Montreal Canadiens Information
The Montreal Canadiens are the oldest continuously operating ice hockey team in professional hockey. They are the only existing franchise that is older than the NHL itself. They are also the only team in all four professional sports leagues in America and Canada that is based in Quebec.
Officially, the team is known as “le Club de hockey Canadien”, and even when referred to in English uses the French spelling. They have many different nicknames in French, but the most widely used in English is the “Habs”, a shortened version of the French nickname “Les Habitants.”
The Montreal Canadiens have won more Stanley Cups than any other team in the league with 24 championships to their credit. They have made it to the post season almost every year since their inception in 1909.
The home of the Montreal Canadiens is the Bell Centre, or in French, the Centre Bell. The team moved in 1996, departing their old home the Montreal Forum. The arena has seating for more than 21,000 fans and is presently inhabited only by the Canadiens, although other events are hosted there throughout the year.
The arena is in fact considered one of the busiest in the world, easily accessible by several forms of public transportation and connected to the Montreal’s famous Underground City.
Off the ice, the Canadiens are as active as any team in professional sports. They support local youth initiatives, giving the underprivileged of Quebec a better chance at a brighter future by encouraging academic excellence and healthy, active living. Since the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation was started in 2000 the team has contributed more than ten million dollars to the youth in their area.
When they’re not working to help the kids, the team is active in promoting green initiatives within their community and in getting their fans involved with conservation efforts to help make our planet a better place to live.
Cheering on the team and helping their community efforts is their mascot, Youppi. Youppi is the only mascot to have ever switched leagues, and is the first costumed mascot that the Canadiens have ever had. Youppi left his old home with the Montreal Expos baseball team when they moved to Washington, and in 2004 discovered his love for the game of hockey, joining the Quebec team. Prior to Youppi, the mascots of the Canadiens were usually children of staff and players who skated onto the ice during breaks in the game.
On the ice and off, the Montreal Canadiens have earned their place in hockey history. Not only do they continue to enjoy immense success but they also have a large fan base from all over the world. Few teams in professional sports history are as well loved or give back to their fans as much as the Canadiens.
2009-10 Montreal Canadiens
On June 1, 2009, the Canadiens franchise announced the hiring of Jaques Martin as the new head coach of the franchise. Nineteen days later, an 80% stake in the team was sold to former family owners Justin and Andrew Molsen, the third time the Molsen Family has owned the team.
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft, also held in Montreal, saw the club choose Louis LeBlanc with the 18th overall pick. The team also signed 13-free agents, most notably former Calgary Flame Michael Cammalleri, Hal Gill, Brian Gionta and Jeroslav Spacek. The team also resigned P.K. Subban to a 3-year undisclosed deal. The Canadiens are currently sitting in third place in the Northeast Division with a 27-25-6 record.
Previous Seasons
When you're holding Montreal Canadiens tickets, you can't help but expect th best in NHL hockey. The Canadiens have delivered success and dominance more often than any sports franchise in history. But with the Canadiens out of the Stanley Cup picture for over 10 years, the Bell Centre is long overdue for a champion and itchy fans are looking for their Canadiens ticket to deliver the goods soon. At forward, Saku Koivu who produced 14 goals in his last campaign, is expected to improve. Mike Riberio, who made huge leaps in 2003-04, will be a pivotal player. If Riberio can repeat or improve on his 20 goals and 45 assists, it may be another great years for fans with Canadiens tickets.
The Montreal Canadiens have an astonishing history of success. Between the year 1916 and 1993 the Canadiens racked up an amazing history of winning in the NHL, bring home the Stanley Cup 24 times. Montreal also can boast of winning the Stanley Cup five years in a row between 1956 and 1960, and four years in a row between 1976 and 1979. From 1975 to 1982, Montreal won Division Championships in seven straight years. That run included 35 trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, 13 appearance in the Conference Finals since 1968, and 33 Division Championships. Altogether the Canadiens have given Montreal hockey fans 77 trips to the postseason. Few professional sports franchise can boast of a record of winning seasons that comes anywhere close to that of the Canadiens.
The Canadiens 1993 Stanley Cup came on the heels of a season that saw Montreal finish the regular season campaign at 48-30-6. Facing a fellow Canadian franchise in the Quebec Nordiques, the Canadiens stumbled early, dropping the first two games in the series. Home again in Montreal however, the Canadiens found their footing, evened the series at 2-2, and extended their winning streak to 4 by claiming the next 2 games and the series. The wins just kept coming as the Canadiens rattled off another four games to extend their streak to eight and advance to the Conference Finals against the New York Islanders. Montreal emerged from that series by winning in 5 games. Next opponent: Wayne "The Great Getsky" and the Los Angeles Kings.
It was a Stanley Cup Finals with some controversy. As the Canadiens dropped the first game and were in danger of losing the second in the series, a protest over an illegal stick by Canadiens head coach Jacques Demers altered the course of the game and Montreal managed to hang on for an overtime win. With momentum in their favor, the Canadiens went on to post wins in the next 3 straight games, including 2 in a hostile Los Angeles, and bring home their 24th Stanley Cup.
For the fans who buy Montreal Canadiens tickets, there's only one way to improve on 24 Stanley Cups. Win a 25th. The Canadiens have a huge advantage with Theodore at goal. He can make up for a lot of mistakes on the ice. In his second outing as a full time starter, Theodore won the Vezina Trophy and the Hart Trophy. His presence at the net make the Canadiens contenders all by itself.
Montreal looks like a very good team on the surface, and they have a great track record to fall back on – but the question marks this club has are undeniable. Montreal has not seen premium scoring in a while. They have also placed a lot -maybe too much- on club captain Saku Koivu. In 11 seasons , Koivu has only broken the 70 point barrier only twice. Montreal also allowed defenseman Sheldon Souray, second in team goals, to go. While the rest of the fans scratch their heads, Les Canadiens need all the help they can get from goaltender Cristobal Huet.
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