All-Time Montreal Canadiens Team

[ScottM]

 

We'll see how this goes, but my plan is to do each team, one every few days. Depending on how it turns out, I may even do defunct teams or WHA teams, etc. These may differ from my lists in the all-time lineups in the other thread. I'm trying to go a little more in-depth with my looks at the players in this series than I did there.

 

Anyway, I couldn't think of a better team to start out with the the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are obviously the most prestigious franchise in NHL history, and have the richest history. As such, this selection is likely to be the most controversial squad, simply for the fact that there are so many greats to choose from.

 

Without further ado, here is my all-time Montreal Canadiens team.

 

First Line: Aurele Joliat, Howie Morenz, Maurice Richard

Second Line: Dickie Moore, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur

Third Line: Toe Blake, Henri Richard, Bernie Geoffrion

Fourth Line: Bob Gainey, Joe Malone, Yvan Cournier

 

First Defensive Pair: Doug Harvey, Larry Robinson

Second Defensive Pair: Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard

Third Defensive Pair: J. C. Tremblay, Tom Johnson

 

Goaltenders: Ken Dryden, Jacques Plante, Bill Durnan

 

Coach: Toe Blake

 

The toughest decisions for me were these:

Choosing between Morenz and Beliveau for first and second lines. I went back and forth a few times before settling.

Choosing between Durnan, Hainsworth, and Vezina for the last goalie slot. If the Canadiens have ever have depth at any position (and boy, have they), it's goalie.

 

I fully expect that some of my selections will draw some controversy. What do you think I did right? Where did I mess it up? What guys do you think I got out of order? Want to add to the discussion? Make your own historical Canadiens team.

[yave1964]

@ScottM

I cannot go as far back as Morenz and Joliat. Obviously I absolutely LOVE the history of our game, the best sport in the history of sport, bar none.

I have a difficult time thinking of stars in the early years of our game before it was not properly established in the same light as some others do. For me, post WW2 is where I would personally use as the arbitrary starting point. If you want to go back further, fine, I just don't believe that statistical information is subtle enough to allow for it. I know Morenz in his day was loved and hated and the games first big marquee star, I know the tragedy that rode along side of him. I just don't know enough to consider him or Joliat upon statistical evidence. Same with Malone.

So for me, my top lines, defensive combos and goalies are:

Rocket, Beliveau, Dickie

Lafleur, Pocket, Boom Boom

Toe Big M, Cournoyer

Gainey, Lemaire, Shutt

Defense

Harvey Robinson

Lapointe Savard

T. Johnson Tremblay

Plante

Dryden

Either Dunham or Price

[ScottM]

Obviously I absolutely LOVE the history of our game, the best sport in the history of sport, bar none.

 

Amen to that!

 

 

I cannot go as far back as Morenz and Joliat. Obviously I absolutely LOVE the history of our game, the best sport in the history of sport, bar none.

I have a difficult time thinking of stars in the early years of our game before it was not properly established in the same light as some others do. For me, post WW2 is where I would personally use as the arbitrary starting point. If you want to go back further, fine, I just don't believe that statistical information is subtle enough to allow for it. I know Morenz in his day was loved and hated and the games first big marquee star, I know the tragedy that rode along side of him. I just don't know enough to consider him or Joliat upon statistical evidence. Same with Malone.

 

Fair enough. The earliest years of the league are the most difficult to compare. No argument here on that.

 

I wanted to cover the entire team history, but everyone is more than welcome to do this however this however they see fit. I just thought it would be a fun conversation.

 

One thing's for sure: with the Habs there is no shortage of players to choose from. I considered all the guys that you included that weren't on my list as well as a few more. There were a lot of tough calls on this one.

[ScottM]

Looking at this post again, I really feel like I made a pretty big and glaring omission. I left Elmer Lach off. I really feel that I should have placed him on the thrid line.

[jammer2]

@ScottM  Ha...I was just going to say....where is Elmer?  You beat me to it...but good job. It is tough knowing where to draw the line on the older players. I've read enough on Morenz to include him and have no problem doing so....but I do understand how others would question it also. Funny, how time blurs the lines of objectivity. in 3000 years, some question whether Jesus really walked the earth...and in 50+ years since WW2...some are now questioning the Nazi slaughtering of the Jews.....claiming the Holocaust never occured....unreal.

[JagerMeister]

@ScottM  Ha...I was just going to say....where is Elmer?  You beat me to it...but good job. It is tough knowing where to draw the line on the older players. I've read enough on Morenz to include him and have no problem doing so....but I do understand how others would question it also. Funny, how time blurs the lines of objectivity. in 3000 years, some question whether Jesus really walked the earth...and in 50+ years since WW2...some are now questioning the Nazi slaughtering of the Jews.....claiming the Holocaust never occured....unreal.

In a few years, some will question whether Obama was actually black.

[jammer2]

In a few years, some will question whether Obama was actually black.

 

 I feel safer knowing there is actual video of him shooting hoops....