History of Montreal Canadiens in Timeline

The Montreal Canadiens, nicknamed "the Habs", are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). Since 1996, their home games have been played at the Bell Centre, formerly known as Molson Centre. Prior to this, the team played at the Montreal Forum for 7 decades, during which time they won all but their first two Stanley Cup championships.

December 4, 1909: Team Founding

On December 4, 1909, the Montreal Canadiens were founded by J. Ambrose O'Brien as a charter member of the National Hockey Association (NHA).

1909: Team Founding

In 1909, the Montreal Canadiens were founded, marking them as the oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide and the only existing NHL club to predate the league's founding.

1909: Original Shirt Design

In the 1909–10 season, the original shirt of the Montreal Canadiens was blue with a white C.

1911: Primary Colors

Since 1911, the Montreal Canadiens' primary colors have been blue, white, and red.

1914: "Habitants" Nickname

In 1914, the "Habitants" nickname for the Montreal Canadiens was used in Le Devoir to report a win over Toronto.

1914: Current Jersey Design Adoption

Prior to 1914, the Canadiens used multiple designs before adopting the aforementioned one.

1914: Basic Sweater Design

The basic design of the Montreal Canadiens' sweater has been in use since 1914.

1915: First Stanley Cup Championship

In 1915, the Montreal Canadiens won their first Stanley Cup championship during the 1915–16 season.

1915: Motto Origin

In 1915, the Montreal Canadiens' motto originated from the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae.

1917: First matchup against Toronto

In 1917, the Canadiens first faced the Toronto Maple Leafs, then known as the Toronto Arenas, marking the beginning of a historic rivalry.

1917: NHL Formation

In 1917, the Montreal Canadiens, along with four other NHA teams, formed the NHL.

1917: Team Name Change and Logo

In the 1917–18 season, the club changed its name to "Club de hockey Canadien" from "Club athlétique Canadien", using the classic 'C' and 'H' logo together for the first time.

1923: First NHL Stanley Cup

In 1923, the Montreal Canadiens won their first NHL Stanley Cup during the 1923–24 season, led by Howie Morenz.

1924: "The Habs" Nickname Origin

In 1924, American Tex Rickard, owner of Madison Square Garden, referred to the Montreal Canadiens as "the Habs", believing the 'H' on their sweaters stood for "Habitants".

1924: Bruins' NHL debut

Since their NHL debut in 1924, the Boston Bruins have played the Canadiens more than any other team in both regular season play and the playoffs combined, creating a strong rivalry.

1925: Current Sweater Design

In 1925, the Montreal Canadiens' sweater design took its current form, generally evolving as materials changed.

1925: Third Worst Point Percentage

The Montreal Canadiens' .335 point percentage in 2021-22 was the team's third-worst ever, after only the 1925–26 and 1939–40 campaigns.

1926: Moved to the Montreal Forum

In 1926, the Montreal Canadiens moved from the Mount Royal Arena to the Montreal Forum for the 1926–27 season.

1927: Exclusivity for the Stanley Cup

In 1927, NHL teams became the only ones to compete for the Stanley Cup, with the Montreal Canadiens having won 22 championships since then.

1930: Stanley Cup Win

In 1930, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, marking the first of back-to-back wins.

1931: Stanley Cup Win

In 1931, the Montreal Canadiens secured their second consecutive Stanley Cup victory.

November 2, 1937: Howie Morenz honoured

Howie Morenz was the first Montreal Canadiens player to have his number retired, on November 2, 1937.

1937: Maroons Suspension

In 1937, after the Montreal Maroons suspended operations following the 1937–38 season, several of their players joined the Canadiens.

1938: Only Canadian teams in the league

From 1938 to 1970, the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs were the only two Canadian teams in the league, intensifying their rivalry.

1939: Finished Last in the League

In the 1939–40 season, the Montreal Canadiens finished last in the league. This was the first time since then, that they finished last again in 2021-22.

1942: Original Six

In 1942, the Montreal Canadiens became one of the "Original Six" teams that made up the NHL until the 1967 expansion.

1945: First Canadiens inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame

In 1945, Howie Morenz and Georges Vezina were the first Montreal Canadiens players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, along with vice president William Northey.

1952: Logo Evolution

In the 1952–53 season, the 'C' and 'H' logo of the Montreal Canadiens evolved to its current form.

1953: Stanley Cup Win

In 1953, the Montreal Canadiens continued their success atop the NHL.

1955: Canadiens Dynasty Players

From 1955 to 1960, 12 players from the Montreal Canadiens dynasty were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1956: Five Straight Stanley Cups

In 1956, the Montreal Canadiens initiated a record-setting streak of five consecutive Stanley Cup victories from 1956 to 1960.

1960: Canadiens Dynasty Players

From 1955 to 1960, 12 players from the Montreal Canadiens dynasty were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1960: Stanley Cup Win

In 1960, the Montreal Canadiens won their sixth Stanley Cup.

1964: Canadiens Dynasty Players

From 1964 to 1969, 11 players from the Montreal Canadiens dynasty were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1965: Stanley Cup Win

In 1965, the Montreal Canadiens added to their championship history, beginning a period of significant success.

1967: NHL Expansion

In 1967, the NHL underwent expansion, after which the Montreal Canadiens remained one of the "Original Six" teams.

1969: Canadiens Dynasty Players

From 1964 to 1969, 11 players from the Montreal Canadiens dynasty were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1970: End of Canadiens and Maple Leafs being only Canadian teams in the league

From 1938 to 1970, the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs were the only two Canadian teams in the league, intensifying their rivalry.

1975: Canadiens Dynasty Players

From 1975 to 1979, 13 players from the Montreal Canadiens dynasty were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1976: Four Straight Stanley Cups

In 1976, the Montreal Canadiens began a dynastic run of four-straight Stanley Cup victories from 1976 to 1979.

1977: Team Records Set

During the 1976-77 season, the Montreal Canadiens set three still-standing team records, including fewest losses (8) in an 80-game season, the longest home unbeaten streak (34), and best goal differential (+216).

1979: Canadiens Dynasty Players

From 1975 to 1979, 13 players from the Montreal Canadiens dynasty were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1979: Beginning of Battle of Quebec

In 1979, the Montreal Canadiens began an intraprovincial rivalry with the Quebec Nordiques, known as the "Battle of Quebec".

1979: Stanley Cup Win

In 1979, the Montreal Canadiens concluded a dominant era, winning a total of ten championships in 15 seasons.

1984: Gallivan and Lecavalier awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award

In 1984, Danny Gallivan and Rene Lecavalier became the first two Montreal Canadiens broadcasters to be awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1985: Doug Smith awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award

In 1985, Doug Smith was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1986: Stanley Cup Win

In 1986, led by rookie star goaltender Patrick Roy, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.

1988: Dick Irvin Jr. awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award

In 1988, Dick Irvin Jr. was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1992: Stanley Cup Win

In 1992, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, marking the last time a Canadian team achieved this victory.

1993: Stanley Cup Win

In 1993, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, marking their last championship of the 20th century.

1995: Roy's Departure

Following Roy's departure in 1995, the Canadiens entered a period of decline, missing the playoffs in four of the next ten seasons.

1995: End of Battle of Quebec

In 1995, the intraprovincial rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Nordiques, known as the "Battle of Quebec", came to an end.

1996: Moved to Molson Centre

In 1996, the Montreal Canadiens moved from the Montreal Forum to Molson Centre (now called Bell Centre).

1999: Richard Garneau awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award

In 1999, Richard Garneau was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1999: Yankees' World Series Title

In 1999, the New York Yankees won their 25th World Series title, surpassing the Montreal Canadiens who had the most championships by a team of any of the major North American sports leagues until then.

2000: Wayne Gretzky's number retired by NHL

At the 2000 NHL All-Star Game, the NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all its member teams.

2001: Sale to Gillett

In 2001, Molson Brewery sold control of the Canadiens franchise and the Molson Centre to American businessman George N. Gillett Jr.

2002: Gilles Tremblay awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award

In 2002, Gilles Tremblay was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

2002: Canadian Five-Dollar Bill

In 2002, a passage from Roch Carrier's short story "The Hockey Sweater" appeared on the Canadian five-dollar bill, demonstrating the cultural influence of the Canadiens.

2004: Canadiens adopt Youppi! as mascot

In 2004, the Canadiens adopted Youppi! as their official mascot, marking the first costumed mascot in the team's history.

2005: Youppi! switches leagues

In 2005, Youppi! became the first mascot in professional sports to switch leagues after the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, D.C.

December 29, 2008: 3,000th Victory

On December 29, 2008, the Montreal Canadiens achieved their 3,000th victory in NHL history with a 5–2 win over the Florida Panthers.

2008: Centennial Celebrations Begin

During the 2008–09 season, the Montreal Canadiens began celebrating their 100th anniversary with various events.

2009: Centenary Designs

During the 2009–10 season, all three prior designs were worn during the Montreal Canadiens' centenary.

2009: Sale to Molson Consortium

In 2009, Gillett sold the Canadiens franchise to a consortium led by the Molson family for $575 million.

2010: TSN holds English-language regional rights

From 2010, TSN held English-language regional rights for Montreal Canadiens games.

2010: Playoff Advancement

In 2010, the Canadiens advanced past the second round of the playoffs for the first time since Roy's departure.

2011: TSN Radio 690 acquires radio rights

In 2011, CKGM, TSN Radio 690, became the English-language radio flagship for Montreal Canadiens games, acquiring the rights under a seven-year deal.

2011: Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals

In 2011, The Vancouver Canucks were the last Canadian team to reach the Stanley Cup Finals before the Montreal Canadiens in 2021.

2011: Launch of TVA Sports

RDS was the only French-language sports channel in Canada until the 2011 launch of TVA Sports.

2014: Pat Burns inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame

In 2014, Pat Burns was the most recent inductee from the builders category to be affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

2014: RDS secures regional television rights

In 2014, Réseau des sports (RDS) secured regional television rights in French for Montreal Canadiens games under a 12-year deal.

2014: TVA Sports becomes national French rightsholder

In 2014, TVA Sports became the national French rightsholder for NHL games through a sub-licensing agreement with Sportsnet, leading RDS to maintain regional rights to Canadiens games not shown on TVA Sports.

2014: End of TSN English-language regional rights

TSN held the English-language regional rights from 2010 through 2014.

2015: NHL Shield Logo

As of 2015, the Montreal Canadiens' home red sweater is the only uniform in the league to feature the French language version of the NHL shield logo (LNH) on the neck collar.

2016: End of Sportsnet East deal

In 2016, the three-year deal for English-language regional rights held by Sportsnet East expired.

June 2017: Bell Media extends broadcast rights deal

In June 2017, Bell Media reached a five-year extension for the team's regional television in both languages and English-language radio rights for Montreal Canadiens games.

2017: TSN2 assumes English-language regional television rights

In 2017, TSN2 assumed the English-language regional television rights for Montreal Canadiens games, with John Bartlett on play-by-play.

2017: Motto Display

In 2017, the Montreal Canadiens' motto was displayed on the inside collar of the new Adidas Adizero jerseys.

2018: Bartlett leaves Sportsnet

In 2018, John Bartlett returned to Sportsnet, and was succeeded by Bryan Mudryk.

June 2020: Youppi! inducted into Mascot Hall of Fame

In June 2020, Youppi! became the first mascot from a Canadian-based club to be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

2020: Moved to the North Division

For the 2020–21 season, the Montreal Canadiens moved to the North Division due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: "Reverse Retro" Uniform Unveiled

In the 2020–21 season, the Montreal Canadiens unveiled a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform in collaboration with Adidas.

2021: Stanley Cup Finals

In 2021, the Montreal Canadiens advanced through the Stanley Cup playoffs, reaching their first Stanley Cup Finals in 28 years, but ultimately lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4–1.

2021: Worst Season since 1940

In 2021-22, the Montreal Canadiens had one of their worst seasons, finishing last in the league for the first time since the 1939-40 season.

November 2022: Introduction of METAL!

In November 2022, the Canadiens introduced METAL!, an "unofficial official mascot", for the team's Reverse Retro series of games that season.

2022: Rebuild of the Roster

In 2022, after a historically poor season, team owner Geoff Molson authorized a "rebuild" of the Montreal Canadiens' roster over an extended period, marking a first in the modern history of the franchise.

2022: Boston Bruins Beat Points Record

In 2022, the Boston Bruins broke the Montreal Canadiens' record for the most points (132) in an 80-game season, a record that was set in 1977.

2022: Second "Reverse Retro" Iteration

In the 2022–23 season, a second iteration of the "Reverse Retro" uniform was released, featuring a light blue base with white/dark blue/white stripes.