The Montreal Canadiens () 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) and are one of the Original Six teams of the league. The club is officially known as '. Founded in 1909, they have played a total of 114 seasons, eight with the National Hockey Association (NHA) and 106 with the NHA's successor, the NHL. They are the only club to have played every season for both leagues and the only active NHL team to pre-date the founding of that league. They have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, once under the NHA and 23 times since the founding of the NHL, and have also won 11 O'Brien Cup titles, 24 division championships, and eight conference championships. Overall they have the most games played, most wins, most ties, most points, most years in the playoffs, most division championships, and most Stanley Cup championships of any team in the NHL.
Table key
NHA (1910âÂÂ1917)
From 1909âÂÂ10 until 1916âÂÂ17 the Canadiens played 8 seasons in the National Hockey Association (NHA). They qualified for the postseason three times and won two NHA championships as well as their first Stanley Cup title.
Notes (1910âÂÂ1917)
- The Canadiens finished the 1913âÂÂ14 season tied with the Toronto Blueshirts. The Blueshirts won the playoff and so the Canadiens finished in second place.
- From the 1910 season to the 1916âÂÂ17 season, the O'Brien Cup was awarded to the champion of the NHA.
- The 1916âÂÂ17 NHA season was played in two half seasons. Montreal qualified for the two-game total-goal playoff by winning the first half of the schedule.
NHL
Notes
- From the 1917âÂÂ18 season to the 1920âÂÂ21 season, the NHL played a split season schedule. The winners of both halves faced each other in a two-game, total-goals series for the NHL championship.
- From the 1917âÂÂ18 season to the 1925âÂÂ26 season, the NHL had no divisions.
- From the 1917âÂÂ18 season to the 1926âÂÂ27 season, the O'Brien Cup was awarded to the champion of the NHL.
- The 1919 Stanley Cup Final were suspended due to the 1918 flu pandemic.
- The NHL declared the Canadiens to be league champions in 1925 when the Hamilton Tigers refused to play in the NHL Finals due to a dispute over player salaries.
- From the 1926âÂÂ27 season to the 1937âÂÂ38 season, the Canadiens played in the Canadian Division.
- From the 1927âÂÂ28 season to the 1937âÂÂ38 season, the O'Brien Cup was awarded to the champion of the Canadian Division.
- From the 1938âÂÂ39 season to the 1966âÂÂ67 season, the NHL had no divisions.
- From the 1938âÂÂ39 season to the 1949âÂÂ50 season, the O'Brien Cup was awarded to the NHL playoff runner-up, and was retired after the 1949âÂÂ50 season.
- Before the 1967âÂÂ68 season, the NHL split into East and West Divisions because of the addition of six expansion teams.
- The NHL realigned before the 1974âÂÂ75 season. The Canadiens were placed in the Prince of Wales Conference's Norris Division.
- Between 1974âÂÂ75 and 1980âÂÂ81, Conference championships were awarded to the team that finished first overall in their respective conference in the regular season.
- Before the 1981âÂÂ82 season, the NHL moved the Canadiens to the Adams Division.
- Since 1981âÂÂ82, Conference championships are awarded to the team that wins the conference finals in their respective conference in the postseason.
- The NHL realigned into Eastern and Western conferences prior to the 1993âÂÂ94 season. Montreal was placed in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.
- The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 1994âÂÂ95 NHL lockout.
- Beginning with the 1999âÂÂ2000 season, teams received one point for losing a regular-season game in overtime.
- The season was cancelled because of the 2004âÂÂ05 NHL lockout.
- Before the 2005âÂÂ06 season, the NHL instituted a penalty shootout for regular-season games that remained tied after a five-minute overtime period, which prevented ties.
- The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 2012âÂÂ13 NHL lockout.
- The NHL realigned prior to the 2013âÂÂ14 season. The Canadiens were placed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.
- The season was suspended on March 12, 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The top 24 teams in the league qualified for the playoffs.
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020âÂÂ21 NHL season was shortened to 56 games.
Totals from all seasons
References
External links