HHOF - Montreal Canadiens: 1964-65 to 1968-69

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NHL Dynasties

Montreal Canadiens

1964‐65 to 1968‐69

Montreal Canadiens team photo

Entwined with the dynasty enjoyed by the Toronto Maple in the 1960s were the Montreal Canadiens, who won four championships in five seasons, meaning that the Canadian franchises monopolized Stanley Cup championships during that decade. The Canadiens triumphed over Chicago in 1965, beat Detroit in 1966 and then, in the new Expansion era, defeated the St. Louis Blues in the back‐to‐back seasons of 1968 and 1969.

Montreal was hungry to return to the glory days of the 1950s when they captured five Stanley Cup championships in a row. While they didn't accomplish that feat, the Canadiens definitely iced an accomplished lineup with a mix of veterans who had experienced the previous dynasty and younger players who benefited from the experience of the veterans but brought their own talents to the team. One of those was Jean Beliveau, who was the inaugural winner of the Conn Smythe Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs, winning in 1965.

Jean Beliveau (1972), Dick Duff (2006) and Henri Richard (1979) were Honoured Members who already had Stanley Cup wins under their belt. The three were members of each of the four victories of this dynasty, and were joined by Yvan Cournoyer (1982), Jacques Laperriere (1987) and veteran Gump Worsley (1980). Other members of the team who contributed to these wins were Guy Lapointe (1993), Jacques Lemaire (1984), Serge Savard (1986) and Rogie Vachon (2016). Once again, Toe Blake's leadership contributed significantly to the successes of the Canadiens at this time. Blake was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1966.

Quotables

“I really don't understand why everybody is so anxious to compare the Montreal Canadiens of the 1950s with the team of the late '70s. There was a team in the middle that might have been as good.”

‐ Montreal GM Sam Pollock

“In the 1960s we had a very good team but we were not head and shoulders above the rest of the league as we had been in the 1950s. The difference was that we had the very best coach {Toe Blake} in hockey and a man who could get the best out of his players at all times.”

‐ Jean Beliveau

Summary

Stanley Cups: 4
Stanley Cup Finals Record: 16‐5
Regular Season Winning %: .639
Regular Season 1st‐Place Finishes: 3
Individual Trophy Winners: 5
Individuals Selected To All‐Star Teams 12

Hockey Hall of Fame Members: (11) Jean Beliveau, Toe Blake, Yvan Cournoyer, Tony Esposito, Jacques Laperriere Guy Lapointe, Jacques Lemaire, Sam Pollock, Henri Richard, Serge Savard, Gump Worsley

Players On All 4 Stanley Cup Champions: (13) Ralph Backstrom, Jean Beliveau, Yvan Cournoyer Dick Duff, John Ferguson, Terry Harper, Ted Harris, Jacques Laperriere, Claude Provost, Henri Richard, Bobby Rousseau, J.C. Tremblay, Gump Worsley

Tidbits

In 1965, Jean Beliveau became the first winner of a new honour, the Conn Smythe Trophy, which goes to the playoff MVP. Beliveau scored the cup-winning goal in the seventh game that year.


In the four years that the Habs won the Stanley Cup, no Montreal player finished higher than third in regular season scoring (Bobby Rousseau in 1966).


Tony Esposito appeared in 13 games as a rookie for the 1968‐69 Habs, but saw no ice time in that season's playoffs.

Summary

Stanley Cups: 4
Stanley Cup Finals Record: 16‐5
Regular Season Winning %: .639
Regular Season 1st‐Place Finishes: 3
Individual Trophy Winners: 5
Individuals Selected To All‐Star Teams 12

Hockey Hall of Fame Members: (11) Jean Beliveau, Toe Blake, Yvan Cournoyer, Tony Esposito, Jacques Laperriere Guy Lapointe, Jacques Lemaire, Sam Pollock, Henri Richard, Serge Savard, Gump Worsley

Players On All 4 Stanley Cup Champions: (13) Ralph Backstrom, Jean Beliveau, Yvan Cournoyer Dick Duff, John Ferguson, Terry Harper, Ted Harris, Jacques Laperriere, Claude Provost, Henri Richard, Bobby Rousseau, J.C. Tremblay, Gump Worsley