{{NHL Team | CAN_eng=1

|team_name = Montreal Canadiens<br /><small>(Canadiens de Montréal)<!--Do not revert, as per the talk page of this article. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Montreal_Canadiens#Top_Infobox.-->

|current = 2009–10 Montreal Canadiens season

|bg_color = #BF2F38

|text_color = white

|logo_image = Montreal Canadiens.svg

|conference = [[Eastern Conference (NHL)|Eastern]]

|division = [[Northeast Division (NHL)|Northeast]]

|founded = December 4, 1909

|history = '''Montreal Canadiens'''<br />1909–1917 ([[National Hockey Association|NHA]])<br />1917–present ([[National Hockey League|NHL]])

|arena = '''[[Bell Centre]]''' (Centre Bell)

|city = [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]]

|uniform_image=ECN-Uniform-MTL.PNG

|team_colors = red, white, blue<br />{{color box|rgb(190,47,55)}} {{color box|rgb(255,255,255)}} {{color box|rgb(33,56,111)}}

|media_affiliates = <u>'''English'''</u><br />[[CJAD (AM)|CJAD (800 AM)]]<br /><u>'''French'''</u><br />[[Réseau des sports|RDS]]<br />[[CKAC (AM)|CKAC (730 AM)]]

|head_coach = {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Jacques Martin (ice hockey)|Jacques Martin]]

|general_manager = {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Pierre Gauthier]]

|owner = {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Molson family]]

|president = {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Pierre Boivin]]

|captain = ''Vacant''

|minor_league_affiliates = [[Hamilton Bulldogs]] ([[American Hockey League|AHL]])<br />[[Cincinnati Cyclones]] ([[ECHL]])

|stanley_cups = '''24''' ([[1915–16 NHA season|1915–16]], [[1923–24 NHL season|1923–24]], [[1929–30 NHL season|1929–30]], [[1930–31 NHL season|1930–31]], [[1943–44 NHL season|1943–44]], [[1945–46 NHL season|1945–46]], [[1952–53 NHL season|1952–53]], [[1955–56 NHL season|1955–56]], [[1956–57 NHL season|1956–57]], [[1957–58 NHL season|1957–58]], [[1958–59 NHL season|1958–59]], [[1959–60 NHL season|1959–60]], [[1964–65 NHL season|1964–65]], [[1965–66 NHL season|1965–66]], [[1967–68 NHL season|1967–68]], [[1968–69 NHL season|1968–69]], [[1970–71 NHL season|1970–71]], [[1972–73 NHL season|1972–73]], [[1975–76 NHL season|1975–76]], [[1976–77 NHL season|1976–77]], [[1977–78 NHL season|1977–78]], [[1978–79 NHL season|1978–79]], [[1985–86 NHL season|1985–86]], [[1992–93 NHL season|1992–93]])

|conf_titles = '''8''' ([[1975–76 NHL season|1975–76]], [[1976–77 NHL season|1976–77]], [[1977–78 NHL season|1977–78]], [[1978–79 NHL season|1978–79]], [[1980–81 NHL season|1980–81]], [[1985–86 NHL season|1985–86]], [[1988–89 NHL season|1988–89]], [[1992–93 NHL season|1992–93]]) <!-- Conference titles are not officially won until a team makes it to the Stanley Cup finals per the NHL. Please do not add finishing first in conference during regular season. -->

|division_titles = '''22''' ([[1927–28 NHL season|1927–28]], [[1928–29 NHL season|1928–29]], [[1929–30 NHL season|1929–30]], [[1930–31 NHL season|1930–31]], [[1931–32 NHL season|1931–32]], [[1936–37 NHL season|1936–37]], [[1967–68 NHL season|1967–68]], [[1968–69 NHL season|1968–69]], [[1972–73 NHL season|1972–73]], [[1974–75 NHL season|1974–75]], [[1975–76 NHL season|1975–76]], [[1976–77 NHL season|1976–77]], [[1977–78 NHL season|1977–78]], [[1978–79 NHL season|1978–79]], [[1979–80 NHL season|1979–80]], [[1980–81 NHL season|1980–81]], [[1981–82 NHL season|1981–82]], [[1984–85 NHL season|1984–85]], [[1987–88 NHL season|1987–88]], [[1988–89 NHL season|1988–89]], [[1991–92 NHL season|1991–92]], [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08]])

}}The '''Montreal Canadiens''' ({{lang-fr|Les Canadiens de Montréal}}) are a professional [[ice hockey]] team based in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], [[Canada]]. They are members of the [[Northeast Division (NHL)|Northeast Division]] of the [[Eastern Conference (NHL)|Eastern Conference]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL). The club is officially known as ''{{lang|fr|le Club de hockey Canadien}}''.<ref name="Canadiens-Privacy">{{cite web

| author = Club de hockey Canadien, Inc.

| title = Montreal Canadians: Privacy Policy

| publisher = canadiens.com

| year = 2008

| url = http://canadiens.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=16903

| accessdate = 2008-09-04 }}

</ref>

French [[nickname]]s for the team include ''Les Canadiens'' (or ''Le Canadien''), ''Le Bleu-Blanc-et-Rouge'', ''La Sainte-Flanelle'',<ref name="NationalPost-Religion">{{cite web

| last = Hamilton

| first = Graeme

| title = Are the Canadiens a religion?

| work = National Post

| publisher = The National Post Company

| date = 2008-10-22

| url = http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=901528

| accessdate = 2008-12-12 }}

</ref>

''Le Tricolore'', ''Les Glorieux'' (or ''Nos Glorieux''), ''Les [[Habitants]]'', ''Le CH'' and ''Le Grand Club''. In English, the team's main nickname is the ''Habs'', an abbreviation of "Les Habitants". (Note: Even in English, the French spelling, ''Canadiens'', is always used.)

Founded in 1909, the Canadiens are the longest continuously operating professional ice hockey team and the only existing NHL club to predate the [[History of the National Hockey League|founding of the NHL]], as well as one of the oldest North American sports franchises. The franchise is one of the "[[Original Six]]" teams, a description used for teams that were part of the NHL from 1942 until the [[1967 NHL Expansion|1967 expansion]]. With the departure of the [[Quebec Nordiques]] in 1995, the Canadiens are the sole team of the [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|four major sports leagues of Canada and the United States]] that is based in the province of Quebec. The team's championship season in [[1992–93 NHL season|1992–93]] marks the last time a Canadian team won the [[Stanley Cup]].<ref name="CanadaCup">{{cite web|url=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/stanleycupbunker/a/stanley_cuplist.htm|title=The Complete List of Stanley Cup Champions|publisher=About.com|accessdate=2006-02-14|year=2007}}</ref>

The Canadiens have won more [[Stanley Cup]]s than any other franchise. They have won 24 championships, 22 of which being since the cup became solely competed for within the NHL in 1927.<ref name="MostCups">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/cup/champs.html|title=Stanley Cup Champions and Finalists|publisher=NHL.com|accessdate=2007-02-14|year=2007}}</ref> On a percentage basis, as of 2010, the franchise has won 25% of all Stanley Cup championships contested after the [[Stanley Cup champions#Challenge Cup era|Challenge Cup era]], making it one of the most successful professional sports teams of the traditional four major sports of Canada and the United States.<ref name="PercentageChampionships">As of July 2008, the [[Boston Celtics]] have the highest percentage of [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] championships with 28%, and in [[Major League Baseball|MLB]], the [[New York Yankees]] have the highest percentage with 25%.

{{cite web

| title = NBA Finals: All-Time Champions

| publisher = NBA Media Ventures

| url = http://www.nba.com/history/finals/champions.html

| accessdate = 2008-07-22 }}

{{cite web

| title = World Series History: Championships by Club

| publisher = MLB Advanced Media

| url = http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws.jsp?feature=club_champs

| accessdate = 2008-07-22 }}</ref>

Since 1996, the Canadiens have played their home games at the [[Bell Centre]], which was named the Molson Centre until 2003.<ref name="Renamed">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2002/02/26/bellcentre020226.html|title=Molson Centre renamed Bell Centre|accessdate=2007-02-14|year=2002|publisher=CBC Sports}}</ref> Former homes of the team include [[Jubilee Rink]], [[Montreal Arena|Montreal Westmount Arena]], [[Mount Royal Arena]] and the [[Montreal Forum]]. The Forum was considered a veritable shrine to hockey fans everywhere,<ref name="forum">{{cite web | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18096190.html | publisher=High Beam Research | title= The end of an era (The Montreal Forum) | year=1996 | accessdate=2007-02-10}}</ref> and housed the team for seven decades and all but their first two Stanley Cup championships.

==History==

{{main|History of the Montreal Canadiens}}

The Canadiens were founded by [[Ambrose O'Brien|J. Ambrose O'Brien]] on December 4, 1909, as a charter member of the [[National Hockey Association]],<ref name="history">{{cite web |url= http://www.hockey-fans.com/northeast/canadiens/ |title= Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team |accessdate=2008-08-13}}</ref><ref name="Gazette-OlympicStadiumNegotiations">{{citation

| last = Stubbs

| first = Dave

| title = Canadiens toy with game at Olympic Stadium

| newspaper = Montreal Gazette

| pages = C2

| year = 2008

| date = 2008-09-04

| url = http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=80701a02-5dd4-4624-89fd-6b6de145f41c

| accessdate = 2008-09-04 }}

</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Jenish|pages=10–11}}</ref> The team's [[1909–10 Montreal Canadiens season|first season]] was not a success, placing last. After the first year, ownership was transferred to [[George Kennedy (sports promoter)|George Kennedy]] of Montreal<ref name="Canadian Dictionary of Biography online">{{cite web|url=http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=7823

|title=Canadian Dictionary of Biography online|publisher=Government of Canada Library and Archives|accessdate=2007-04-30|year=2007}}</ref> and the team's fortunes improved over the next seasons. The team won its first [[Stanley Cup]] championship in the [[1915–16 NHA season|1915–16 season]].<ref name="history"/> In 1917, with four other NHA teams, the Canadiens formed the NHL,<ref name="history"/> and they won their first NHL Stanley Cup during the [[1923–24 NHL season|1923–24 season]], led by [[Howie Morenz]]. The team moved to the [[Montreal Forum]] for the [[1926–27 NHL season|1926–27 season]].<ref name="history"/>

In the 1930s, the club started the decade with success with Stanley Cups in [[1930 Stanley Cup Finals|1930]] and [[1931 Stanley Cup Finals|1931]]. However, the club and its then Montreal rival, the [[Montreal Maroons]] declined both on the ice and economically during the Depression. Losses grew to the point where the team owners considering selling the team to [[Cleveland, Ohio]] interests. However, local investors were found and instead it was the Maroons that suspended operations, and several of the Maroons players moved to the Canadiens.

Led by the "[[Punch line (hockey)|Punch Line]]" of [[Maurice Richard|Maurice "Rocket" Richard]], [[Toe Blake]] and [[Elmer Lach]] in the 1940s, the Canadiens enjoyed success again atop the NHL. From 1952 to 1960, the franchise won six Stanley Cups, including a record five straight from [[1955–56 NHL season|1956]] to [[1959–60 NHL season|1960]], with a new set of stars coming to prominence: [[Jean Béliveau|Jean Beliveau]], [[Dickie Moore (ice hockey)|Dickie Moore]], [[Doug Harvey (ice hockey)|Doug Harvey]], [[Bernard Geoffrion|Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion]], [[Jacques Plante]], and Richard's younger brother, [[Henri Richard|Henri]].

The Canadiens added ten more championships in fifteen seasons from [[1964–65 NHL season|1965]] to [[1978–79 NHL season|1979]],<ref name="history"/> with another dynastic run of four straight Cups from [[1975–76 NHL season|1976]] to [[1978–79 NHL season|1979]].<ref name="history"/> In the [[1976–77 NHL season|1976–77 season]], the Canadiens set a modern-day record for fewest losses by only losing eight games in an 80-game season. The next generation of stars included [[Guy Lafleur]], [[Yvan Cournoyer]], [[Ken Dryden]], [[Pete Mahovlich]], [[Steve Shutt]], [[Bob Gainey]], [[Serge Savard]], [[Guy Lapointe]] and [[Larry Robinson]]. [[Scotty Bowman]], who would later set a record for most NHL victories by a coach, was the team's head coach for its last five Stanley Cup victories in the 70s.

The Canadiens won Stanley Cups in [[1985–86 NHL season|1986]], led by rookie star goaltender [[Patrick Roy]],<ref name="history"/> and in [[1992–93 NHL season|1993]],<ref name="history"/> continuing their streak of winning at least one championship in every decade from the 1910s to the 1990s. In 1996, the Habs moved from the Montreal Forum, their home during 71 seasons and 22 Stanley Cups, to the Molson Centre (now the [[Bell Centre]]).<ref name="history"/>

On December 29, 2008 the Canadiens won 5-2 over the [[Florida Panthers]] to become the first team in [[National Hockey League|NHL]] history to reach 3,000 victories.

[[File:100seasonscanadienslogo.svg‎|right|thumb|200px|Commemorative 100^th anniversary logo for 2008–09<ref name="100th-commemorativeLogo">{{cite press release

| title = Habs to honor their 100th season

| publisher = Montreal Canadiens

| date = 2008-08-26

| url = http://canadiens.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=379998&page=NewsPage&service=page

| accessdate = 2008-08-26 }}

</ref>]]

===Centennial celebrations===

{{main|Montreal Canadiens centennial}}

The Montreal Canadiens retired various uniform numbers as part of its leadup to its celebrations during the [[2008–09 Montreal Canadiens season|2008–09]] and [[2009–10 Montreal Canadiens season|2009–10]] seasons. As part of the scheduled events for 2009, Montreal hosted the [[2009 NHL All-Star Game]],<ref name="AllStar2009">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=287828|title=Montreal will host 2009 NHL All-Star events|publisher=NHL.com|year=2007|accessdate=2007-02-14}}</ref> and the [[2009 NHL Entry Draft]].<ref name="PR-2009Draft">{{cite press release

| title = Canadiens to host 2009 NHL Entry Draft

| publisher = NHL.com

| date = 2008-07-15

| url = http://canadiens.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=368394&page=NewsPage&service=page

| accessdate = 2008-09-04 }}

</ref>

''[[Pour toujours, les Canadiens!]]'' is a 2009 [[Quebec]] feature film about the centennial celebrations, written by [[Jacques Savoie]] and directed by [[Sylvain Archambault]]. The film debuted in theatres on December 4, 2009, the Canadiens' centennial.<ref>[http://www.cinoche.com/actualites/2932 Cinoche.com: ''Pour toujours, les Canadiens!'' à l'affiche en décembre 2009]</ref><ref>[http://www.cinoche.com/dossiers/177 Cinoche.com File: Sur le plateau de ''Pour toujours, les Canadiens!'']</ref>.

==Team colours and mascot==

[[Image:MontrealCanadiens1918.png|right|thumb|150px|Logo used (1917-19, 1921-22)]]

{{Details|History of the Montreal Canadiens}}

The current team colours are red, blue and white. These colours have been used in combination since 1914. The Canadiens' colours are an important part of French Canadian culture. In the short story "[[The Hockey Sweater]]", [[Roch Carrier]] described the influence of the Canadiens and their jersey within rural Quebec communities during the 1940s.<ref name="Civilization-HockeySweater">{{cite web

| last = Tarasoff

| first = Tamara

| title = Roch Carrier and ''The Hockey Sweater''

| work = Civilization.ca

| publisher = Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

| date = 2004-12-10

| url = http://www.civilization.ca/cpm/catalog/cat2208e.html

| accessdate = 2008-09-04 }}</ref>

The story was later made into an animated short, ''The Sweater'', narrated by Carrier.<ref name="NFB-HockeySweater">{{cite web

| author = National Film Board of Canada Production

| title = The Sweater

| work = NFB — Collection

| publisher = National Film Board of Canada Production

| year = 2008

| url = http://www.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/?id=13316&v=h&lg=en&exp=3261

| accessdate = 2008-09-04 }}</ref>

A passage from the short appears on the 2002 issue of the Canadian five dollar bill.<ref name="CBC-SpiritHockey">{{cite web

| author = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

| title = The Spirit of Hockey

| work = CBC Archives

| publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

| year = 2008

| url = http://archives.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/topics/1546-10372/

| accessdate = 2008-09-20 }}

</ref><ref name="HockeyPeoplesHistory-VirtualHotStove">{{cite web

| author = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

| title = The Virtual Hot Stove

| work = Hockey: A People's History

| publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

| year = 2008

| url = http://www.cbc.ca/hockeyhistory/virtualhotstove/personalities.html

| accessdate = 2008-09-04 }}

</ref>

===Logo===

One of sport's oldest and most recognizable logos, the classic 'C' and 'H' of the Montreal Canadiens was first used together in the 1917–18 season, when the club changed its name to Club de hockey Canadien from Club athlétique Canadien,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=370513 |title=NHL.com - Ice Age: Playing the point on many issues - 02/08/2008 |last=Coffey |first=Phil|publisher=NHL.com |date=February 8, 2008 |accessdate=2008-12-12}}</ref> before evolving to its current form in 1952–53. The 'H' does not stand for 'Habs' or [[Habitants]]; this is a misconception. It actually stands for 'Hockey', as in 'Club de hockey Canadien', the official name of the team. According to NHL.com, the first man to refer to the team as "the Habs" was American [[Tex Rickard]], owner of the [[Madison Square Garden]], in 1924. Rickard apparently told a reporter that the "H" on the Canadiens' sweaters was for "Habitants."<ref name="theH">{{cite web|url=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/f/canadiens_habs.htm|title=Why are the Montreal Canadiens called the Habs?|publisher=About.com|year=2008|accessdate=2008-04-30}}</ref>

===Uniforms===

The home [[Hockey jersey|sweater]] is predominantly red in colour. There are four blue and white stripes, one across each arm, one across the chest and the other across the waist. The main road sweater is mainly white with a red and blue stripe across the waist, red at the end of both arm sleeves and the shoulders are also draped with red. The basic design has been in use since 1914, with the current version dating from 1952. Because of the team's lengthy history and significance in Quebec, the sweater has been referred to as {{lang|fr|'La Sainte-Flanelle'}} (the holy flannel sweater).<ref name="NationalPost-Religion"/>

===Motto===

''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.''

The motto is from the poem "[[In Flanders Fields]]" by [[John McCrae]] which was written in 1915, the year before the Canadiens won their first [[Stanley Cup]] championship.

===Mascot===

Beginning in the [[2004–05 NHL season]], the Canadiens adopted [[Youppi]] as their official mascot, the first costumed mascot in their long history. Youppi was the longtime mascot for the [[Montreal Expos]] baseball team, but was dropped from the franchise when they moved to [[Washington, D.C.]] in 2004 and became the [[Washington Nationals]]. With the switch, Youppi became the first mascot in professional sports to switch leagues.<ref name="NBC">{{cite web|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/9371075/|title=Canadiens adopt Youppi! as their mascot|publisher=NBC|year=2005|accessdate=2008-06-13}}</ref>

The terms of the deal was reportedly in the six figures.<ref name="CP-Youppi-Canadiens">{{cite web

| author = Canadian Press

| title = Canadiens get Youppi! to be Mascot

| publisher = tsn.ca

| date = 2005-09-16

| url = http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=136521

| accessdate = 2008-07-25 }}</ref>

The team has previously had children as mascots who would skate with the team during warm-ups and during intermissions. One notable child mascot was the son of player [[Howie Morenz]], Howie Morenz Jr. Other mascots were typically the children of players or Canadiens management.

==Seasons and records==

===Season by season results===

''This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Canadiens. For the full season-by-season history, see [[List of Montreal Canadiens seasons]].''

'''''Note:''' GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes''

{| class="wikitable"

|- align="center" style="font-size: small; font-weight:bold; background-color:#dddddd; padding:5px;" |

|Season || GP || W || L || OTL || Pts || GF || GA || PIM || Finish || Playoffs

|-bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06]] || 82 || 42 || 31 || 9 || 93 || 243 || 247 || 1312 || 3rd, Northeast || Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 ([[Carolina Hurricanes|Hurricanes]])

|-

| [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07]] || 82 || 42 || 34 || 6 || 90 || 245 || 256 || 1119 || 4th, Northeast || Did not qualify

|-bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08]] || 82 || 47 || 25 || 10 || 104 || 262 || 222 || 1072 || 1st, Northeast || Lost in Conference Semifinals, 1-4 ([[Philadelphia Flyers|Flyers]])

|-

| [[2008–09 NHL season|2008–09]] || 82 || 41 || 30 || 11 || 93 || 249 || 247 || 1223 || 2nd, Northeast || Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 0–4 ([[Boston Bruins|Bruins]])

|-bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| [[2009–10 NHL season|2009–10]] || 82 || 39 || 33 || 10 || 88 || 217 || 223 || 936 || 4th, Northeast || Lost in Conference Finals, 1-4 ([[Philadelphia Flyers|Flyers]])

|}

==Franchise individual records==

{{details|List of Montreal Canadiens records}}

===Franchise scoring leaders===

<!--PLEASE DO NOT UPDATE STATISTICS MID-SEASON, AS IT CREATES MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES, AND WIKIPEDIA'S PURPOSE IS NOT TO PROVIDE UP-TO-THE-MINUTE STATISTICS. PLEASE SAVE THE UPDATING OF STATISTICS UNTIL THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON AND/OR PLAYOFFS.-->

These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.

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

''Updated at completion of 2007–2008 season''

{| class="wikitable"

|- align="center" style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#dddddd;" |

| align="left" | Player || Pos || GP || G || A || Pts || P/G

|- align="center"

| align="left" | [[Guy Lafleur]] || RW || 961 || 518 || 728 || '''1246''' || 1.30

|- align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| align="left" | [[Jean Béliveau|Jean Beliveau]] || C || 1125 || 507 || 712 || '''1219''' || 1.08

|- align="center"

| align="left" | [[Henri Richard]] || C || 1256 || 358 || 688 || '''1046''' || 0.83

|- align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| align="left" | [[Maurice Richard]] || RW || 978 || 544 || 421 || '''965''' || 0.99

|- align="center"

| align="left" | [[Larry Robinson]] || D || 1202 || 197 || 686 || '''883''' || 0.73

|- align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| align="left" | [[Yvan Cournoyer]] || RW || 968 || 428 || 435 || '''863''' || 0.89

|- align="center"

| align="left" | [[Jacques Lemaire]] || C || 853 || 366 || 469 || '''835''' || 0.98

|- align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| align="left" | [[Steve Shutt]] || LW || 871 || 408 || 368 || '''776''' || 0.89

|- align="center"

| align="left" | [[Bernie Geoffrion]] || RW || 766 || 371 || 388 || '''759''' || 0.99

|- align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| align="left" | [[Saku Koivu]] || C ||779 || 191 || 450 || '''641''' || 0.81

|}

<small>'''Source:''' {{cite web |url=http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/stats/search?position=S&search=players&season_type=2&stats_type=career |publisher=Montreal Canadiens |title=Statistics <nowiki>|</nowiki> Historical Website of the Montreal Canadiens |accessdate=2009-06-27}}</small>

===Records - skaters===

;Career

*Most seasons: 20, [[Henri Richard]]

*Most games: 1256, Henri Richard

*Most goals: 544, [[Maurice Richard]]

*Most assists: 728, [[Guy Lafleur]]

*Most points: 1246 (518G, 728A), Guy Lafleur

*Most penalty minutes: 2248, [[Chris Nilan]]

*Most consecutive games played: 560, [[Doug Jarvis]]

<!-- needs a cite: *Most Stanley Cups: [[Henri Richard]], 11* -->

;Season

*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, defenceman: 19, [[Sheldon Souray]] (2006–07)<nowiki>*</nowiki>

*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, defenceman: 85, [[Larry Robinson]] (1976–77)

*Most points in a season, rookie: 71, [[Mats Näslund|Mats Naslund]] (1982–83); [[Kjell Dahlin]] (1985–86)

*Most goals in a season, defenceman: 28, [[Guy Lapointe]] (1974–75)

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Indicates a league record.

<small>'''Source:''' {{cite web |url=http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/records/regular_skaters |publisher=Montreal Canadiens |title=Season records - Individual records - Skaters <nowiki>|</nowiki> Historical Website of the Montreal Canadiens |accessdate=2008-12-12}}</small>

===Records - goaltenders===

;Career

* Most games played: 556, [[Jacques Plante]]

* Most shutouts: 75, [[George Hainsworth]]

* Most wins: 311, [[Jacques Plante]]

;Season

*Most wins in a season: 42, [[Jacques Plante]] (1955–56 & 1961–62); [[Ken Dryden]] (1975–76)

*Most shutouts in a season: 22, [[George Hainsworth]] (1928–29)*

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Indicates a league record.

<small>'''Source:''' {{cite web |url=http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/records/regular_goalies |publisher=Montreal Canadiens |title=Season records - Individual records - goaltenders <nowiki>|</nowiki> Historical Website of the Montreal Canadiens |accessdate=2008-12-12}}</small>

==Current roster==

{{Montreal Canadiens roster}}

==Leaders==

===Team captains===

<div style="float:left; margin-right:8.0em;">

*[[Jack Laviolette]], 1909–10

*[[Newsy Lalonde]], 1910–11

*[[Jack Laviolette]], 1911–12

*[[Newsy Lalonde]], 1912–13

*[[Jimmy Gardner (ice hockey)|Jimmy Gardner]], 1913–15

*[[Howard McNamara]], 1915–16

*[[Newsy Lalonde]], 1916–22

*[[Sprague Cleghorn]], 1922–25

*[[Billy Coutu]], 1925–26

*[[Sylvio Mantha]], 1926–32

*[[George Hainsworth]], 1932–33

*[[Sylvio Mantha]], 1933–36

*[[Albert Babe Siebert|Albert "Babe" Siebert]], 1936–39

*[[Walter Buswell]], 1939–40

*[[Toe Blake]], 1940–48

*[[Bill Durnan]], 1948 <small> (January - April)</small>

</div><div style="float:left; width:48%;">

*[[Émile Bouchard|Emile Bouchard]], 1948–56

*[[Maurice Richard]], 1956–60

*[[Doug Harvey (ice hockey)|Doug Harvey]], 1960–61

*[[Jean Béliveau|Jean Beliveau]], 1961–71

*[[Henri Richard]], 1971–75

*[[Yvan Cournoyer]], 1975–79

*[[Serge Savard]], 1979–81

*[[Bob Gainey]], 1981–89

*[[Guy Carbonneau]] and [[Chris Chelios]], 1989–90 <small> (co-captains)</small>

*Guy Carbonneau, 1990–94

*[[Kirk Muller]], 1994–95

*[[Mike Keane]], 1995 <small> (April-December)</small>

*[[Pierre Turgeon]], 1995–96

*[[Vincent Damphousse]], 1996–99

*[[Saku Koivu]], 1999–2009

</div><br clear="all">

===Head coaches===

{{main|List of Montreal Canadiens head coaches}}

<div style="float:left; width:48%;">

* [[Joseph Cattarinich]]<br />and [[Jack Laviolette|Jean-Baptiste "Jack" Laviolette]], 1909–1910

* [[Adolphe Lecours]], 1911

* [[Napoleon Dorval]], 1911–1913

* [[Jimmy Gardner (ice hockey)|Jimmy Gardner]], 1913–1915

* [[Newsy Lalonde]], 1915–1921

* [[Leo Dandurand]], 1921–26

* [[Cecil Hart]], 1926–32

* [[Edouard Lalonde|Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde]], 1932–34

* Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde<br />and [[Leo Dandurand]], 1934–35

* [[Sylvio Mantha]], 1935–36

* [[Cecil Hart]], 1936–38

* Cecil Hart and [[Jules Dugal]], 1938–39

* [[Albert Babe Siebert|Albert "Babe" Siebert]], 1939

* [[Alfred Lépine|Alfred "Pit" Lepine]], 1939–40

* [[Dick Irvin]], 1940–55

* [[Toe Blake|Hector "Toe" Blake]], 1955–68

* [[Claude Ruel]], 1968–70

</div><div style="float:left; width:48%;">

* [[Al MacNeil]], 1970–71

* [[Scotty Bowman]], 1971–79

* [[Bernie Geoffrion]], 1979

* [[Claude Ruel]], 1979–81

* [[Bob Berry (ice hockey)|Bob Berry]], 1981–84

* [[Jacques Lemaire]], 1984–85

* [[Jean Perron]], 1985–88

* [[Pat Burns]], 1988–92

* [[Jacques Demers]], 1992–95

* [[Mario Tremblay]], 1995–97

* [[Alain Vigneault]], 1997–00

* [[Michel Therrien]], 2000–03

* [[Claude Julien (ice hockey)|Claude Julien]], 2003–06

* [[Bob Gainey]], 2006 <small> (January - May) (interim)</small>

* [[Guy Carbonneau]], 2006–09

* [[Bob Gainey]], 2009 <small> (March - June) (interim)</small><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=270525&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main|title=tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=270525&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref>

* [[Jacques Martin (ice hockey)|Jacques Martin]], 2009–present

</div><br clear="all">

<small>'''Source:''' {{cite web|url=http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/coach |title=Historical Website of the Montreal Canadiens|publisher=Montreal Canadiens |accessdate=2008-12-12}}</small>

==Honoured members==

{{details|List of Montreal Canadiens award winners}}

===Hockey Hall of Famers===

In the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]], the Canadiens boast the second-most enshrined Hall-of-Famers with forty-four. Thirty-six of these players are from three separate notable dynasties: 12 from 1955–1960, 11 from 1964–1969 and 13 from 1975-1979. [[Howie Morenz]] and [[Georges Vézina|Georges Vezina]] were the first Canadiens given the honour in 1945, while [[Patrick Roy]] and [[Dick Duff]] were the most recently inducted, in 2006.

{| class="wikitable"

|align="center" colspan="4"|'''Montreal Canadiens Hall of Famers'''

|-align="center"

!Player

!Nat.

!Position

!Inducted

|-

| [[Howie Morenz]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]]|| 1945

|-

| [[Georges Vezina]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Goaltender|G]]|| 1945

|-

| [[Aurele Joliat]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]]|| 1947

|-

| [[Newsy Lalonde]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]]|| 1950

|-

| [[Joe Malone (ice hockey)|Joe Malone]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]]|| 1950

|-

| [[Sprague Cleghorn]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1958

|-

| [[Herb Gardiner]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]]|| 1958

|-

| [[Sylvio Mantha]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1960

|-

| [[Maurice Richard|Maurice "Rocket" Richard]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|RW]]|| 1961

|-

| [[Joe Hall]]||{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1961

|-

| [[George Hainsworth]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Goaltender|G]]|| 1961

|-

| [[Jack Laviolette]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1962

|-

| [[Didier Pitre]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|RW]] || 1962

|-

| [[Albert Siebert|Albert "Babe" Siebert]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]] || 1964

|-

| [[Bill Durnan]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Goaltender|G]]|| 1964

|-

| [[Ken Reardon]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1966

|-

| [[Toe Blake|Hector "Toe" Blake]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]]|| 1966

|-

| [[Émile Bouchard|Emile Bouchard]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1966

|-

| [[Elmer Lach]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]]|| 1966

|-

| [[Tom Johnson (ice hockey)|Tom Johnson]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1970

|-

| [[Jean Béliveau|Jean Beliveau]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]]|| 1972

|-

| [[Bernard Geoffrion|Bernard "Boom Boom" Geoffrion]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|RW]] || 1972

|-

| [[Doug Harvey (ice hockey)|Doug Harvey]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1973

|-

| [[Dickie Moore (ice hockey)|Dickie Moore]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]] || 1974

|-

| [[Jacques Plante]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Goaltender|G]] || 1978

|-

| [[Henri Richard|Henri "Pocket Rocket" Richard]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]] || 1979

|-

| [[Gump Worsley|Lorne "Gump" Worsley]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Goaltender|G]] || 1980

|-

| [[Frank Mahovlich]]||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]] || 1981

|-

| [[Yvan Cournoyer]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|RW]]|| 1982

|-

| [[Ken Dryden]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Goaltender|G]]|| 1983

|-

| [[Jacques Lemaire]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]]|| 1984

|-

| [[Bert Olmstead]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|RW]]|| 1985

|-

| [[Serge Savard]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1986

|-

| [[Jacques Laperriere]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1987

|-

| [[Guy Lafleur]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|RW]]|| 1988

|-

| [[Bud O'Connor]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|RW]]|| 1988

|-

| [[Bob Gainey]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]]|| 1992

|-

| [[Guy Lapointe]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1993

|-

| [[Steve Shutt]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]]|| 1993

|-

| [[Larry Robinson]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]]|| 1995

|-

| [[Denis Savard]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Centre (ice hockey)|C]] || 2000

|-

| [[Rod Langway]] ||{{flagicon|USA}}|| [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|D]] || 2002

|-

| [[Patrick Roy]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Goaltender|G]]|| 2006

|-

| [[Dick Duff]] || {{flagicon|Canada}}|| [[Winger (ice hockey)|LW]]|| 2006

|}

===Retired numbers===

The Canadiens have retired fifteen numbers in honour of seventeen players,<ref name="Retired">{{cite web

| author = Club de hockey Canadien

| title = Montreal Canadiens - History

| publisher = canadiens.nhl.com

| year = 2008

| url = http://canadiens.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=16875

| accessdate = 2008-02-23 }}

</ref>

the most of any team in the [[National Hockey League]], and the third highest total of any of the four [[major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada]]. All of the honourees were born in Canada. [[Howie Morenz]] was the first honouree on November 2, 1937.

{| class="wikitable"

|align="center" colspan="4"|'''Montreal Canadiens retired numbers'''

|-

!No.

!Player

!Retired

|-

| align="center"| '''1'''|| [[Jacques Plante]]|| October 7, 1995

|-

| align="center"| '''2'''|| [[Doug Harvey (ice hockey)|Doug Harvey]]|| October 26, 1985

|-

| align="center"| '''3'''|| [[Émile Bouchard|Emile Bouchard]]|| December 4, 2009

|-

| align="center"| '''4'''|| [[Jean Béliveau|Jean Beliveau]]|| October 9, 1971

|-

| align="center"| '''5'''|| [[Bernard Geoffrion]]|| March 11, 2006

|-

| align="center"| '''7'''|| [[Howie Morenz]]|| November 2, 1937

|-

| align="center"| '''9'''|| [[Maurice Richard]]|| October 6, 1960

|-

| align="center"| '''10'''|| [[Guy Lafleur]]|| February 16, 1985

|-

| align="center"| '''12'''|| [[Dickie Moore (ice hockey)|Dickie Moore]]|| November 12, 2005

|-

| align="center"| '''12'''|| [[Yvan Cournoyer]]|| November 12, 2005

|-

| align="center"| '''16'''|| [[Henri Richard]]|| December 10, 1975

|-

| align="center"| '''16'''|| [[Elmer Lach]]|| December 4, 2009

|-

| align="center"| '''18'''|| [[Serge Savard]]|| November 18, 2006

|-

| align="center"| '''19'''|| [[Larry Robinson]]|| November 19, 2007

|-

| align="center"| '''23'''|| [[Bob Gainey]]|| February 23, 2008

|-

| align="center"| '''29'''|| [[Ken Dryden]]|| January 29, 2007

|-

| align="center"| '''33'''|| [[Patrick Roy]]|| November 22, 2008

|-

| align="center"| '''99'''|| [[Wayne Gretzky]]|| February 6, 2000 (Retired League-Wide)

|}

==See also==

{{portal|Montreal|Flag of Montreal.svg}}

{{Commons category|Canadiens de Montréal}}

* [[List of Montreal Canadiens award winners]]

* [[Montreal Junior Canadiens]]

* [[Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry]]

* [[List of Montreal Canadiens presidents]]

* [[List of Montreal Canadiens general managers]]

* [[List of NHL players]]

* [[List of NHL seasons]]

* [[List of Stanley Cup champions]]

* [[List of Montreal Canadiens goaltenders]]

==References==

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==

*{{cite book |title=The Montreal Canadiens |last=Mouton |first=Claude |year=1987 |publisher=Key Porter Books |location=Toronto, ON |isbn=155013051X}}

==External links==

*[http://www.canadiens.com/ Official website of the Montreal Canadiens]

*[http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/ Official historical website of the Montreal Canadiens]

*[http://archives.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/topics/3683/ CBC Digital Archives: Montreal Canadiens at 100]

<!-- READ [[WP:EL]] before adding any links -->

{{Montreal Canadiens}}

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