With a protracted Olympic break within the NHL schedule, it appeared like a very good time to place collectively an inventory of the highest 25 Canadiens gamers since 2000.
There have been extra lows than highs since then, with the Canadiens lacking the playoffs 10 instances. They superior to the convention remaining twice (in 2009-10 and 2013-14) and the Stanley Cup remaining as soon as (2021).
Greater than 300 gamers (331 to be actual) and 28 goalies have worn a Canadiens sweater for the reason that begin of the 2000-01 season. Twenty-five of them have stood out. In selecting the highest 25, we’ve factored in private statistics and awards, impression on the crew and followers, and longevity.
Within the remaining instalment of this five-part characteristic sequence, we take a look at gamers ranked Nos. 1-5.
No. 1 — Carey Value
The Canadiens didn’t actually need a goalie after they chosen Value with the fifth total decide on the 2005 NHL Draft.
Three years earlier, José Theodore had received the Hart Trophy because the NHL’s most respected participant and the Vézina Trophy as the highest goalie at age 25 after posting a 30-24-10 report with a 2.11 goals-against common and a .931 save share. However GM Bob Gainey drafted Value as a result of he believed he was the perfect participant accessible — no matter place.
“
We picked him as a result of he was the subsequent participant on our listing and we’re trying to the long run,
” Gainey stated after drafting Value. “
I might anticipate that he can be again in junior within the coming season.
”
The goalie spent two extra seasons with the WHL’s Tri-Metropolis People after which led the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs to the 2007 Calder Cup championship and was named playoff MVP after posting a 15-6 report, together with a 2.06 GAA and a .936 save share. Value made his NHL debut the subsequent season. He had some rising pains, on and off the ice, early in his NHL profession,
however developed into the “thoroughbred” Gainey believed he would change into.
In 2014-15, Value duplicated Theodore’s efficiency, successful each the Hart Trophy and Vézina Trophy after posting a 44-16-6 report, together with a 1.96 GAA and a .933 save share.
Value led the Canadiens to the Jap Convention remaining in 2014 earlier than struggling a knee harm in Recreation 1 towards the New York Rangers when Chris Kreider crashed into him within the crease. Value was knocked out of the sequence, which the Rangers received in six video games. Earlier than getting injured, Value had an 8-4 report in that playoff run, together with a 2.36 GAA and a .919 save share.
Value continued to have knee issues after the Kreider incident, however he carried the Canadiens on his again to the 2021 Stanley Cup remaining, posting a 2.28 GAA and a .924 save share earlier than shedding to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He would play 5 video games the subsequent season earlier than the knee issues ended his profession.
Value completed his profession with a 361-261-79 report, a 2.51 GAA and a .917 save share. He holds the Canadiens report for many regular-season video games performed by a goalie (712) and most wins.
“I get requested loads, ‘What are you happy with all through your profession?’ ” Value stated final yr. “I at all times inform everyone, ‘Properly it’s to have been the goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens for 15 years.’ ”
No. 2 — Saku Koivu
On Dec. 3, 2019,
the Canadiens introduced 11 former captains out to centre ice throughout a pre-game ceremony to rejoice the franchise’s one hundred and tenth anniversary.
The 11 captains had received a mixed 35 Stanley Cup rings.
The largest cheer was for Koivu, who by no means received a Stanley Cup throughout his 13 seasons with the Canadiens, beginning in 1995-96, together with the final 10 as captain. The Finn is the one European to ever put on the “C” for the Canadiens and a youthful technology of followers fell in love with him.
That was highlighted when Koivu returned to the lineup on April 9, 2002, after battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma and was greeted with an emotional, eight-minute standing ovation by the hometown followers forward of a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators that put the Canadiens within the playoffs for the primary time in 4 years.
Koivu would go on to publish 4-6-10 totals in 12 playoff video games because the Canadiens beat the Boston Bruins within the first spherical earlier than shedding to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Koivu received the Invoice Masterton Memorial Trophy that yr because the NHL participant who finest exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
In 792 regular-season video games with the Canadiens, Koivu posted 191-450-641 totals to rank tenth all-time in franchise scoring. The 9 gamers forward of him are all within the Corridor of Fame — Man Lafleur (1,246), Jean Béliveau (1,219), Henri Richard (1,046), Maurice Richard (966), Larry Robinson (883), Yvan Cournoyer (863), Jacques Lemaire (835), Steve Shutt (776) and Bernie Geoffrion (759).
No. 3 — Andrei Markov
The Canadiens tried to proper a mistaken in December
after they held a homecoming evening on the Bell Centre for Markov.
As he walked onto the ice for a pre-game ceremony along with his spouse, Sonya Markova, and two of his 5 kids, Markov was greeted with a thunderous ovation that lasted greater than two minutes.
A contract dispute with former GM Marc Bergevin after the 2016-17 season prevented Markov from turning into solely the second defenceman in Canadiens historical past — together with Robinson — to play 1,000 video games with the franchise.
The Canadiens chosen Markov within the sixth spherical (162nd total) of the 1998 NHL Draft when he was a ahead enjoying in Russia. He grew to become an excellent defenceman within the NHL, enjoying 990 profession video games with the Canadiens whereas posting 119-453-572 totals. He’s tied for second with Man Lapointe for many profession factors by a Canadiens defenceman, trailing Robinson with 883.
Markov by no means needed to go away Montreal, however egos received in the best way throughout negotiations with Bergevin and it’s a disgrace he by no means received to achieve the 1,000-game mark.
“I imagine that is the perfect metropolis to play hockey,” Markov, at all times a person of few phrases, stated in a brief speech on his homecoming evening.
He added: “To the followers, merci!”
No. 4 — Nick Suzuki
Suzuki has improved in every of his seven seasons with the Canadiens whereas by no means lacking a recreation. His 512 consecutive video games performed rank second amongst present NHL gamers, trailing Colorado Avalanche defenceman Brent Burns with 980.
Suzuki grew to become the youngest captain in franchise historical past on Sept. 12, 2022, at age 23
. Final season, with 30-59-89 totals, he grew to become the primary Canadien to achieve the 80-point mark since Alex Kovalev (No. 12 on this listing) had 35-49-84 totals in 2007-08. This season, Suzuki has 18-47-65 totals in 57 video games to rank twelfth in NHL scoring heading into the Olympic break. Suzuki has an opportunity to change into the primary Canadien to complete a season within the prime 10 in NHL scoring since Mats Naslund completed eighth in 1985-86 with 43-67-110 totals.
“Since I began teaching Nick and see him day in, time out, I’ve at all times been drawn to his intelligence,” Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis stated. “I really feel his IQ is extraordinarily excessive. Is that sufficient to be a productive participant on this league? No, it’s not sufficient. There’s different stuff that you need to do. However I really feel with Nick it begins there, however he brings every part else alongside.”
No. 5 — Tomas Plekanec
For the reason that 2000-01 season, no Canadiens participant has extra factors than Plekanec, who posted 233-373-606 totals in 984 video games to associate with a plus-57 differential. Markov ranks second with 572 factors.
Plekanec was a dependable two-way centreman for 15 seasons with the Canadiens and ranks seventh all-time in video games performed for the franchise. The soft-spoken Czech did all of it quietly whereas carrying his trademark turtleneck.
Brendan Gallagher (No. 6 on this listing) discovered loads by enjoying with Plekanec.
“
It was nice for me to play on the identical line with him,
” Gallagher stated after they have been teammates. “
Little useful suggestions. I bear in mind if you’d be in a playoff sequence and he’d provide you with suggestions like, ‘This man breaking out is at all times going to show to the forehand,’ which is one thing I by no means observed. He simply picks up on little issues like that. He’s simply artful. He’s been round for a very long time; he understands the sport very well.
”
Bergevin traded Plekanec to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 25, 2018, however introduced him again to Montreal as a free agent on July 1 of the identical yr. That allowed Plekanec — not like Markov — to play his 1,000th NHL recreation with the Canadiens, and he scored in a 7-3 win over the Detroit Pink Wings on the Bell Centre on Oct. 15, 2018.
“It was superior, after all,” Plekanec stated after scoring in his 1,000th recreation. “It feels nice. I might by no means dream of one thing like that after I began right here. It was a hell of a journey.”
No. 6:
Brendan Gallagher
No. 7:
Max Pacioretty
No. 8:
Cole Caufield
No. 9:
P.Ok. Subban
No. 10:
Lane Hutson
No. 11:
Shea Weber
No. 12:
Alex Kovalev
No. 13:
José Theodore
No. 14:
Patrice Brisebois
No. 15:
Jaroslav Halak
No. 16:
Mike Cammalleri
No. 17:
Brian Gionta
No. 18:
Phillip Danault
No. 19:
Michael Ryder
No. 20:
Richard Zednik
No. 21:
Jeff Petry
No. 22:
Mike Matheson
No. 23:
Juraj Slafkovsky
No. 24:
Ivan Demidov
No. 25:
David Desharnais
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