The Montreal Canadiens have a long, rich history that any hockey fan should be familiar with. The Canadiens have won 24 Stanly Cups, by far the most of any team in NHL history. A staggers 25 of the total Stanley Cups awarded since 1927 when the cup became the league’s only prize. Furthermore, a long list of hockey’s greatest players have worn a Canadien jersey and as a team it is one of the most beloved in the league still today.

Early History
The Canadiens were founded in 1909 as a charter member of the NHA, which later became the NHL. The team originally was to be made of only francophone players with francophone ownership, however, after a poor first season, ownership switched hands and the plan was abandoned. The team improved and won its first Stanley cup during the 1915-16 season, and another during the 1923-24 season after the NHA had become the NHL. The Canadiens continued being competitive with two more wins in 1930 and 1931 before declining heavily because of the Great Depression. With sales and team performance poor between the Canadiens and their rivals the Montreal Maroons, the team was nearly sold to Cleveland, Ohio. Instead investors were found and the two teams combined forces.

NHL Domination
From 1940 through 1979, the team became one of the dominant forces in the league. Numerous all-stars graced their roster and during that 39 year span, the team took home 18 Stanley cup trophies, including an NHL record five in a row from 1956 to 1960, and ten Stanley cups over the course of 15 seasons from 1965 to 1979.

The Team We Know Today
The Canadiens aren’t the force they once were in the National Hockey League, however, they remain to be the most decorated team in the history of the sport, and the team with the most overall wins. The Canadiens won at least one championship per decade from 1910 to 1990, until the 2000s when that streak was broken. This tells me that the Canadiens are overdue, and poised to once again take the NHL by storm and reclaim the throne that belonged to them for so long.