Best Montreal Canadiens Dynasty Ever

Best Montreal Canadiens Dynasty Ever

Best Canadiens Dynasty

Of the nine official dynasty teams recognized by the NHL, three are versions of the Montreal Canadiens. The franchise’s long run of dominance is both impressive and undisputed. As of 2015, the club had won 24 championships, about a quarter of all the Stanley Cups the league had handed out. The Canadiens are the most successful team in NHL history and the second-most successful of all big four sports teams, behind only the Boston Celtics in all-time championship success. Even in a history of such steady success, three eras stand out as the best Montreal Canadiens dynasty teams: the late 1950s (1955-1960), the late 1960s (1964-1969), and the late 1970s (1975-1979).

The Early Dynasties: Dominant but Untested

The Late 1950s: Five Straight Cups

Based only on the number of championships won, the Canadiens of 1955-1960 were the most successful. They won every single year in this span, taking five straight Stanley Cups, a feat no other team could match in the 50 years that followed. The Canadiens were the undisputed masters of the NHL in the late ’50s. However, this was the Original Six era, so any records set before the league’s first expansion in 1967 must be taken with a grain of salt. It was much easier to achieve, and maintain, dominance at this point in NHL history. The Canadiens roster featured legendary names like Jacques Plante and Maurice “Rocket” Richard. While it’s an era that certainly helped shape the Canadiens’ strong identity and rich history, it’s hard to call it the team’s best.

The Late 1960s: Building for the Future

A similar point could be made about the Canadiens dynasty team of the late 1960s. Montreal won two championships after the league expanded in 1967, but the new teams hadn’t yet grown strong enough to stand up to the Original Six clubs, and Montreal swept the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Final in both of those post-expansion seasons. As with the late ’50s, moves made during this time had major implications for Montreal’s future. Sam Pollock took over as the team’s general manager in 1964 and went on to lead the Canadiens to nine Stanley Cups in 14 years. Four of those wins came between the 1964-65 and 1968-69 seasons, and eleven players from the roster during these years were eventually inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Again, they were a strong team, but their strength was never truly tested.

The 1975-1979 Canadiens: The Best of the Best

That leaves the Montreal Canadiens dynasty of 1975 to 1979, which was not only the best team in Montreal history but arguably the best in NHL history. Their top line consisted of Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, and Jacques Lemaire. As if that weren’t already an all-star lineup, they also had Ken Dryden in net. The 1976-77 Canadiens posted a 70-day, 28-game unbeaten streak and won their division by 51 points. Canadiens teams of this era hold two of the three best seasons of all time, with 129 points in 1977-78 and 132 points in 1976-77.

You would be hard-pressed to find a team statistic in which the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens don’t hold the all-time record. They had a home record of 33-1-6, the most points, the best overall record (60-8-12), and the largest goal differential. The team had nine Hall of Famers on the ice and one behind the bench in head coach Scotty Bowman. They didn’t just win four straight championships; they made it look easy, crushing every team that came up against them. Their playoff record from 1975 to 1979 was 48-10. They led their conference in the regular season four years in a row, finishing with no fewer than 115 points and scoring at least 300 goals in each of those seasons. If it weren’t on record, you would say it was impossible for any team to be that good.

A Legacy Written in the Rafters

Today’s Canadiens play in the Bell Centre, the largest arena in the NHL, with a capacity of more than 21,000 that fills every night and creates an intimidating environment for any visiting team. Staring up at the banners hanging from the Bell Centre’s rafters, you get a sense of the rich and storied history this club has built. The names behind the 15 retired numbers tell the history of the NHL, from Jacques Plante to Ken Dryden and from Maurice Richard to Guy Lafleur. The championship banners speak to decades of domination. It’s no wonder Montreal fans are so dedicated. Their team has given them plenty of reasons to be proud.