By Paul Casey Gotham
Without so much as a whimper the Montreal Canadiens bowed from this year’s National Hockey League playoffs.
Boston’s first round sweep of Les Habitants caused barely a blip on the radar screen of North American professional sports. After all the Bruins advancing to the second round of the playoffs might beg the great philosophical question: if a number one seed sweeps an eight, does anyone notice?
But with the Habs went one of the greatest, if not longest, streaks on the continent.
Since first drinking from the Cup in 1916, the Canadiens have hoisted Lord Stanley’s trophy at least once every ten years. For nine decades the Habs earned the right to be called the league’s best – a streak unparalleled by any team in the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL.
Those under the age of 30 might find it difficult to comprehend the one-time dominance of the Montreal Canadiens.
During the ’76-77 campaign Montreal amassed a record of 60-8-12. Yes, you read that right. Only eight times did the Canadiens falter during that entire season. And to think they accomplished that feat with such mortals as Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson, and Guy Lafleur. Unlike the Chicago Bulls who needed the other-worldly escapades of Michael Jordan to finish with a mere 10 losses a decade later. One can only imagine how many losses the Bulls could have avoided by earning ties.
Montreal’s Cup victory that season would be their second of four consecutive – in a decade which they would win six overall.
Like their MLB counterpart, New York Yankees, the Canadiens produced a tradition of winning. One generation passing on the habit to the next.
While the Yankees took five World Series from ’49-’50, the Canadiens finished the decade winning the Cup from ’56-60. Toe Blake deployed greats such as Maurice ‘The Rocket’ Richard, Bernie ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, and Jacques Plante.
Those greats passed on the custom to Jean Beliveau, Dick Duff, Yvan Cournoyer, and Gump Worsley who led the Canadiens to four Cups in five years during the 60s.
Cournoyer hung around long enough to pass the winning attitude on in the 70s.
It was as if there was something in that sweater – that majestic C blazoned across the front, that deemed the wearer to be better than others.
By the end of the 1970’s four teams divided sports fans like no other: the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Steelers, Boston Celtics, and yes, the Montreal Canadiens.
When the Steelers hosted the ’78 AFC Title, who did I root for? Well of course, the Houston Oilers! I cheered lustily when Vernon Perry returned a first-quarter interception for a touchdown.
’77 & ’78 World Series? If the Sox couldn’t advance, you bet I was pulling for the Dodgers.
Remember game 5 of the 1975 NBA finals? The triple overtime epic in the in the Boston Garden? I was on my knees clapping for the Phoenix Suns when Gar Heard dropped that 16 footer.
And when the Rangers knocked out my Islanders in ’79 to face the Canadiens? Yeah, you got it. I pulled for the Broadway Blues.
Despite all my efforts the Canadiens dispatched the Rangers 4-3 to win a fourth consecutive Cup – their 22nd all-time.
The Habs climbed the NHL ladder only twice more in the next fourteen years. With their last championship in ’93 (24th overall) Montreal stood above all other professional franchises in North America.
A couple of labor disputes later and a restructuring of the NHL’s finances have since relegated the once-dominant Montreal Canadiens to a place in history.
At one time the Canadiens greatness provided a gauge for other’s to compare themselves. Now they have become a hurdle to pass on the way to greatness.
Hockey is like the red headed step child of North American sports, isn’t it? Great read for the simple fact that you educated me, though it isn’t hard to do when it comes to hockey I know that Montreal is hockey royalty, but other than winning the cup a bunch times, I couldn’t tell you why or when or how. At least one cup every ten years and an 8 loss season? Dynasty in the raw.
There are a couple of facts I always bring out about hockey in the grand scheme of sports. 1) it is the best sport live to me. I still frequent MLB, NFL, NBA way more and in that order, but I’m never more entertained and enthralled than I am at a hockey game. And 2) their elimination games are the best to me. For the first time in a LOOONG time, I sat down and watched a game this weekend – Rangers/Captitals game 6 and was not disappointed. Looking forward to watching game 7 tomorrow night in Washington.
Great piece, Casey. Like you, I’m an old time hockey fan who’s glued to anything about the “Original 6”. Had you not brought it up in your post, I wouldn’t have known they had such a streak going, but I was aware that they were at or near the top of the chan’ship list.
By the way, who was the better of the Mahovolich brothers, Frank or Peter?
Speaking of great playoff hockey, the Alaska Aces are making a run at another Kelly Cup. They are currently up 2 games to none on the Victoria Salmon Kings in round 2 after easily handling the Utah Grizzlies in round 1.
Now what’s really on my mind … will my Blackhawks win this series vs Flames … or will they flame out? And why hasn’t Versus telecast more than one game in this series????
Rey – The Canadiens went 33-1-6 at home that season. Elimination hockey – nothing like it. Now if we could just get JD to comment on the impact of HD on the home viewing of frozen pond.
Wally – Keenan is coaching the Hawks. Doesn’t look good.
Frank M had a better career for a longer period of time. Peter M had a couple of very good seasons. He holds the Canadiens all-time team record for assists in a season. He also has two of the Canadiens top ten all-time seasons by points.
Casey- You were joking when you called Dryden, Robinson and Lafleur mortals, right? I had the joy of watching Hockey Night in Canada as a kid with the family rotary antenna on top of the house which was on top of the hill that allowed us to get Channel 9 out of Peterboro (sp) across Lake Ontario! Dryden was the kid from Cornell that was a rock in net, Robinson was the defenseman that would hit you like a truck, and Lafleur was Gretsky before there was Gretsky- and I was a Bruin fan back then! Didn’t like losing to them, but they were pretty special!
Muels
Howie Meeker and Hockey Night in Canada – great memories. A cloudless night and clear transmission meant a free stay-up-late-on-a-school-night pass.
Those guys were mortals only in comparison to Jordan. Checking? What’s checking? 🙂 Anybody can check (unless you have a 99 on your sweater). Few could hit like Robinson. And many of the young ‘uns think Dryden was some commentator who sat next to Al Michaels for the Miracle on Ice.
Too bad the NHL didn’t do more for Lafleur. His talents were incredible. Certainly the 80s-90s NHL hype machine brain-washed many a clear-thinking sports fan. 🙂
Sorry, but my young’uns only know the Miracle on Ice as a movie starring Kurt Russell…
Great piece, Casey. While I certainly think of the Habs as THE hockey franchise, and while I remember most of those names, the facts and figures you threw at us were not in my memory banks, but were not only impressive, but very interesting to a stat freak/ sports history buff such as me. Thanks!
Pete – it was my pleasure. I take it as a high compliment when I can provide you with some useful info. Using the term useful kinda loosely – 🙂