Montreal Canadiens | all news and articles about the NHL team

Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are an NHL team based in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 1909, the Canadiens are the oldest ice hockey team in the world still active, and they are the only team that helped found the NHL that is still active today.

Montreal Canadiens History

The Montreal Canadiens are believed to be one of the earliest North American professional sports franchises. Originally, they were founded to represent the francophone community—the part of Montreal that speaks French—consisting of francophone players and under francophone ownership. Founder J. Ambrose O'Brien named the team "Les Canadiens." Six years after their founding, the Canadiens won their first NHA championship. Along with four other teams, they formed the NHL in 1917, and seven years later, they won their first Stanley Cup.

Since 1996, the team has played its home games at the Bell Centre, after seven decades of playing at the Montreal Forum.

Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup Wins

After their first two championships (1915-16 in the NHA and 1923-24 in the NHL), the Canadiens have won 22 NHL championships. They won the Stanley Cup twice in the 1930s, twice in the 1940s, five times in the 1950s, five times in the 1960s, six times in the 1970s, once in the 1980s, and once in the 1990s. Their last Stanley Cup championship was won in 1993.

Montreal Canadiens Famous Players
The Montreal Canadiens have 15 numbers retired, honoring 18 players:

  • 1: Jacques Plante
  • 2: Doug Harvey
  • 3: Emile Bouchard
  • 4: Jean Béliveau
  • 5: Bernie Geoffrion and Guy Lapointe
  • 7: Howie Morenz
  • 9: Maurice Richard
  • 10: Guy Lafleur
  • 12: Dickie Moore and Yvan Cournoyer
  • 16: Henri Richard and Elmer Lach
  • 18: Serge Savard
  • 19: Larry Robinson
  • 23: Bob Gainey
  • 29: Ken Dryden
  • 33: Patrick Roy