- 1909
- 1916-1924-1930-1931
- 1944 - 1946
- 50's
- 60's
- 70's
- 1986 - 1993
- 2009
-
Montreal Canadiens Team Formation
The Canadiens were founded by J. Ambrose O’Brien on December 4, 1909, as a charter member of the National Hockey Association, the forerunner to the National Hockey League. It was to be the team of the francophone community in Montreal, composed of francophone players, and under francophone ownership as soon as possible. -
Stanley Cup Winner 1916 – 1924 -1930 – 1931
Stanley Cup – 1931 The 1931 Stanley Cup Finals were played between the Montreal Canadiens and the Chicago Black Hawks, making their first Stanley Cup final appearance. The Canadiens, defending champions won the series to become the second NHL team to repeat as champion. Stanley Cup – 1930 The 1930 Stanley Cup Final championship series was played between the Boston ... -
Stanley Cup Winner 1944 – 1946
Stanley Cup – 1946 The 1946 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens would win the series four games to one. Stanley Cup – 1944 The 1944 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the Chicago Black Hawks and the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens would win the series 4–0 ... -
Stanley Cup Winners 50’s
Stanley Cup – 1959 The 1959 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the defending champion Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Montreal was making its ninth consecutive appearance in the Final series. It was Toronto’s first appearance since 1951. The Canadiens would win the series four games to one to win their fourth-straight Cup victory. Stanley Cup – 1958 ... -
Stanley Cup Winner 60’s
Stanley Cup – 1969 The 1969 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series played from April 27 to May 4, 1969, between the defending champions Montreal Canadiens and the St. Louis Blues, the same finalists as in 1968. The Canadiens would win the series in four-straight games. Stanley Cup – 1968 The 1968 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series ... -
Stanley Cup Winner 70’s
Stanley Cup – 1979 The 1979 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the New York Rangers and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens, making their fourth straight appearance. It was New York’s first appearance since 1972. The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to one, to win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup. This was the last ... -
Stanley Cup Winner 1986 – 1993
Stanley Cup – 1993 The 1993 Stanley Cup Final series was contested by the Los Angeles Kings and the Montreal Canadiens to decide the NHL championship for the 1992 – 1993 season. It was the first appearance in the Final for the Kings, and the 34th for Montreal, they’re first since the 1989 Final. The Canadiens won the series four ... -
Molson Family Acquires Team
Ownership of the Canadiens once again passed to the Molson family in 2009 after Gillett sold the team, Bell Centre, and Gillett Entertainment Group to a partnership headed by Geoff Molson and including his brothers Andrew and Justin. The sale price was estimated at over $600 million. Unlike the pre-Gillett era, the team is now privately owned by the Molson ...
History of the Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).
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 of football as well as every American franchise outside of baseball and the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals. The franchise is one of the “Original Six” teams, a description used for the teams that made up the NHL from 1942 until the 1967 expansion. The team’s championship season in 1992 – 1993 was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup.
Established
1909
City
Montreal
League History
1917 – Present / National Hockey League
1909 – 1917 / National Hockey Association
Team History
1909 – Present / Montreal Canadiens
Nickname
Canadiens – In 1909, John Ambrose O’Brien created the Club de Hockey Canadiens. Ambrose wanted his team, a charter member of the National Hockey Association, to appeal to Montreal’s francophone population and he hoped to drum up a rivalry with the city’s established team, the Wanderers. The Canadiens are often referred to as “The Habs” or “Les Habs,” an abbreviation of “Les Habitants,” the name for the early settlers of New France.
Championship
Stanley Cup 24
1993, 1986, 1979, 1978, 1977, 1976, 1973, 1971, 1969, 1968, 1966, 1965, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1953, 1946, 1944, 1931, 1930, 1924, 1916
Arena
2003 – Present / Bell Centre
1996 – 2002 / Molson Centre
1926 – 1996 / Montreal Forum
1920 – 1926 / Mount Royal Arena
Owner
2009 – Present / Geoff Molson, Andrew Molson, and Justin Molson
2001 – 2009 / George N. Gillett, Jr.
1978 – 2001 / Molson Brewing Company
1971 – 1978 / Edward Bronfman and Peter Bronfman
1964 – 1971 / David Molson, Peter Molson, and William Molson
1957 – 1964 / Hartland Molson and Tom Molson
1940 – 1957 / Donat Raymond and William Northey
1935 – 1940 / Ernest Savard, Maurice Forget, and Louis Gelinas
1930 – 1935 / Joseph Cattarinich and Leo Dandurand
1921 – 1930 / Joseph Cattarinich, Leo Dandurand, and Louis Letourneau
1910 – 1921 / George Kennedy
1909 – 1910 / J. Ambrose O’Brien
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
1 / Jacques Plante
2 / Doug Harvey
3 / Emile Bouchard
4 / Jean Beliveau
5 / Bernie Geoffrion
5 / Guy Lapointe
7 / Howie Morenz
9 / Maurice Richard
10 / Guy Lafleur
12 / Dickie Moore
12 / Yvan Cournoyer
16 / Henri Richard
16 / Elmer Lach
18 / Serge Savard
19 / Larry Robinson
23 / Bob Gainey
29 / Ken Dryden
33 / Patrick Roy
99 / Wayne Gretzky
*Blue is this team’s history