Montreal Canadiens facts for kids

Montreal Canadiens Canadiens de Montréal
Conference	Eastern
Division	Atlantic
Founded	December 4, 1909
History	Montreal Canadiens 1909–1917 (NHA) 1917–present (NHL)
Home arena	Bell Centre (Centre Bell)
City	Montreal, Quebec
Colours	Red, white, blue
Media	English Sportsnet East CJNT Montreal CKGM 690 French RDS CHMP-FM 98.5
Owner(s)	Molson family, Bell, The Woodbridge Company, QFL Solidarity Fund, National Bank Financial Group, Michael Andlauer and Luc Bertrand (Geoff Molson, chairman)
General manager	Marc Bergevin
Head coach	Michel Therrien
Captain	Max Pacioretty
Minor league affiliates	Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) Wheeling Nailers (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	22 (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)
Official website	canadiens.nhl.com

The Montreal Canadiens are an ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). Their nickname is the "Habs" (short for the French "Habitants", early settlers in Quebec from France). They have won the Stanley Cup championship 24 times, more than any other team.

History

The Canadiens (who use the French spelling of "Canadian") were formed in 1909, as part of the National Hockey Association.

Early games

They won their first Stanley Cup in 1916, with star players such as Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde and goaltender Georges Vezina. The Canadiens joined the NHL in 1917; Canadien Joe Malone won the first NHL scoring title (Art Ross Trophy). They won the Cup again in 1924, with players such as Billy Boucher. Howie Morenz was a big star in the early years of the NHL. He was a great skater. Morenz won the Hart Trophy, as the league's top player, three times. Goalie George Hainsworth played at the same time, and along with others such as Aurel Joliat, they won the Stanley Cup in 1930 and 1931.

It took 13 years before they won the Cup again. A young Maurice "The Rocket" Richard, star goalie Bill Durnan, Hector "Toe" Blake, and Elmer Lach led the Canadiens to the cup again in 1944, as well as 1946. Richard scored 50 goals in a 50-game season in 1944-45. No one did that again for 36 years. He led the NHL in goals five times.

Later games

The Montreal Canadiens celebrating

The Canadiens became a very powerful team in the 1950s. Led by legendary center Jean Beliveau, Doug Harvey (who won seven Norris Trophies as best defence, six on Montreal), Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, Dickie Moore, Jacques Plante (who won seven Vezina Trophies for goalies), and Richard (along with his younger brother, Henri, the "Pocket Rocket"), the team won the Cup in 1953, and five times in a row, 1956 through 1960. They won again in 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969.

New members

New players led the team in the 1970s: Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, Bob Gainey, Larry Robinson, and Yvon Cournoyer led them to the cup in 1971, 1973, and four times in a row, 1976 through 1979. By 1979, they had won the Stanley Cup 16 times in 27 years.

Related pages

• List of Montreal Canadiens players

Images for kids

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  Game between the Canadiens and the New York Rangers in 1962.

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  Bell Centre has been the Canadiens' home stadium since 1996. The arena is here seen in 2008, with banners celebrating the Montreal Canadiens centennial.

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  Retired numbers at Centre Bell.

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  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.

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  Original design of the "CHC" logo. (1917–19, 1921–22)