Top 10 Montreal Canadiens of All Time

10) Bob Gainey

Bob Gainey represents the gold standard for two-way hockey excellence and remains one of the most important defensive forwards in NHL history. Playing his entire 16-season career (1973–1989) with the Montreal Canadiens, Gainey became the prototype for the modern shutdown forward. While he was not an offensive superstar, his impact was profound. He won five Stanley Cups (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986) and was the emotional and defensive backbone of Montreal’s dynasty years.

Gainey captured the Frank J. Selke Trophy four consecutive times (1978–1981), the first player ever to win the award, essentially defining what it meant to be the league’s best defensive forward. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1979, anchoring a dominant Canadiens team that swept the New York Rangers in the Final. Gainey’s leadership was quiet but commanding. He routinely matched against the opposition’s top lines and neutralized elite scorers.

Beyond statistics, Gainey symbolized professionalism and accountability. His number 23 is retired by the Canadiens, and his influence extended into management, where he later served as Montreal’s general manager. Few players have shaped a position the way Bob Gainey did.

Bob Gainey is only four-time Selke winner

9) Howie Morenz

Howie Morenz was hockey’s first true superstar and one of the NHL’s earliest transcendent talents. Playing primarily for Montreal from 1923–1934 and again in 1937, Morenz electrified crowds with his speed and offensive brilliance. Nicknamed “The Stratford Streak,” he won three Stanley Cups with Montreal (1924, 1930, 1931) and was the NHL’s most dominant offensive force of the late 1920s.

Morenz won the Hart Trophy three times (1928, 1931, 1932) as league MVP. At the time of his tragic death in 1937 following complications from a broken leg, he ranked as the NHL’s all-time leading scorer with 472 career points — an astonishing total in the low-scoring early era of the league.

His 1924 playoff performance helped secure Montreal’s first Stanley Cup championship. More importantly, Morenz helped legitimize professional hockey as a major sport in North America. His funeral at the Montreal Forum drew massive public attendance, underscoring his cultural impact.

Morenz wasn’t just great for his era — he helped define what greatness looked like in the NHL’s formative years. His number 7 hangs in the rafters as a symbol of hockey’s earliest dominance.

Howie Morenz was feared for his one-man rushes up ice

8) Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden’s career may have been brief, but it remains one of the most dominant stretches ever by a goaltender. Playing just eight full seasons (1971–1979), Dryden won six Stanley Cups with Montreal (1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979). His combination of size, composure, and intelligence made him nearly unbeatable during the Canadiens’ dynasty years.

Dryden won the Calder Trophy in 1972, even though he had already captured the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1971 after leading Montreal to a Cup as a rookie playoff call-up. He also won the Vezina Trophy five times (1973, 1976–1979). During the 1976–77 season, Montreal posted a 60-8-12 record — one of the greatest seasons in NHL history — with Dryden as its backbone.

He finished his career with a remarkable 258-57-74 record, one of the highest winning percentages ever recorded. Dryden retired at age 31 to pursue law and public service, making his accomplishments even more extraordinary given the short duration of his career.

Few players have packed more dominance into fewer seasons than Ken Dryden.

Ken Dryden won Conn Smythe before he won Calder

7) Larry Robinson

Larry Robinson was the cornerstone of Montreal’s blue line during one of the most dominant periods in franchise history. Playing 17 seasons with the Canadiens (1972–1989), Robinson won six Stanley Cups (1973, 1976–1979, 1986) and became one of the most complete defensemen the game has ever seen.

Nicknamed “Big Bird,” Robinson stood 6’4” — towering for his era — yet moved with remarkable fluidity. He won the James Norris Trophy twice (1977, 1980) as the league’s best defenseman. Offensively, Robinson was equally dangerous, posting a career-high 85 points in 1976–77 and finishing with 958 career points — extraordinary for a defenseman of that era.

Perhaps most impressive was his plus-minus record. Robinson posted a staggering +730 career rating, one of the best in NHL history, reflecting his dominance in both ends of the ice.

Robinson combined physicality, skating, puck movement, and playoff consistency. He remains one of the most complete defensemen ever to wear the Canadiens sweater.

Larry Robinson vital cog on six Cup-winning teams

6) Patrick Roy

Patrick Roy transformed the goaltending position and helped usher in the modern butterfly style. Playing for Montreal from 1984–1995, Roy won two Stanley Cups with the Canadiens (1986, 1993) and remains one of the most clutch postseason performers in NHL history.

At just 20 years old, Roy won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1986, becoming the youngest playoff MVP ever. He won the award again in 1993 after leading an underdog Canadiens team to an improbable championship that included a record 10 overtime victories.

Roy ranks second in franchise history among goaltenders with 289 regular-season wins and 551 games played. His competitive fire and confidence made him legendary in Montreal.

While he later won two more Cups in Colorado, his rise to superstardom began in Montreal, where he established himself as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time.

Patrick Roy won Stanley Cup four times, three Vezinas

5) Guy Lafleur

Guy Lafleur was the offensive heartbeat of Montreal’s late-70s dynasty. From 1974–75 through 1979–80, Lafleur recorded six consecutive 50-goal seasons, including a 60-goal campaign in 1977–78.

He won three Art Ross Trophies (1976–1978) as the league’s leading scorer and two Hart Trophies (1977, 1978) as NHL MVP. Lafleur also captured the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1977.

He finished his Canadiens career with 518 goals and 1,246 points. His flowing hair, explosive skating, and lethal wrist shot made him an icon of 1970s hockey.

Lafleur didn’t just score — he dazzled. He remains one of the most electrifying offensive players in franchise history.

Remembering Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens’ Legend & Hall Of Famer

4) Doug Harvey

Doug Harvey revolutionized the defense position. Playing with Montreal from 1947–1961, Harvey won six Stanley Cups and seven James Norris Trophies (1955–1962) — six of those coming with the Canadiens.

Harvey wasn’t just physical; he was cerebral. He controlled tempo, quarterbacked the power play, and redefined how defensemen could drive offense.

His impact helped fuel Montreal’s five consecutive Cups from 1956–1960. Harvey remains one of the greatest defensemen ever to play the game.

Doug Harvey led Canadiens’ deadly power play unit

3) Jacques Plante

Jacques Plante won six Stanley Cups and six Vezina Trophies with Montreal. He also won the Hart Trophy in 1962.

Plante revolutionized hockey by popularizing the goaltender mask after suffering a facial injury in 1959. Initially resisted, the mask became standard league-wide.

Beyond innovation, Plante was elite. His calm positioning and puck-handling ability were ahead of their time.

Jacques Plante changed game when he donned mask

2) Jean Béliveau

Jean Béliveau won 10 Stanley Cups as a player, five as captain. He also won two more Cups as an executive.

He captured the Hart Trophy twice (1956, 1964) and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1965, the first ever awarded.

Elegant and dominant, Béliveau scored 507 goals and 1,219 points. He embodied class and leadership for decades.

April 8, 1971 – Jean Beliveau carries Montreal on his back to defeat the Bruins

1) Maurice “Rocket” Richard

Maurice Richard was hockey’s first true cultural icon. He became the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games (1944–45) and the first to reach 500 career goals.

Richard won eight Stanley Cups and finished with 544 goals, a record that stood until Gordie Howe surpassed it in 1963.

The Rocket wasn’t just a scorer — he was a symbol of pride in Quebec. His legacy transcends hockey.

Richard remains the most iconic figure in Canadiens history.