnesota Whitecaps 3–1, with Sabrina Habrec scoring the game-winner. Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson presented the cup to captain Lisa-Marie Breton-Lebreux, hoping it would become the women’s equivalent of the Stanley Cup. That season, Caroline Ouellette, Kim St. Pierre, and Sabrina Habrec earned First or Second Team all-star honors. Kim St. Pierre won the CWHL’s top goaltender award in 2007–08 and 2008–09, Caroline Ouellette was league MVP in 2008–09, Marie-Philip Poulin was rookie of the year in 2007–08 at age 16 with over 40 points in 16 games, and Sabrina Harbec led the league in scoring with 54 points in 29 games heading into 2009–10. The Stars finished first in 2009–10 but did not defend the Clarkson Cup. During the 2013–14 season, three Stars players—Lisa-Marie Breton, Vanessa Davidson, and Emmanuelle Blais—each reached 100 career points, the first time three teammates hit that mark in the same CWHL season.
Quick Facts
- Text Color
- white
- Bg Color
- #bf2f38
- Team
- Les Canadiennes de Montréal
- City
- Montreal, Quebec
- League
- Canadian Women's Hockey League
- Folded
- 2019
- Arena
- Centre Étienne Desmarteau
- Gm
- Meg Hewings
- Coach
- Caroline Ouellette and Danièle Sauvageau
- Captain
- Marie-Philip Poulin
- Championships
- 4 (2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2016–17)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Montreal Stars joined the CWHL during its formation in 2007, formed from players of the Montreal Axion of the defunct National Women's Hockey League. In their first season, they finished first overall but lost to Mississauga Chiefs in the playoffs. The Stars won their first Clarkson Cup in 2009, defeating the Minnesota Whitecaps 3–1 in Kingston, Ontario, with Sabrina Habrec scoring the game winner. Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson presented the trophy to captain Lisa-Marie Breton-Lebreux. The team won three more Clarkson Cups over its history.
In March 2015, the Montreal Canadiens entered a resource-sharing and marketing partnership with the Stars. The team rebranded as Les Canadiennes in September 2015, adopting a blue-white-red kit and a rounded 'C' and star logo. On December 31, 2015, the Canadiennes played the Boston Pride in the first outdoor game in women's professional hockey, held at Gillette Stadium as part of the 2016 NHL Winter Classic festivities. In December 2016, Les Canadiennes played a regular season game at the Bell Centre, beating the Calgary Inferno 1–0 before nearly 6,000 spectators. The team moved operations to Place Bell in Laval for the 2018–19 season.
The team included numerous Olympic medalists: Caroline Ouellette, Sarah Vaillancourt, Kim St. Pierre, Haley Irwin, Charline Labonté, Catherine Ward, and Julie Chu. Hilary Knight joined the team in March 2018 for the Clarkson Cup playoffs. Les Canadiennes supported breast cancer fundraising events and amateur girls' hockey teams through camps, autograph sessions, and community outreach.
Reader's Guide
Les Canadiennes de Montréal were the most decorated franchise in CWHL history, winning four Clarkson Cups and eight regular season championships across 12 seasons. Their partnership with the Montreal Canadiens marked a significant step for women's professional hockey, providing resources and marketing support that elevated the team's profile. The 2015 rebranding aligned the team visually with the storied NHL franchise, and the 2016 outdoor game against the Boston Pride was a historic first for the sport. The team's roster featured many of Canada's top female players, including multiple Olympic gold medalists, and players like Marie-Philip Poulin and Caroline Ouellette who set league records. The CWHL's sudden shutdown in 2019 ended the franchise, but its legacy as a dominant force and a pioneer in women's hockey remains. The team's community work, including breast cancer fundraisers and support for girls' hockey, underscored its role beyond competition.
Did You Know?
- Les Canadiennes won the Clarkson Cup four times, the most of any CWHL team.
- The team played the first outdoor professional women's hockey game on December 31, 2015, against the Boston Pride.
- Three players from the Stars reached 100 career points in the 2013–14 season, a CWHL first for a single franchise.
- Marie-Philip Poulin was the CWHL rookie of the year in 2007–08 at age 16, scoring over 40 points in 16 games.
More in Defunct Ice Hockey Teams, Part 5 1-24
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