Montreal Canadiens

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Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
Conference Eastern
Division Northeast
Founded December 4, 1909 (first game played January 5, 1910)
History Montreal Canadiens
1909-present
Arena Bell Centre
City Montreal, Quebec Flag of Canada
Local Media Affiliates English
CJAD (800 AM)
French
RDS
CKAC (730 AM)
Team Colours Bleu, blanc, et rouge (Blue, white, and red)
Owner Flag of United States George N. Gillett, Jr.
General Manager Flag of Canada Bob Gainey
Head Coach Flag of Canada Guy Carbonneau
Captain Flag of Finland Saku Koivu
Minor League Affiliates Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL)
Stanley Cups 1915-16, 1923-24, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1943-44, 1945-46, 1952-53, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1985-86, 1992-93
Conference Championships 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1985-86, 1988-89, 1992-93
Division Championships 1927-28, 1928-29, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1936-37, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1972-73, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1991-92

The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The franchise is officially known as Le Club de Hockey Canadien, but they are usually referred to as "Les Canadiens de Montréal" and their English name. Other French nicknames for the team include Le Canadien, Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, La Sainte-Flanelle, Le Tricolore, Les Glorieux, Les Habitants and Le Grand Club. In English, the main nickname is the Habs.

Founded in 1909, the Canadiens are the league's oldest franchise and a part of the startup group known as the 'Original Six'. They have won more Stanley Cups (24) than any other NHL team; the Toronto Maple Leafs' have the second most with a total of 13.[1] On a percentage basis, as of 2006, this makes them the third most historically successful major pro sports team in North America, having won 25.3% of all NHL/NHA Stanley Cup championships. Only the Boston Celtics of the NBA (26.7%) and the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (25.5%) have higher success rates.

The Canadiens play their home games at the Bell Centre, which was previously named the Molson Centre up until 2003.[2] Former homes of the team include Jubilee Rink, Montreal Westmount Arena, Mount Royal Arena and the famous Montreal Forum. The Forum was considered a veritable shrine to hockey fans everywhere,[3] and housed the team for seven decades and all but two of their Stanley Cup championships.

The team's Championship season in 1992-93 still marks the last time that a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup, in a current span of fourteen seasons.[4]

Contents

[edit] Franchise history

[edit] 1911-32: The Early National Hockey League

Before there was an NHL, there was a Montreal Canadiens team. They were founded on December 4, 1909 as a charter member of the league's forerunner, the National Hockey Association (NHA). The league's founder, mining tycoon Ambrose O'Brien, believed the new league needed a French-Canadian team to create a natural rivalry with the Montreal Shamrocks and Montreal Wanderers. The NHA's other founder, Jimmy Gardiner, suggested that O'Brien name the team the Canadiens.[5] The team played its first game on January 5, 1910, coached by Jack Laviolette.[6]

The next season, O'Brien sold the Canadiens to sports promoter George Kennedy, who renamed the team the "Club Athlétique Canadien." This would remain the corporate name until 1917.[5] Kennedy also changed the primary colour of the team sweaters from blue to red.[6]

The 1914-15 NHA season was the Canadiens' first in their famous red sweaters with a blue stripe across the middle and a red "C" inside the stripe. The only difference between these uniforms and today's was that the "C" was interlocked with an "A."

In 1916 the Canadiens beat the Portland Rosebuds of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association to win their first Stanley Cup, and they returned to the finals the following season, only to lose to the Seattle Metropolitans. The next year, the Canadiens adopted the first version of their current logo.

Logo worn from 1913-17
Logo worn from 1913-17

The Canadiens and four other NHA teams pulled out of the NHA to form the NHL in 1917. This stemmed from a long-running dispute with Toronto Blue Shirts owner Eddie Livingstone. Kennedy and his allies had the votes to throw Livingstone out of the league, but rather than risk a long court battle, they simply created a new league and left Livingstone in the NHA all by himself.

Kennedy was the dominant force in the new NHL; he not only controlled the Canadiens but had loaned Tommy Gorman the money he needed to purchase the then-troubled Ottawa Senators. They moved out of the Jubilee Rink to share the Montreal Arena with the Wanderers, only to return to Jubilee after the Montreal Arena burned down in January 1918. During this season, Joe Malone scored 44 goals--a record that would last for 27 years. Longtime goaltender Georges Vezina notched the league's first shutout, blanking the Toronto Arenas 9-0 on February 18. They finished in a first-place tie with the Arenas, but lost a playoff in what would be the first of many playoff battles with the team that would later become the Maple Leafs.

The next year, they once again faced Seattle for the Stanley Cup, but tragedy struck with the series tied at two games apiece. Seattle was struck by the worldwide Spanish flu pandemic, and many players on both teams fell sick. On the day of the deciding fifth game, nearly every player on the Canadiens was either hospitalized or confined to bed. With most of his other players either overseas or frozen in critical jobs due to World War I, Kennedy could not find any replacements.

Logo used (1917-19, 1921-22)
Logo used (1917-19, 1921-22)

PCHA president Frank Patrick vetoed a request to use players from the Victoria Cougars. The last game was canceled, and Kennedy then offered to forfeit the series--and the Cup--to the Metropolitans. However, Seattle coach Pete Muldoon felt it wouldn't be fair to accept the victory under the circumstances. As a result, the 1919 series is officially listed as a no-decision. Player-coach Newsy Lalonde was sick for over a month after the series, and star forward Joe Hall died five days after the series was abandoned.

In addition to Hall's death, the next season they lost Malone, the league's leading scorer. Malone had been on loan from the dormant Quebec Bulldogs, but that team returned to the ice in 1919-20.

In the summer of 1919, the Jubilee Rink burned down, and the Canadiens built Mount Royal Arena as a replacement.

Kennedy died in 1921; he had never recovered from the 1919 flu bug. His widow sold the team to Leo Dandurand, former player Joe Cattarinch and Louis Letourneau.

With rookie Howie Morenz completing a line between Aurel Joliat and Billy Boucher, the Canadiens once again reached the top in 1924, defeating both the Calgary Tigers (of the Western Canada Hockey League) and the Vancouver Maroons (of the PCHA) in a convoluted playoff format. In 1925, the Habs lost to the Victoria Cougars (now the Detroit Red Wings) in the last year of the old Western Hockey League challenging for the Stanley Cup.

Logo used (1919-21)
Logo used (1919-21)

The Canadiens lost Vezina to tuberculosis in late 1925, and finished last in the league. The following season, the Canadiens signed a suitable replacement in George Hainsworth, who would win the newly created Vezina Trophy, which was awarded to the goalie who allowed the fewest goals scored. Hainsworth would be the winner of that prize for the next few years.

The 1926-27 season was the Canadiens' first in the Montreal Forum. They moved there full-time due to constant problems getting acceptable ice at the Mount Royal Arena.

Generally, however, the Habs stumbled in the playoffs until they won their third Stanley Cup in 1930, defeating the seemingly invincible Boston Bruins (who had lost a mere six games in a 44-game schedule). The "Flying Frenchmen" once again beat the regular-season champion Bruins in the 1931 playoffs, then beat the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Black Hawks to win their fourth Cup.

[edit] 1932-67: The end of Morenz and the Original Six

The Canadiens' stars (Morenz and Joliat) faded out in the early 1930s, and they had the worst record in the league by the 1935-36 NHL season. Stunned by such a horrible performance, the NHL gave the Habs rights to all French Canadian players for two years. They had the second-best record in the NHL in 1936-37, but were stunned by the death of Morenz on March 8, 1937 at the age of 34. On January 28, 1937 Morenz suffered multiple fractures of his leg from a hit by Earl Seibert of the Blackhawks, and developed blood clots in his fractured leg which led to a stroke.

The Canadiens were once again mired in mediocrity for several more seasons. The low point came in 1939-40, with a horrendous 10-win season--the worst in franchise history. This led to talk that the Canadiens might fold. An unlikely saviour arrived in the form of Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe. The Depression had already claimed several teams, and Smythe felt that the league might not have been able to survive the loss of its oldest franchise. He persuaded the Canadian Arena Company, which had bought the Canadiens in 1935, to hire Leafs coach Dick Irvin, who had taken the Leafs to the finals six times in eight years.

Logo used (1926-53)
Logo used (1926-53)

Irvin didn't take long to turn the Canadiens around. His efforts bore fruit when, led by the "Punch Line" of Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Toe Blake and Elmer Lach, the Habs lifted the Cup again in 1944 after losing only five games in the regular season. The sophomore Richard proved he was not "small, fragile and too brittle for the National Hockey League", as GM Tommy Gorman, after Richard's rookie year, concernedly voiced. If anything, he was Morenz's successor as one of hockey's preeminent superstars. Like Morenz, Richard was a great goal-scoring forward — and both Richard and Morenz were quite physical. Richard, in fact, became the first NHL player to hit 1000 career penalty minutes.

In 1945, Richard made NHL history by becoming the first player to score 50 goals in one season, reaching the mark on the final night of the season — 50 goals in 50 games. Despite their power, the Habs lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the semi-finals. The team was to be invigorated in the 1946 playoffs, winning their sixth Stanley Cup. But in 1947, despite Rocket Richard winning the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL Most Valuable Player, the Habs lost in the Stanley Cup Final against the nemesis Maple Leafs.

Maurice Richard shakes hands with the Boston Bruins with blood running down his sweater after scoring the game winning goal against them in the 1952 playoff semi-finals
Maurice Richard shakes hands with the Boston Bruins with blood running down his sweater after scoring the game winning goal against them in the 1952 playoff semi-finals

In 1957, brothers Tom and Hartland Molson, owners of the Molson brewery, purchased the team. The 1950s were by far the most successful decade for the Canadiens, and it is believed by many that the Habs of this era were the best team in NHL history. Between 1951 and 1960, the Canadiens made the finals every year, winning six times (including a record five straight between 1956 and 1960). Toe Blake succeeded Irvin as coach in 1955, and they added more of the league's great players such as Jean Béliveau (nicknamed Le Gros Bill), Dickie "Digger" Moore, Doug Harvey, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, goalie Jacques Plante (who, in 1959, became the first goalie to regularly wear a mask on November 1 in a 3-1 win at the New York Rangers, but not without some resistance, even from coach Toe Blake), "Rocket" Richard, and his younger brother, Henri, who became known as the "Pocket Rocket" — many thought the Habs were merely placating the elder Richard when his brother was signed.

Montreal fell into a state of unbridled love, if not obsession, with the Habs team. At no time was this more evident than when Rocket Richard was suspended for the rest of the season on March 13, 1955, for assaulting an official in the aftermath of a stick fight in a game against the Bruins. Montrealers rioted in the streets at the following game (on March 17, at home versus the Detroit Red Wings), causing millions of dollars in damage. The Canadiens had to forfeit the game, and went on to lose in the finals to the Red Wings. The previous year, the Habs had also fallen at the hands of the Red Wings, when Harvey (considered one of the best defencemen of all time) redirected a clearing attempt by the Red Wings' Tony Leswick into the Montreal net past Canadiens goalie Gerry McNeil. In 1956 the Canadiens established a "farm team" in Peterborough, Ontario, now the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.

Despite Rocket Richard's retirement in 1960, the Canadiens looked ready to win yet another, a sixth straight Cup in 1961; but they were stunned in the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks (who eventually won the Stanley Cup behind the goal-producing genius of left-winger Bobby Hull) in the semi-finals. The Canadiens continued to suffer (relative) playoff frustration until they won the Cup again in 1965, in Yvan Cournoyer's rookie season, and repeated in 1966.

[edit] 1967-86: Expansion era

Canada's centennial year of 1967 was momentous for the country, but more importantly the city of Montreal. A world's fair, Expo '67 was set for Montreal, and the Canadiens promised to deliver the Stanley Cup to the Quebec Pavillion of the Canadian Showcase. The Stanley Cup final that year pitted the Canadiens against the Maple Leafs. Montreal was an overwhelming favorite, especially since Toronto featured two 30+-year-old goaltenders, Terry Sawchuk and Johnny Bower. However the Leafs won in a surprising upset, and instead of displaying the Cup in the Quebec Pavillion, the Habs had to watch the Leafs parade the Cup in downtown Toronto.

The Leafs have never been to the final since then, and with expansion in 1968, the Canadiens handily defeated the fledgling St. Louis Blues in the finals during each of the next two seasons. The Canadiens missed out on a playoff spot in 1970 on the final day of the regular season, thanks to a tiebreaker. Entering the final games of the season, the Canadiens held a two point lead over the New York Rangers, plus a 242-237 edge in goals scored. The Rangers played their last regular season game first and beat the Detroit Red Wings 9-5 to pull even in points and take a 246-242 goal lead. This led to an unusual incident in which, since the Canadiens would make the playoffs if they scored five or more goals in their final game regardless of the outcome, Montreal coach Claude Ruel pulled his goaltender with eight minutes remaining against the Black Hawks with Chicago leading 5-3. Chicago tallied three empty net goals, but Montreal failed to score again.[1] Since Toronto missed out as well, it meant both the only time in NHL history no Canadian teams made the playoffs as well as the only time between 1948 and 1995 that Montreal missed the playoffs, an unprecedented stretch of nearly 50 seasons.

Quickly, though, the Habs got back to their winning ways in 1971, defeating the Black Hawks to capture yet another Stanley Cup in goalie Ken Dryden's rookie season (starting a career where he would average an astonishing two goals allowed per game), in addition to long-time Leafs' star Frank Mahovlich's first in a Canadiens uniform. After 1969-70, captain Jean Béliveau, who retired in 1971, had only stayed on for the one last season at the insistence of General Manager Sam Pollock, who knew there had to be a veteran leader in Montreal.

Dryden had only played six regular-season games in '70-'71, but Al MacNeil, who had replaced Ruel midway through the season, made wise choice in sticking with Dryden -- who had had a perfect record in those six games and a 1.65 GAA -- as the Habs dispatched the mighty Bruins in the first round. Despite his Cup triumph, MacNeil resigned amidst accusations that he showed favourtism toward the Habs' English-speaking players, including an ongoing dispute with Henri Richard.

After losing in the quarter-finals to the New York Rangers in 1972 (Guy Lafleur's rookie season as well as Dryden's official one), they would once again win the Cup over Chicago in 1973.

Dryden would sit out the season in a contract dispute, although the official line was that he was completing his law degree. The Canadiens were upset by the Rangers in the first round in 1974, and would lose out to the Buffalo Sabres in the semi-finals in 1975. In 1976, under the leadership of head coach Scotty Bowman, they went on to win the Cup again, thwarting the Philadelphia Flyers' hopes for a third consecutive championship. The series was widely hailed as a victory for skilled play over the thuggish tactics of the "Broad Street Bullies". The team was led by Lafleur (who was in the midst of six straight 50-goal seasons, the league's first ever six-consecutive-time 50-goal and 100-point scorer), Cournoyer, Dryden, Frank Mahovlich's brother Pete, Steve Shutt, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson (the last three of whom a powerful triumvirate of All-Star defencemen dubbed "The Big Three"). In 1976-77 the Canadiens would set a modern-day record by only losing eight games in an 80-game season. The Canadiens would then go on to win three more consecutive Cups to close out the 1970s.

The Canadiens nearly scuttled the deal between the NHL and World Hockey Association in which four WHA teams--the Hartford Whalers (now the Carolina Hurricanes), Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques (now the Colorado Avalanche) and Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes)--were due to join the NHL. The Canadiens, along with the NHL's other two Canadian teams (the Leafs and Vancouver Canucks) were not pleased at the prospect of splitting television revenue with three new teams. A boycott of Molson products was staged in Edmonton and Winnipeg, although it is debatable what if any effect it had.

Most of the Canadiens' best players were retired or traded by the early 1980s (the major exceptions being Bob Gainey, Robinson, and Lafleur). They would, however, pick up star Swedish left-winger Mats Naslund, as well as Guy Carbonneau in the early 1980s. By the 1985-86 NHL season, they once again had a top goalie in rookie Patrick Roy, and another All-Star in sophomore Chris Chelios, manning the blue line. Gainey, Carbonneau, Chelios, Naslund, Robinson and Roy would lead the Canadiens to their only Stanley Cup of the decade that season, defeating the Calgary Flames.

[edit] 1986-present — The Modern NHL

The Habs won their league-leading 24th (and, to date, last) Stanley Cup against the Los Angeles Kings in 1993, during the 100th anniversary of the Stanley Cup. That playoff season, the Canadiens won an NHL-record 10 consecutive overtime games. They also tied an NHL-record by winning 11 consecutive games in one playoff year (the record is shared by the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks - both teams won 11 in a row the previous year).

But in 1995, the Canadiens missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years, and only the third time in 54 years. In December of that year, when the Canadiens lost 11-1 at home to the Detroit Red Wings, then-head coach Mario Tremblay refused to pull Patrick Roy from the net until after the ninth goal, despite the goalie's repeated pleas. After he was pulled, Roy, approached then team president Ronald Corey and told him, "This is my last game in a Montreal Canadiens uniform."[7][8] He was traded to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche along with Mike Keane for Jocelyn Thibault, Andrei Kovalenko, and Martin Rucinsky.

The 1992-93 Canadiens team posing with the Stanley Cup. No team from Canada has won it since.
The 1992-93 Canadiens team posing with the Stanley Cup. No team from Canada has won it since.

On March 11, 1996, the Canadiens defeated the Dallas Stars, 4-1 in the final game at the historic Montreal Forum. The final goal at the Forum was scored by Andrei Kovalenko. The Stars were chosen as the final Forum opponent because their captain, Guy Carbonneau, and their general manager, Bob Gainey, were both former Canadien captains. Following the game, a moving closing ceremony was held, in which each living Canadiens captain, wearing an up-to-date version of the uniform with his old number on it, passed a torch, the older one to the younger one: Butch Bouchard to Maurice Richard to Jean Béliveau to Henri Richard to Yvan Cournoyer to Serge Savard to Gainey to Carbonneau to Pierre Turgeon, the then-captain. (Three living former captains were unavailable because they were still active with other teams: Mike Keane with the Avalanche, Kirk Muller with the New York Islanders, and Chris Chelios with the Chicago Blackhawks).

The team moved into the new Molson Centre (renamed Bell Centre for 2003-04) the following Saturday, defeating the New York Rangers, 4-2. However, the Canadiens missed the playoffs three straight seasons between 1999 and 2001. There was even brief talk of the team moving, especially after American investor George N. Gillett Jr. was the only interested buyer when the Molson family sold the team in 2001. After no acceptable offers came from Canadian interests, the NHL allowed Gillett to buy the team, provided that he promise to keep it in Montreal until 2021.

In the fall of 2001, it was revealed that centre Saku Koivu, who had been with the team since 1995, had cancer and would miss the season. However, he came back to win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perservance, sportmanship and dedication to hockey, register two assists in the last three games and, along with the surprising strong play of goalie Jose Theodore (who won the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy that season), inspired the team for a run to the 2002 playoffs as the final seed in the Eastern Conference. They upset the Boston Bruins in the first round, before bowing to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.

On November 22, 2003, the Canadiens participated in the Heritage Classic, the first outdoor hockey game in the history of the NHL. The Canadiens defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in front of more than 55,000 fans — an NHL attendance record — at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. The team seemed to turn a corner at that point, and finished the season in the 7th playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The team would again play the Bruins in the playoffs. Coming back from a 3-1 deficit, with the superb plays of Alexei Kovalev, the Canadiens won the final three games, to again upset the Bruins. But were swept away in second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On January 13, 2006, Claude Julien was fired as coach, and replaced on an interim basis by Bob Gainey, the team's general manager. Later on in the season, Montreal starting goalie José Théodore was traded to the Colorado Avalanche after numerous disappointing starts, in return for goalie David Aebischer. The Canadiens narrowly made the playoffs, but lost in 6 games to the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes.

Guy Carbonneau has taken over as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens for the 2006-07 season.[9]

On April 7, 2007, The Montreal Canadiens were eliminated from the 2006-07 NHL Playoffs in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the last game of the 2006-07 NHL Season. The Leafs won the game 6-5 in regulation, thus leading the Canadiens in the standings by 1 point, pushing the Canadiens out of the 8th and final playoff spot. This loss to Toronto ended the Canadiens' season and prevented them from participating in the playoffs.

[edit] The near future and beyond

A major announcement about the one hundred year anniversary of Les Habs was made on October 2, 2005. On October 15 of that year, to begin the Montreal Canadiens Centennial countdown, it was announced that three more jersey numbers would be retired — Dickie Moore's and Yvan Cournoyer's number 12 on November 12 before their game against the

The Montreal Canadiens unveiled this 100th anniversary logo to be used in 2008-09.
The Montreal Canadiens unveiled this 100th anniversary logo to be used in 2008-09.

Toronto Maple Leafs, and the number 5 worn by Bernard "Boom Boom" Geoffrion on March 11, 2006 prior to their contest against the New York Rangers, the other team he played for after a two-year retirement — the first since moving from "The Forum" during a "Legends Night" ceremony, with one additional number to be hoisted to the rafters in each of the three following seasons. Sadly, Geoffrion would die on the very day his number was to be retired.

On September 23, 2006, the Montreal Canadiens announced the retirement of number 18 for Serge Savard, on November 18, 2006, and number 29 for Ken Dryden, on January 29, 2007.[10][11]

The Canadiens also announced ambitious plans for their Centennial year of 2008-09, including plans to bid on hosting the World Junior Hockey Championships (which were since awarded to Ottawa), the NHL All-Star Game and the NHL Draft. On January 23, 2007, it was announced that the 2009 NHL All-Star Game would indeed be held in Montreal.[12] The team's management has pledged to be a Stanley Cup contender in time for 2009, but with the current 2006-07 squad losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 7th, thus failing to make the playoffs. The team is struggling but can become a contender before the 2008-2009 season.[13]

[edit] Team colors and mascot

Logo
The current home, road and vintage jerseys used in the season
The current home, road and vintage jerseys used in the season

One of sports' oldest and recognizable logos, the classic 'C' and 'H' of the Montreal Canadiens was first used together in the 1917/18 season, before evolving to its current form in 1952/53. A common misconception is that the 'H' stands for 'Habs', but in fact, it stands for 'Hockey', as in 'Club de Hockey Canadien', the official name of the team. The original name of the team was 'Club Athletique Canadien', which is why their logo had an 'A' in place of an 'H' from.

Jerseys

The current team colours are red, blue and white, and they can all be seen on the home, road and third jerseys. The home jersey, which was the team's road jersey until 2003 when the NHL decided to switch home and road jerseys,[14] is predominantly red in colour. There are four blue and white stripes, one across each arm, one across the chest and the other across the waist. The main road jersey is the team's former home jersey, it is mainly white with a red and blue stripe across the waist, red at the end of both arm sleeves and the shoulders are also draped with red.

Youppi gets introduced with Canadiens GM and Executive VP Bob Gainey
Youppi gets introduced with Canadiens GM and Executive VP Bob Gainey

The third jersey is white in color with a similar design to the home jersey, except that the three stripes are blue and red, with a single red stripe dabbing the end of each arm sleeve.

The Canadiens' famous colours are an important part of French Canadian culture. In the short story The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier a young Quebecois boy is accidentally given the jersey of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs. The poem was later made into an animated short, a quote from it appears on the Canadian five dollar bill.

Because of the team's rich history and significance, the jersey is referred to by many as La Sainte-Flanelle (the holy sweater).

Mascot

Beginning in the 2004-05 NHL season, the Canadiens adopted a furry, orange creature named Youppi as their official mascot, the first in their 90+ year history. Youppi was the longtime mascot for the Montreal Expos baseball team but was dropped from the franchise when they moved to Washington, D.C. in 2004 and became the Nationals. With the switch, Youppi became the first mascot in professional sports to switch leagues.[15]

[edit] Seasons and Records

[edit] Season by season results

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Records as of February 6, 2007.[16]

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA PTS PIM Finish Playoffs
1915-16 First ever Stanley Cup (in the NHA.)
1916-17 (last NHA season).
1917-18 22 13 9 0 115 84 26 1st, NHL Lost in NHL Finals, 7-10 (TG) (Arenas)
1918-19 18 10 8 0 88 78 20 257 2nd, NHL Tied1 in Finals, 2-2 (Metropolitans)
1919-20 24 13 11 0 129 113 26 221 2nd, NHL Did not qualify
1920-21 24 13 11 0 112 99 26 315 3rd, NHL Did not qualify
1921-22 24 12 11 1 88 94 25 174 3rd, NHL Did not qualify
1922-23 24 13 9 2 73 61 28 174 2nd, NHL Lost in NHL Finals (Senators)
1923-24 24 13 11 0 59 48 26 144 2nd, NHL Stanley Cup Champions, 2-0 (Maroons), 2-0 (Tigers)
1924-25 30 17 11 2 93 56 36 371 3rd, NHL Lost in Finals, 8-16 (TG) (Cougars)
1925-26 36 11 24 1 79 108 23 458 7th, NHL Did not qualify
1926-27 44 28 14 2 99 67 58 395 2nd, Canadian Won in Quarterfinals, 2-1 (TG) (Maroons)
Lost in Semifinals, 1-5 (TG) (Senators)
1927-28 44 26 11 7 116 48 59 496 1st, Canadian Lost in Semifinals, 2-3 (TG) (Maroons)
1928-29 44 22 7 15 71 43 59 465 1st, Canadian Lost in Semifinals, 0-3 (Bruins)
1929-30 44 21 14 9 142 114 51 600 1st, Canadian Won in Quarterfinals, 3-2 (TG) (Black Hawks)
Won in Semifinals, 2-0 (Rangers)
Stanley Cup Champions, 2-0 (Bruins)
1930-31 44 26 10 8 129 89 60 602 1st, Canadian Won in Semifinals, 3-2 (Bruins)
Stanley Cup Champions, 3-2 (Black Hawks)
1931-32 48 25 16 7 128 111 57 450 1st, Canadian Lost in Semifinals, 1-3 (Rangers)
1932-33 48 18 25 5 92 115 41 468 3rd, Canadian Lost in Quarterfinals, 5-8 (TG) (Rangers)
1933-34 48 22 20 6 99 101 50 308 2nd, Canadian Lost in Quarterfinals, 3-4 (TG) (Black Hawks)
1934-35 48 19 23 6 110 145 44 314 3rd, Canadian Lost in Quarterfinals, 5-6 (TG) (Rangers)
1935-36 48 11 26 11 82 123 33 317 4th, Canadian Did not qualify
1936-37 48 24 18 6 115 111 54 298 1st, Canadian Lost in Semifinals, 2-3 (Red Wings)
1937-38 48 18 17 13 123 128 49 340 3rd, Canadian Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Black Hawks)
1938-39 48 15 24 9 115 146 39 294 6th, NHL Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Red Wings)
1939-40 48 10 33 5 90 167 25 338 7th, NHL Did not qualify
1940-41 48 16 26 6 121 147 38 435 6th, NHL Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Black Hawks)
1941-42 48 18 27 3 134 173 39 504 6th, NHL Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-2 (Red Wings)
1942-43 50 19 19 12 181 191 50 318 4th, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 1-4 (Bruins)
1943-44 50 38 5 7 234 109 83 557 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Maple Leafs)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Black Hawks)
1944-45 50 38 8 4 228 121 80 376 1st, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Maple Leafs)
1945-46 50 28 17 5 172 134 61 337 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Black Hawks)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Bruins)
1946-47 60 34 16 10 189 138 78 561 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Bruins)
Lost in Finals, 2-4 (Maple Leafs)
1947-48 60 20 29 11 147 169 51 724 5th, NHL Did not qualify
1948-49 60 28 23 9 152 126 65 782 3rd, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1949-50 70 29 22 19 172 150 77 736 2nd, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1950-51 70 25 30 15 173 184 65 835 3rd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Red Wings)
Lost in Finals, 1-4 (Maple Leafs)
1951-52 70 34 26 10 195 164 78 661 2nd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-3 (Bruins)
Lost in Finals, 0-4 (Red Wings)
1952-53 70 28 23 19 155 148 75 777 2nd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-3 (Black Hawks)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Bruins)
1953-54 70 35 24 11 195 141 81 1064 2nd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Bruins)
Lost in Finals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1954-55 70 41 18 11 228 157 93 890 2nd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Bruins)
Lost in Finals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
1955-56 70 45 15 10 222 131 100 977 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Rangers)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Red Wings)
1956-57 70 35 23 12 210 155 82 870 2nd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Rangers)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Bruins)
1957-58 70 43 17 10 250 158 96 945 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Red Wings)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Bruins)
1958-59 70 39 18 13 258 158 91 760 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Black Hawks)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Maple Leafs)
1959-60 70 40 18 12 255 178 92 756 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Black Hawks)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Maple Leafs)
1960-61 70 41 19 10 254 188 92 811 1st, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Black Hawks)
1961-62 70 42 14 14 259 166 98 818 1st, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Black Hawks)
1962-63 70 28 19 23 225 183 79 751 3rd, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 1-4 (Maple Leafs)
1963-64 70 36 21 13 209 167 85 982 1st, NHL Lost in Semifinals, 3-4 (Maple Leafs)
1964-65 70 36 23 11 211 185 83 1033 2nd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Maple Leafs)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-3 (Black Hawks)
1965-66 70 41 21 8 239 173 90 884 1st, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Maple Leafs)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Red Wings)
1966-67 70 32 25 13 202 188 77 879 2nd, NHL Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Rangers)
Lost in Finals, 2-4 (Maple Leafs)
1967-68 74 42 22 10 236 167 94 700 1st, East Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Bruins)
Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Black Hawks)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Blues)
1968-69 76 46 19 11 271 202 103 780 1st, East Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Rangers)
Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Bruins)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Blues)
1969-70 76 38 22 16 244 201 92 892 5th, East Did not qualify
1970-71 78 42 23 13 291 216 97 1271 3rd, East Won in Quarterfinals, 4-3 (Bruins)
Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (North Stars)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-3 (Black Hawks)
1971-72 78 46 16 16 307 205 108 783 3rd, East Lost in Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Rangers)
1972-73 78 52 10 16 329 184 120 783 1st, East Won in Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Sabres)
Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Flyers)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Black Hawks)
1973-74 78 45 24 9 293 240 99 761 2nd, East Lost in Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Rangers)
1974-75 80 47 14 19 374 225 113 1155 1st, Norris Won in Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Canucks)
Lost in Semifinals, 2-4 (Sabres)
1975-76 80 58 11 11 337 174 127 977 1st, Norris Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Black Hawks)
Won in Semifinals, 4-1 (Islanders)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Flyers)
1976-77 80 60 8 12 387 171 132 764 1st, Norris Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Blues)
Won in Semifinals, 4-2 (Islanders)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Bruins)
1977-78 80 59 10 11 359 183 129 745 1st, Norris Won in Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Red Wings)
Won in Semifinals, 4-0 (Maple Leafs)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-2 (Bruins)
1978-79 80 52 17 11 337 204 115 803 1st, Norris Won in Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Maple Leafs)
Won in Semifinals, 4-3 (Bruins)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Rangers)
1979-80 80 47 20 13 328 240 107 874 1st, Norris Won in Preliminary Round, 3-0 (Whalers)
Lost in Quarterfinals, 3-4 (North Stars)
1980-81 80 45 22 13 332 232 103 1398 1st, Norris Lost in Preliminary Round, 0-3 (Oilers)
1981-82 80 46 17 17 360 223 109 1463 1st, Norris Lost in Division Semifinals, 2-3 (Nordiques)
1982-83 80 42 24 14 350 286 98 1116 2nd, Adams Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-3 (Sabres)
1983-84 80 35 40 5 286 295 75 1371 4th, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 3-0 (Bruins)
Won in Division Finals, 4-2 (Nordiques)
Lost in Conference Finals, 2-4 (Islanders)
1984-85 80 41 27 12 309 262 94 1464 1st, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 3-2 (Bruins)
Lost in Division Finals, 3-4 (Nordiques)
1985-86 80 40 33 7 330 280 87 1372 2nd, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 3-0 (Bruins)
Won in Division Finals, 4-3 (Whalers)
Won in Conference Finals, 4-1 (Rangers)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Flames)
1986-87 80 41 29 10 277 241 92 1802 2nd, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Bruins)
Won in Division Finals, 4-3 (Nordiques)
Lost in Conference Finals, 2-4 (Flyers)
1987-88 80 45 22 13 298 238 103 1830 1st, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Whalers)
Lost in Division Finals, 1-4 (Bruins)
1988-89 80 53 18 9 315 218 115 1537 1st, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Whalers)
Won in Division Finals, 4-1 (Bruins)
Won in Conference Finals, 4-2 (Flyers)
Lost in Finals, 2-4 (Flames)
1989-90 80 41 28 11 288 234 93 1590 3rd, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Sabres)
Lost in Division Finals, 1-4 (Bruins)
1990-91 80 39 30 11 273 249 89 1425 2nd, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Sabres)
Lost in Division Finals, 3-4 (Bruins)
1991-92 80 41 28 11 267 207 93 1556 1st, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 4-3 (Whalers)
Lost in Division Finals, 0-4 (Bruins)
1992-93 84 48 30 6 326 280 102 1788 3rd, Adams Won in Division Semifinals, 4-2 (Nordiques)
Won in Division Finals, 4-0 (Sabres)
Won in Conference Finals, 4-1 (Islanders)
Stanley Cup Champions, 4-1 (Kings)
1993-94 84 41 29 14 283 248 96 1524 3rd, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 3-4 (Bruins)
1994-952 48 18 23 7 125 148 43 840 6th, Northeast Did not qualify
1995-96 82 40 32 10 265 248 90 1847 3rd, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Rangers)
1996-97 82 31 36 15 249 276 77 1469 4th, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 1-4 (Devils)
1997-98 82 37 32 13 235 208 87 1547 4th, Northeast Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Penguins)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 0-4 (Sabres)
1998-99 82 32 39 11 184 209 75 1299 5th, Northeast Did not qualify
1999-00 82 35 34 9 4 196 194 83 1067 4th, Northeast Did not qualify
2000-01 82 28 40 8 6 206 232 70 1020 5th, Northeast Did not qualify
2001-02 82 36 31 12 3 207 209 87 974 4th, Northeast Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Bruins)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2-4 (Hurricanes)
2002-03 82 30 35 8 9 206 234 77 900 4th, Northeast Did not qualify
2003-04 82 41 30 7 4 208 192 93 1039 4th, Northeast Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-3 (Bruins)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 0-4 (Lightning)
2004-053
2005-064 82 42 31 9 243 247 93 1312 3rd, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Hurricanes)
2006-07 82 42 34 6 245 256 90 1312 4th, Northeast Did not qualify
Totals 5652 2907 1870 837 38 18597 15091 6687 70371 -

TG = Total Goals

1 The 1918-19 Stanley Cup Final was suspended after five games due to the Spanish Flu Pandemic.
2 Season was shortened due to the 1994-95 NHL lockout.
3 Season was cancelled due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout.
4 As of the 2005-06 NHL season, all games will have a winner; the OTL column includes SOL (Shootout losses).

[edit] Individual records

[edit] Career

[edit] All Times Scorers

Rank Name GP G A PTS PIM
1 Guy Lafleur 961 518 728 1246 381
2 Jean Béliveau 1125 507 712 1219 1029
3 Henri Richard 1256 358 688 1046 928
4 Maurice Richard 978 544 421 965 1285
5 Larry Robinson 1202 197 686 883 706
6 Yvan Cournoyer 968 428 435 863 255
7 Jacques Lemaire 853 366 469 835 217
8 Steve Shutt 871 408 368 776 400
9 Bernard Geoffrion 766 371 388 759 636
10 Elmer Lach 664 215 408 623 478

[edit] Season

[edit] Current roster

As of April 5, 2007. [2]

Goaltenders
# Player Catches Acquired Place of Birth
30 Flag of Switzerland David Aebischer L 2006 Fribourg, Switzerland
39 Flag of France Cristobal Huet L 2004 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
41 Flag of Slovakia Jaroslav Halak L 2003 Bratislava, Slovakia
49 Flag of Canada Michael Leighton L 2007 Petrolia, Ontario
Defencemen
# Player Shoots Acquired Place of Birth
6 Flag of Finland Janne Niinimaa L 2006 Raahe, Finland
8 Flag of United States Mike Komisarek R 2001 West Islip, New York
25 Flag of Canada Mathieu Dandenault R 2005 Sherbrooke, Quebec
26 Flag of Canada Josh Gorges L 2007 Kelowna, British Columbia
32 Flag of Switzerland Mark Streit L 2004 Englisberg, Switzerland
44 Flag of Canada Sheldon Souray - A L 2000 Elk Point, Alberta
51 Flag of United States Francis Bouillon L 2002 New York City, New York
79 Flag of Russia Andrei Markov L 1998 Voskresensk, U.S.S.R.
Forwards
# Player Position Shoots Acquired Place of Birth
11 Flag of Finland Saku Koivu - C C L 1993 Turku, Finland
14 Flag of Czech Republic Radek Bonk C L 2004 Krnov, Czechoslovakia
15 Flag of Russia Sergei Samsonov LW R 2006 Moscow, U.S.S.R.
20 Flag of Canada Mike Johnson RW R 2006 Scarborough, Ontario
21 Flag of United States Christopher Higgins C L 2002 Smithtown, New York
22 Flag of Canada Steve Begin LW L 2003 Trois-Rivières, Quebec
27 Flag of Russia Alexei Kovalev - A RW L 2004 Togliatti, U.S.S.R.
35 Flag of Czech Republic Tomas Plekanec C L 2001 Kladno, Czechoslovakia
40 Flag of Canada Maxim Lapierre C R 2003 Saint-Léonard, Quebec
42 Flag of Russia Alexander Perezhogin RW L 2001 Ust-Kamenogorsk, U.S.S.R.
46 Flag of Belarus Andrei Kostitsyn LW L 2003 Novopolotsk, U.S.S.R.
57 Flag of Canada Garth Murray LW L 2005 Regina, Saskatchewan
73 Flag of Canada Michael Ryder RW R 1998 Bonavista, Newfoundland
84 Flag of Canada Guillaume Latendresse RW L 2005 Sainte-Catherine, Quebec

[edit] Leaders

[edit] Team captains


[edit] Head coaches


[edit] Honored Members

For more details on this topic, see Montreal Canadiens notable players and award winners.

[edit] Pro Hockey Hall of Famers

In the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Canadiens boast the most enshrined Hall-of-Famers with forty-two. All of their inductees are from Canada with the exception of former Defenceman Joe Hall, who was from England. Thirty-six of these players are from three separate notable dynasties: 12 from 1955-1960, 11 from 1964-1969 and 13 from 1975-1979. Howie Morenz and Georges Vézina were the first Canadiens given the honor in 1945, while Patrick Roy and Dick Duff were the last to be inducted in 2006.

Montreal Canadiens Hall of Famers
Player Nat. Position Inducted Player Nat. Position Inducted Player Nat. Position Inducted
Howie Morenz Flag of Canada C 1945 Bill Durnan Flag of Canada G 1964 Yvan Cournoyer Flag of Canada RW 1982
Georges Vézina Flag of Canada G 1945 Hector "Toe" Blake Flag of Canada LW 1966 Ken Dryden Flag of Canada G 1983
Aurel Joliat Flag of Canada LW 1947 Ken Reardon Flag of Canada D 1966 Jacques Lemaire Flag of Canada C 1984
Newsy Lalonde Flag of Canada C 1950 Emile Bouchard Flag of Canada D 1966 Bert Olmstead Flag of Canada RW 1985
Joe Malone Flag of Canada C 1950 Elmer Lach Flag of Canada C 1966 Serge Savard Flag of Canada D 1986
Sprague Cleghorn Flag of Canada D 1958 Tom Johnson Flag of Canada D 1970 Jacques Laperriere Flag of Canada D 1987
Herb Gardiner Flag of Canada LW 1958 Jean Beliveau Flag of Canada C 1972 Guy Lafleur Flag of Canada RW 1988
Sylvio Mantha Flag of Canada D 1960 Bernard "Boom Boom" Geoffrion Flag of Canada RW 1972 Bud O'Connor Flag of Canada RW 1988
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Flag of Canada RW 1961 Doug Harvey Flag of Canada D 1973 Bob Gainey Flag of Canada LW 1992
Joe Hall Flag of United Kingdom D 1961 Dickie Moore Flag of Canada LW 1974 Guy Lapointe Flag of Canada D 1993
George Hainsworth Flag of Canada G 1961 Jacques Plante Flag of Canada G 1978 Steve Shutt Flag of Canada LW 1993
Jack Laviolette Flag of Canada D 1962 Henri "Pocket Rocket" Richard Flag of Canada C 1979 Larry Robinson Flag of Canada D 1995
Didier Pitre Flag of Canada D 1962 Lorne "Gump" Worsley Flag of Canada G 1980 Patrick Roy Flag of Canada G 2006
Albert "Babe" Siebert Flag of Canada LW 1964 Frank Mahovlich Flag of Canada LW 1981 Dick Duff Flag of Canada LW 2006

[edit] Retired numbers

The Canadiens have retired twelve numbers in their history, the most of any team in the National Hockey League, and the fourth highest total of any North American professional sports franchise. All of the honorees are Canadian born. Howie Morenz was the first honoree on November 2, 1937, while Ken Dryden was the last to have his number retired on January 29, 2007.[17]

Montreal Canadiens Retired Numbers
No. Player Retired No. Player Retired
1 Jacques Plante 1995 10 Guy Lafleur 1985
2 Doug Harvey 1995 12 Dickie Moore 2005
4 Jean Beliveau 1971 12 Yvan Cournoyer 2005
5 Bernard Geoffrion 2006 16 Henri Richard 1975
7 Howie Morenz 1937 18 Serge Savard 2006
9 Maurice Richard 1960 29 Ken Dryden 2007

* 99 Wayne Gretzky, number retired league-wide February 6, 2000

[edit] References

  1. ^ Stanley Cup Champions and Finalists. NHL.com (2007). Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  2. ^ Molson Centre renamed Bell Centre. CBC Sports (2002). Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  3. ^ The end of an era (The Montreal Forum). High Beam Research (1996). Retrieved on February 10, 2007.
  4. ^ The Complete List of Stanley Cup Champions. About.com (2007). Retrieved on February 14, 2006.
  5. ^ a b Canadiens press release on "Builders Row," December 14, 2006. http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsNewsDetails.cfm&newsItemID=5465
  6. ^ a b Montreal Canadiens entry at Sports ECyclopedia. http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/montreal/canadiens.html
  7. ^ King is Dethroned; Hockey, Canadiens-style, is not without its warts. The Montreal Gazette (2001). Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  8. ^ Career For The Ages. Sports Illustrated (2003). Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  9. ^ Canadiens usher in Carbonneau era. MontrealCanadiens.com (2006). Retrieved on May 10, 2006.
  10. ^ Dryden and Savard earn ultimate tribute. Montreal Canadiens (2006). Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
  11. ^ Dryden, Savard paid tribute. CBC Sports (2006). Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
  12. ^ Montreal will host 2009 NHL All-Star events. NHL.com (2007). Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  13. ^ 2007 NHL Standings. TSN (2007). Retrieved on February 25, 2007.
  14. ^ NHL 'quacked' up with hockey jersey switch. State News (2003). Retrieved on August 30, 2006.
  15. ^ Canadiens adopt Youppi! as their mascot. MSN (2005). Retrieved on February 1, 2007.
  16. ^ Montreal Canadiens season statistics and records. Hockeydb.com (2007). Retrieved on February 6, 2007.
  17. ^ Montreal Canadiens - Retired Numbers. MontrealCanadiens.com (2007). Retrieved on February 14, 2007.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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1952-53
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