kids encyclopedia robot

Montreal Canadiens facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the NHL hockey team. For the NHA hockey team, see Les Canadiens. For the women's hockey team, see Les Canadiennes de Montreal. For Canadien people of Montreal, see Canadien and Canadians.
"Habs" redirects here. For the early French settlers of Quebec, see Habitants. For other uses, see other uses (disambiguation).
Quick facts for kids
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens de Montréal
A small white H contained inside a large red C, all surrounded by a blue contour.
Conference Eastern
Division Atlantic
Founded 1909
History Montreal Canadiens
1910–1917 (NHA)
1917–present (NHL)
Home arena Bell Centre
City Montreal, Quebec
ECA-Uniform-MTL.PNG
Colours Red, white, blue
              
Media English
  • TSN
  • TSN Radio 690
French
  • RDS
  • 98.5 FM
Owner(s) Molson family (majority owner)
(Geoff Molson, chairman)
General manager Kent Hughes
Head coach Martin St. Louis
Captain Nick Suzuki
Minor league affiliates Laval Rocket (AHL)
Trois-Rivières Lions (ECHL)
Stanley Cups 24 (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 8 (1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1992–93)
Presidents' Trophies 0
Division championships 24 (1927–28, 1928–29, 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, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016–17)

The Montreal Canadiens (officially Club de hockey Canadien, also known as the Habs) are a professional ice hockey team. They are based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. Since 1996, their home games have been at the Bell Centre. Before that, they played at the Montreal Forum for 70 years.

The Canadiens were founded in 1909. They are the oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team in the world. They are also the only NHL team that existed before the league was even formed. The team is one of the "Original Six" teams, which were the only teams in the NHL from 1942 until 1967. The Canadiens' championship win in 1993 was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup.

The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times. This is more than any other team in NHL history. They won 23 of these cups after the NHL was founded. They also held the record for most championships in any major North American sports league until the New York Yankees won their 25th World Series in 1999.

Team History

Main article: History of the Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens team was started by J. Ambrose O'Brien on December 4, 1909. They were one of the first teams in the National Hockey Association (NHA), which was the league before the NHL. The team was meant for the francophone community in Montreal. It was planned to have French-speaking players and owners. The team was named "Les Canadiens," a term used for French speakers at the time.

Their first season in 1909–10 was not very good, as they finished last. After that first year, George Kennedy took over the team. The team improved and won their first Stanley Cup in the 1915–16 season. In 1917, the Canadiens and four other NHA teams formed the NHL. They won their first NHL Stanley Cup in the 1923–24 season, led by Howie Morenz. The team moved from the Mount Royal Arena to the Montreal Forum for the 1926–27 season.

Winning the Stanley Cup

The team started the 1930s with two Stanley Cup wins in a row, in 1930 and 1931. However, during the Great Depression, the Canadiens faced tough times. They lost money and almost moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Luckily, local investors helped keep the team in Montreal. After their rivals, the Montreal Maroons, stopped playing in 1938, some of their players joined the Canadiens.

In the 1940s, the Canadiens became successful again. They were led by the "Punch Line" of Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Toe Blake, and Elmer Lach. From 1953 to 1960, the team won six Stanley Cups. This included a record five wins in a row from 1956 to 1960. New stars like Jean Beliveau, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, Jacques Plante, and Henri (Maurice's younger brother) emerged.

There's no action like hockey action by Louis Jaques
Game between the Canadiens and the New York Rangers in 1962.

The Canadiens won ten more championships between 1965 and 1979. This included another amazing run of four straight Cups from 1976 to 1979. In the 1976–77 season, they set team records for fewest losses (8) and longest home unbeaten streak (34). They also had the most points (132) in an 80-game season, a record that stood until 2023. In the 1977–78 season, they had a 28-game unbeaten streak, which is the second-longest in NHL history. New 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, who became a record-setting coach, led the team to their last five Stanley Cups in the 1970s.

The Canadiens won Stanley Cups in 1986, led by rookie goalie Patrick Roy, and in 1993. This meant they had won at least one championship in every decade from the 1910s to the 1990s. This streak ended in the 2000s. In 1996, the team moved from the Montreal Forum to the Molson Centre, now called the Bell Centre.

Recent Years

After Patrick Roy left in 1995, the Canadiens struggled for a while. They missed the playoffs often and didn't get past the second round until 2010. In the late 1990s, fans worried the team might move to the United States. In 2001, the team was sold to American businessman George N. Gillett Jr.. He agreed that the team could not move to a new city without everyone's approval. The team became profitable again. In 2009, Gillett sold the team to the Molson family and other investors for $575 million.

During the 2008–09 season, the Canadiens celebrated their 100th anniversary. They hosted the 2009 NHL All-Star Game and the 2009 NHL entry draft. On December 29, 2008, the Canadiens became the first team in NHL history to reach 3,000 victories.

Façade Centre Bell Center Front
The Bell Centre with banners celebrating the Montreal Canadiens centennial.

For the 2020–21 season, the NHL moved the Canadiens and other Canadian teams to the North Division. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic and travel rules. The Canadiens only played against teams in their division. They played without fans at the start of the season. The Canadiens made it far in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. They beat the Toronto Maple Leafs after being down 3–1 in the series. Then they swept the Winnipeg Jets to reach the semifinals. After beating the Vegas Golden Knights, they reached their first Stanley Cup Final in 28 years. They were also the first Canadian team to do so since 2011. Montreal lost the Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4–1.

In the 2021–22 season, the Canadiens did not do as well. They finished last in the league for the first time since 1940. This was one of the worst seasons in the team's history. They set team records for most losses (49) and most goals against (319). They also had the fewest wins (22) and points (55). Because of this, the team owner, Geoff Molson, decided to "rebuild" the team. The Canadiens finished near the bottom of the league in the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons.

Team Identity

The Canadiens team uses both English and French languages. Announcements and press releases are in both languages. Their website and social media are also bilingual. At home games, the first part of "O Canada" is sung in French, and the rest is in English.

Team Logo and Jersey Design

Early logos used by the Canadiens
Logo used from 1909 to 1910
Logo used from 1912 to 1913
Original design of the "CHC" logo (1917–1919, 1921–1922)

The Canadiens' classic 'C' and 'H' logo is one of the oldest and most famous in sports. It was first used in the 1917–18 season. The "H" stands for "hockey," not "Habitants," which is a common misunderstanding. The nickname "the Habs" was first used by Tex Rickard, owner of Madison Square Garden, in 1924. He thought the "H" meant "Habitants."

Since 1911, the team's main colors have been blue, white, and red. The home jersey is mostly red with blue and white stripes on the arms, chest, and waist. The away jersey is white with red and blue stripes. This basic design has been used since 1914 and got its current look in 1925. Because of the team's long history, the jersey is sometimes called 'La Sainte-Flanelle' (the holy flannel sweater).

Since 2015, the Canadiens' home red jersey is the only one in the league with the French version of the NHL logo (LNH) on the collar. This shows respect for Montreal's French Canadian heritage. The white away jersey still has the English NHL logo.

The Canadiens wore different designs before 1914. The first jersey in 1909–10 was blue with a white 'C'. The next season had a red shirt with a green maple leaf and a 'C' logo. The season before the current look, they wore a "barber pole" jersey with red, white, and blue stripes. The logo was a white maple leaf with "CAC" on it. All three of these old designs were worn during the 2009–10 season for the team's 100th anniversary.

In the 2020–21 season, the Canadiens introduced a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform. It was like their red uniform but with blue as the main color. A second version came out in the 2022–23 season. It had a light blue base with white and dark blue stripes.

Recently, the NHL started allowing ads on jerseys. The Canadiens' away jerseys have the Air Canada logo. Their home jerseys have the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) logo.

The Canadiens' colors are a big part of French Canadian culture. In the story "The Hockey Sweater" by Roch Carrier, he described how important the Canadiens and their jersey were in rural Quebec in the 1940s. A part of this story is even on the Canadian five-dollar bill.

Team Motto

The Canadiens' motto is:

Nos bras meurtris vous tendent le flambeau, à vous toujours de le porter bien haut.

To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high.

This motto comes from the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae. He wrote it in 1915, the year before the Canadiens won their first Stanley Cup. The motto is on the wall of the Canadiens' dressing room. It is also on the inside collar of their new jerseys.

Team Mascot

Youppi! - 02
The Canadiens mascot, Youppi!, poses for photographs at a Rogers Media event

Since the 2004–05 season, the Canadiens have had an official mascot named Youppi!. He was the first costumed mascot in the team's long history. Youppi! used to be the mascot for the Major League Baseball (MLB) team, the Montreal Expos. When the Expos moved to Washington, D.C., Youppi! joined the Canadiens. He was the first mascot in professional sports to switch leagues. Youppi! was also the first mascot in professional sports to be kicked out of a game, which happened when he was with the Expos. In June 2020, Youppi! became the first mascot from a Canadian team to be put into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

In November 2022, the Canadiens also introduced METAL! as an "unofficial official mascot" for their special Reverse Retro games. METAL! was retired before the 2024–25 season.

Team Rivalries

The Canadiens have strong rivalries with two other "Original Six" teams.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Main article: Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry

The oldest rivalry is with the Toronto Maple Leafs. They first played against the Canadiens in 1917. The teams have met 16 times in the playoffs, including five Stanley Cup Finals. This rivalry is often seen as a symbol of the English and French language differences in Canada. From 1938 to 1970, they were the only two Canadian teams in the league.

Boston Bruins

Main article: Bruins–Canadiens rivalry

The other "Original Six" rival is the Boston Bruins. Since they joined the NHL in 1924, the Bruins have played the Canadiens more than any other team. They have played 34 playoff series, with seven of those being in the finals.

Quebec Nordiques (1979–1995)

Main article: Battle of Quebec (ice hockey)

The Canadiens also had a rivalry with the Quebec Nordiques when they existed from 1979 to 1995. This was called the "Battle of Quebec".

Broadcasting Games

Montreal Canadiens games are broadcast in both French and English. CHMP 98.5 is the main French radio station for the Canadiens. CKGM, TSN Radio 690, is the main English radio station.

Regional TV rights in French are held by Réseau des sports (RDS). Regional TV rights in English are held by TSN2. Some games, including all playoff games, are also shown nationally by TVA Sports (French) and Sportsnet or CBC (English).

Recent Season Records

Here are the results for the last five seasons of the Canadiens. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
2020–21 56 24 21 11 59 159 168 4th, North Lost in Stanley Cup Final, 1–4 (Lightning)
2021–22 82 22 49 11 55 221 319 8th, Atlantic Did not qualify
2022–23 82 31 45 6 68 232 307 8th, Atlantic Did not qualify
2023–24 82 30 36 16 76 236 289 8th, Atlantic Did not qualify
2024–25 82 40 31 11 91 245 265 5th, Atlantic Lost in first round, 1–4 (Capitals)

Players and Team Staff

Current Roster

Updated January 3, 2023

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
34 Canada Allen, JakeJake Allen G L 34 2020 Fredericton, New Brunswick
17 Canada Anderson, JoshJosh Anderson RW R 31 2020 Burlington, Ontario
40 Finland Armia, JoelJoel Armia RW R 32 2018 Pori, Finland
52 Canada Barron, JustinJustin Barron D R 23 2022 Halifax, Nova Scotia
41 Canada Byron, PaulPaul Byron Injured Reserve LW L 36 2015 Ottawa, Ontario
22 United States Caufield, ColeCole Caufield RW R 24 2019 Mosinee, Wisconsin
77 Canada Dach, KirbyKirby Dach C R 24 2022 St. Albert, Alberta
63 Russia Dadonov, EvgeniiEvgenii Dadonov RW L 36 2022 Chelyabinsk, Soviet Union
27 Canada Drouin, JonathanJonathan Drouin LW L 30 2017 Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec
28 United States Dvorak, ChristianChristian Dvorak C L 29 2021 Palos, Illinois
44 Canada Edmundson, JoelJoel Edmundson (A) D L 32 2020 Brandon, Manitoba
71 Canada Evans, JakeJake Evans C R 29 2014 Toronto, Ontario
11 Canada Gallagher, BrendanBrendan Gallagher (A) RW R 33 2010 Edmonton, Alberta
21 Canada Guhle, KaidenKaiden Guhle Injured Reserve D L 23 2020 Edmonton, Alberta
54 United States Harris, JordanJordan Harris D L 25 2018 Haverhill, Massachusetts
68 Canada Hoffman, MikeMike Hoffman LW L 35 2021 Kitchener, Ontario
26 Canada Kovacevic, JohnathanJohnathan Kovacevic D R 28 2022 Niagara Falls, Ontario
8 Canada Matheson, MikeMike Matheson Injured Reserve D L 31 2022 Pointe-Claire, Quebec
91 Canada Monahan, SeanSean Monahan Injured Reserve C L 30 2022 Brampton, Ontario
35 Canada Montembeault, SamSam Montembeault G L 28 2021 Bécancour, Quebec
55 Canada Pezzetta, MichaelMichael Pezzetta LW L 27 2016 Toronto, Ontario
31 Canada Price, CareyCarey Price Injured Reserve G L 37 2005 Anahim Lake, British Columbia
90 Canada Richard, AnthonyAnthony Richard C L 28 2022 Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
58 Canada Savard, DavidDavid Savard D R 34 2021 Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
20 Slovakia Slafkovsky, JurajJuraj Slafkovsky LW L 21 2022 Košice, Slovakia
14 Canada Suzuki, NickNick Suzuki (C) C R 25 2018 London, Ontario
6 United States Wideman, ChrisChris Wideman D R 35 2021 St. Louis, Missouri
72 Canada Xhekaj, ArberArber Xhekaj D L 24 2021 Hamilton, Ontario


Honored Players

Retired Numbers

Chandails rétirés CH, Plante, Moore, Harvey, M.Richard, Bouchard, Lach, Morenz
Some of the retired numbers at Bell Centre, photographed in 2010

The Canadiens have retired 15 numbers for 18 players. This is the most of any team in the NHL. All these players were born in Canada and won at least two Stanley Cups with the Canadiens. Howie Morenz was the first player to have his number retired, on November 2, 1937. The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all its teams in 2000.

Montreal Canadiens retired numbers
No. Player Position Tenure Date of honour
1 Plante, JacquesJacques Plante G 1952–1963 October 7, 1995
2 Harvey, DougDoug Harvey D 1947–1961 October 26, 1985
3 Bouchard, EmileEmile Bouchard D 1941–1956 December 4, 2009
4 Beliveau, JeanJean Beliveau C 1950–1971 October 9, 1971
5 Geoffrion, BernieBernie Geoffrion RW 1950–1964 March 11, 2006
Lapointe, GuyGuy Lapointe D 1968–1982 November 8, 2014
7 Morenz, HowieHowie Morenz C 1923–1937 November 2, 1937
9 Richard, MauriceMaurice Richard RW 1942–1960 October 6, 1960
10 Lafleur, GuyGuy Lafleur RW 1971–1985 February 16, 1985
12 Moore, DickieDickie Moore LW 1951–1963 November 12, 2005
Cournoyer, YvanYvan Cournoyer RW 1963–1979 November 12, 2005
16 Richard, HenriHenri Richard C 1955–1975 December 10, 1975
Lach, ElmerElmer Lach C 1940–1954 December 4, 2009
18 Savard, SergeSerge Savard D 1966–1981 November 18, 2006
19 Robinson, LarryLarry Robinson D 1972–1989 November 19, 2007
23 Gainey, BobBob Gainey LW 1973–1989 February 23, 2008
29 Dryden, KenKen Dryden G 1970–1979 January 29, 2007
33 Roy, PatrickPatrick Roy G 1984–1995 November 22, 2008

Hall of Fame Members

Many Montreal Canadiens players and staff are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Thirty-seven players are from three famous winning periods: 12 from 1955 to 1960, 11 from 1964 to 1969, and 13 from 1975 to 1979. Howie Morenz and Georges Vezina were the first Canadiens inducted in 1945. Shea Weber was the most recent, in 2024.

Several non-players (called "builders") connected to the club are also in the Hall of Fame. The first was vice president William Northey in 1945. The most recent was Pat Burns in 2014.

Seven Canadiens broadcasters have also won the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Team Captains

Head Coaches

Main article: List of Montreal Canadiens head coaches

First-Round Draft Picks

See also: List of Montreal Canadiens draft picks

The Canadiens have picked many talented players in the first round of the NHL draft. Here are some of their top picks:

  • 1963: Garry Monahan (1st overall)
  • 1968: Michel Plasse (1st overall)
  • 1969: Rejean Houle (1st overall)
  • 1971: Guy Lafleur (1st overall)
  • 1973: Bob Gainey (8th overall)
  • 1980: Doug Wickenheiser (1st overall)
  • 1984: Petr Svoboda (5th overall)
  • 1993: Saku Koivu (21st overall)
  • 1995: Terry Ryan (8th overall)
  • 2001: Mike Komisarek (7th overall)
  • 2005: Carey Price (5th overall)
  • 2007: Ryan McDonagh (12th overall)
  • 2012: Alex Galchenyuk (3rd overall)
  • 2016: Mikhail Sergachev (9th overall)
  • 2018: Jesperi Kotkaniemi (3rd overall)
  • 2019: Cole Caufield (15th overall)
  • 2022: Juraj Slafkovsky (1st overall)
  • 2023: David Reinbacher (5th overall)
  • 2024: Ivan Demidov (5th overall)

Team Records

Top Scorers in Team History

Maurice Richard 1945
Maurice 'The Rocket' Richard is the Canadiens' all-time leader in goals. The trophy awarded annually to the NHL's leading goal scorer is named in honour of Richard.

These are the top ten players with the most points in the Canadiens' history.

  •  *  – current Canadiens player

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

Player Records

Career Records
  • Most seasons played: 20, Henri Richard
  • Most games played: 1,256, Henri Richard
  • Most goals: 544, Maurice Richard
  • Most assists: 728, Guy Lafleur
  • Most points: 1,246, Guy Lafleur
  • Most penalty minutes: 2,248, Chris Nilan
  • Most consecutive games played: 560, Doug Jarvis
Season Records
  • Most goals in a season: 60, Steve Shutt (1976–77); Guy Lafleur (1977–78)
  • Most powerplay goals in a season: 20, Yvan Cournoyer (1966–67)
  • Most powerplay goals in a season by a defenceman: 19, Sheldon Souray (2006–07)*
  • Most assists in a season: 82, Pete Mahovlich (1974–75)
  • Most points in a season: 136, Guy Lafleur (1976–77)
  • Most penalty minutes in a season: 358, Chris Nilan (1984–85)
  • Most points in a season by a defenceman: 85, Larry Robinson (1976–77)
  • Most points in a season by a rookie: 71, Mats Naslund (1982–83); Kjell Dahlin (1985–86)
  • Most goals in a season by a defenceman: 28, Guy Lapointe (1974–75)

* Indicates a league record.

Goaltender Records

Career Records
Season Records

* Indicates a league record.

More About the Canadiens

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Montreal Canadiens para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Montreal Canadiens Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.