Throughout their long and storied history, the Montreal Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, which is the most of any team by a large margin. The team won its first Stanley Cup back in 1916, and its most recent win came in 1993.
While the Canadiens haven’t always been the best team in recent decades, there was a period of time when they were essentially unbeatable. Throughout the mid-20th century, the Canadiens were consistently one of the best hockey teams on the planet and won many games.
This article is going to go over how many Stanley Cups the team has won and take a closer look at some of the most important wins in their history.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- The Montreal Canadiens have won an astonishing 24 Stanley Cups throughout their history, which is by far the most of any team.
- The team won their first Stanley Cup in 1916, and their most recent in 1993.
- While they enjoyed success in many different periods, they won 16 Stanley Cups between 1953 and 1979.
The First Stanley Cup
The very first Stanley Cup that the Montreal Canadiens took home was back in 1916. At the time, the Canadiens were a member of the NHA (National Hockey Association) and they faced off against the Portland Rosebuds of the PCHA (Pacific Coast Hockey Association).
Back in these times, the Stanley Cup was a best of five battle between champions from the NHA and the PCHA, instead of the battle between two teams from the same league like it is now.
The Canadiens won the NHA with a record of 16-7-1, and the Rosebuds won the PCHA with a record of 13-5. The first, third, and fifth games were played using NHA rules, while the second and fourth games were played using PCHA rules.
The series would go to five games, with Montreal winning the final game to be crowned Stanley Cup champion for the first time. The team was led by future Hall of Famers Newsy Lalonde, Didier Pitre, Jack Laviolette, and Georges Vezina.
The Decades of Dominance
The Canadiens would win a couple of Stanley Cups over the next few decades after their first, but it was in the 1950s that the team truly began to dominate the competition. They would go on to win five Stanley Cups that decade, in 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959.
These teams were littered with future Hall of Famers and they had incredible players at every single position. Some of the players who helped them dominate in the competition in the 1950s were Maurice and Henri Richard, Jean Beliveau, Doug Harvey, and Jacques Plante.
The team followed up their success in the 1950s with a lot of Stanley Cup wins in the 60s, and 70s, as well. Some of the previous players contributed to the success in these decades, as well as players like Ken Dryden, Guy Lafleur, Yvan Cournoyer, and Larry Robinson.
In total, the team won 16 Stanley Cups between 1953 and 1979 and appeared in many more. Following the decades of dominance, the Canadiens only won a single Stanley Cup in the 80s, in 1986.
The Last Stanley Cup
The last and most recent Stanley Cup win for the Montreal Canadiens came in 1993. The Canadiens had a respectable season, but weren’t seen as a favorite. Their path to the Stanley Cup Final was made easier when the Penguins and Bruins were both eliminated early.
Once in the final, the Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings in five games to capture the Stanley Cup. The team was led by Patrick Roy, Denis Savard, Guy Carbonneau, Vincent Damphousse, and many others.
This was also the last time that a Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup as of 2023. The Montreal Canadiens would make the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, but would ultimately lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.
The team is young and talented with players like Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, and Cole Caufield only getting better, so they will certainly have a chance to win another in the future.
FAQs
Here are a few frequently asked questions about the Stanley Cup history of the Montreal Canadiens, along with their answers.
How many Stanley Cup Finals appearances does Montreal have?
The Montreal Canadiens have won an impressive 24 Stanley Cups, but have actually appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals a record 35 times.
Which Montreal player has won the most Stanley Cups?
The Montreal Canadiens player who has won the most Stanley Cups is Henri Richard. Throughout his 20-year career with the team, he would win 11 Stanley Cups.
Final Thoughts
The Montreal Canadiens have been the most successful NHL team in history as they have won 24 Stanley Cups. They enjoyed much of their success from the 1950s to the 1970s, but have also won plenty of Stanley Cups outside of those decades.
Is there anything else you feel I should have mentioned about the Montreal Canadiens in this article? If so, let me know in a comment below.
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