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On December 4, 1909, J. Ambrose O'Brien founded the Canadian Athletic Club, which officially became the Club de Hockey Canadien (CHC) in 1917.
Until the mid-1930's, the team, led by such outstanding players as Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde, Joe Malone, Aurele Joliat, Howie Morenz and goaltender Georges Vezina, made a name for itself as one of the best in the National Hockey League, with four Stanley Cups (1916, 1924, 1930 and 1931).
But it was on October 31, 1942, that the Canadiens' destiny was sealed. That was the day Maurice Richard signed with the Canadiens. For 18 years, the "Rocket" whom many people have called the most spectacular forward of all time, led his team to victory upon victory: eight Stanley Cups including five consecutively from 1956 through 1960. It's an NHL record that still holds.
When the Rocket hung up his skates in 1960, Jean Beliveau took the torch from him playing a decisive role in five more Stanley Cups (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, and 1971) before retiring in 1971.
With the new decade came hot new talent. Goalie Ken Dryden was outstanding in goal, and Guy Lafleur with his line-mates, Steve Shutt and Jacques Lemaire, had opposing defencemen quaking in their skates.
On the blue line, the "Big Three" (Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson) shut down the on-coming offense while providing their own forwards with invaluable assistance. In one amazing ten-year period, from 1969 through 1979, this unbeatable powerhouse left the rest of the League behind, winning a total of seven Stanley Cups (1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979).
Ronald Corey became the club's 11th president in 1982. The following season, Serge Savard was hired as General Manager.
In the third round of the 1984 draft, Corey and Savard picked Patrick Roy (he was 51st overall). Under their management, and Roy's play, the Canadiens added two more Stanley Cups; 1986, and 1993; their 24th in franchise history.
In 1996, the Canadiens ushered in an era of change. A move to the Molson Centre, the hiring of Rejean Houle as GM, and the Patrick Roy trade.
On January 31, 2001, Molson Inc. sells 80.1% stake of the Club de hockey Canadien and 100% of the Molson Centre to businessman George N. Gillett Jr. The deal is valued at $275 million (Cdn). Molson Inc. retains the remaining 19.9% stake in the hockey club.
The most often asked question about the Montreal Canadiens is what does the nickname " Habs " mean.
Legend wants it that the "H" on the Canadiens logo stands for "Habs" instead of Club de Hockey Canadien. The fable began in 1924 when US reporter Tex Rickard was falsely informed by someone that the "H" stood for "habitant", a french word that in those days was used to refer the farmers of Quebec.
Rickard was told that the french players on the team came from farms and were therefore, "habitants". At the time, the Canadiens were viewed upon as the french team of Montreal, whereas the Montreal Maroons were the English team.
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