Conference - Eastern

Division - Northeast

Founded - December 4, 1909 (first game played January 5, 1910)

Arena - Bell Centre

City - Montreal, Quebec

Local Media Affiliates

English - CJAD (800 AM)

French - RDS, CKAC (730 AM)

Team Colours - Bleu, blanc, et rouge (Blue, white, and red)

Owner - George N. Gillett, Jr.

General Manager - Bob Gainey

Head Coach - Guy Carbonneau

Captain - Saku Koivu

Minor League Affiliates - Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL)

..Retired Numbers: (13)..

1 Jaques Plante G 1950-1963

2 Doug Harvey D 1947-1961

4 Jean Beliveau C 1950-1951, 1952-71

5 Boom Boom Geoffrion RW 1950-1964

7 Howie Morenz C 1926-1937

9 Maurice Richard RW 1942-1960

10 Guy Lafleur RW 1971-1985

12 Yvan Cournoyer RW 1963-1979

12 Dickie Moore RW 1951-1963

16 Henri Richard C 1955-1975

18 Serge Savard D 1966-1981

29 Ken Dryden G 1970-73, 1974-79

99 Wayne Gretzky (Retired by NHL)

Stanley Cup Champions: (24) 1916, 1924, 1930, 1931, 1944, 1946, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1993

Stanley Cup Finals: (35) 1914, 1916, 1917 ,1919, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1931, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1989, 1993

Conference Finals (Since 1968): (13) 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1993

President's Trophy: (22) 1978, 1977, 1976, 1973, 1969, 1968, 1966, 1964, 1962, 1961, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1956, 1947, 1946, 1945, 1944, 1932, 1929, 1928, 1918

Division Champions: (33) 1918, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992

Playoff Appearences: (77) 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1923, 1924 ,1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006

Inaugural game at the Bell Centre (then known as the Molson Centre)

New York Rangers vs. Montreal (Saturday, March 16, 1996)

..Meaning of the term "Habs"..

In 1924, Madison Square Garden owner Tex Rickard was falsely told by someone that the "H" stood for "habitant", a French word that in those days was used to denote the farmers of Quebec. Rickard was told that the French players on the team came from the farms and that they were therefore "habitants" or "habs". At the time, the Canadiens were recognized as the French team of Montreal as opposed to the Montreal Maroons, the English team.

On a side note, the Montreal logo of the C wrapped around the H stands for Club de Hockey Canadien. In 1917, at the founding of the NHL, the Canadiens changed their name to that from the previous Club Athletique Canadien.

--per NHL.com

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