Montreal Canadiens
Oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide.
The Montreal Canadiens, known in French as the Canadiens de Montréal and officially called Club de hockey Canadien, are a professional ice hockey team from Montreal. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). Since 1996, their home games have been held at the Bell Centre, which was originally called the Molson Centre. Before that, they spent seven decades at the Montreal Forum, where they won all but their first two Stanley Cups.
The team was founded on December 4, 1909, by J. Ambrose O'Brien as part of the National Hockey Association (NHA), the league that came before the NHL. It was created to represent Montreal's francophone community, with French-speaking players and the goal of eventually having French-Canadian ownership. The name "Les Canadiens" was chosen because it referred to French speakers at the time. Their first season ended poorly, with the team finishing last. After that, ownership passed to George Kennedy, and the team improved. They won their first Stanley Cup in the 1915–16 season. In 1917, the Canadiens joined four other NHA teams to form the NHL, and they won their first NHL Stanley Cup in 1923–24, led by Howie Morenz. The team moved from Mount Royal Arena to the Montreal Forum for the 1926–27 season.
The 1930s started strong with back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 1930 and 1931. But the Canadiens, along with their local rivals the Montreal Maroons, struggled both on the ice and financially during the Great Depression. Losses became so severe that the owners considered selling the team to interests in Cleveland, Ohio, but local investors stepped in to keep the team in Montreal. After the Maroons stopped playing following the 1937–38 season, several of their players joined the Canadiens.
In the 1940s, the "Punch Line" of Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Toe Blake, and Elmer Lach led the team back to the top of the NHL. Between 1953 and 1960, the Canadiens won six Stanley Cups, including a record five in a row from 1956 to 1960. A new generation of stars emerged during this time: Jean Béliveau, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, Jacques Plante, and Richard's younger brother, Henri.
From 1965 to 1979, the Canadiens added ten more championships in 15 seasons, including another dynasty with four straight Cups from 1976 to 1979.
- Stanley cup championships
- 24
- Home arena
- Bell Centre (originally Molson Centre, since 1996)
- Previous home arena
- Montreal Forum (seven decades)
- Year founded
- 1909
- Founder
- J. Ambrose O'Brien
- First stanley cup win
- 1915–16 season
- Most recent stanley cup win
- 1992–93
Lore & Background
The Canadiens were founded on December 4, 1909, by J. Ambrose O'Brien as a charter member of the National Hockey Association (NHA), the forerunner to the NHL. The team was intended to represent Montreal's francophone community, with francophone players and francophone ownership as soon as possible. The name 'Les Canadiens' was chosen as a term identified at the time with French speakers. After a last-place finish in their inaugural season, ownership was transferred to George Kennedy, and the team won its first Stanley Cup in the 1915–16 season. In 1917, with four other NHA teams, the Canadiens formed the NHL, winning their first NHL Stanley Cup in 1923–24 led by Howie Morenz. The team moved from the Mount Royal Arena to the Montreal Forum for the 1926–27 season.
The club began the 1930s with back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 1930 and 1931, but both the Canadiens and cross-town rivals the Montreal Maroons declined during the Great Depression. Losses grew to the point where team owners considered selling interest to Cleveland, Ohio, though local investors were ultimately found. After the Maroons suspended operations following the 1937–38 season, several of their players joined the Canadiens. Led by the 'Punch Line' of Maurice 'Rocket' Richard, Toe Blake and Elmer Lach in the 1940s, the Canadiens enjoyed success again. From 1953 to 1960, the franchise won six Stanley Cups, including a record five straight from 1956 to 1960, with stars such as Jean Béliveau, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, Bernie 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion, Jacques Plante and Henri Richard.
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, they set three still-standing team records: fewest losses (8) in an 80-game season, longest home unbeaten streak (34), and best goal differential (+216). The next generation of stars included Guy Lafleur, Yvan Cournoyer, Ken Dryden, Pete Mahovlich, Jacques Lemaire, Pierre Larouche, Steve Shutt, Bob Gainey, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson. Scotty Bowman 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, and in 1993, continuing their streak of winning at least one championship in every decade from the 1910s to the 1990s. In March 1996, the team moved from the Montreal Forum to the Molson Centre (now Bell Centre).
Reader's Guide
The Montreal Canadiens hold a unique place in hockey history as the oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide and the only existing NHL club to predate the league's founding. Their 24 Stanley Cup championships are the most of any franchise, and their 23 victories since the NHL's founding and 22 since 1927 (when NHL teams became the only ones to compete for the Cup) underscore their sustained dominance. The team's championship season in 1992–93 marked the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup. The Canadiens also had the most championships by a team of any major North American sports league until the New York Yankees won their 25th World Series title in 1999. The team's classic 'C' and 'H' logo, first used together in the 1917–18 season and evolving to its current form in 1952–53, is one of the sport's oldest and most recognizable. The Canadiens became the first team in NHL history to reach 3,000 victories with a 5–2 win over the Florida Panthers on December 29, 2008. Despite a period of mediocrity following Patrick Roy's departure in 1995, the team reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, their first in 28 years, before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 2021–22, the Canadiens finished last in the league for the first time since 1939–40, prompting a rebuild authorized by team owner Geoff Molson.
Did You Know?
- The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, more than any other franchise.
- They are the oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide, founded in 1909.
- The team's 1992–93 championship was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup.
- The Canadiens became the first NHL team to reach 3,000 victories on December 29, 2008.
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