Tomas Plekanec played most of his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, where he played 15 seasons and 984 of his 1,001 Games.  While he was not a superstar, he did have 608 career Points, with six seasons scoring at least 50.  Plekanec was a good two-way player and finished as high as seventh in Frank J. Selke in one year and received votes five other times. He played for the Habs until he was traded to Toronto in 2018, though he did come to Montreal for three Games in 2018-19.

After that brief return to Montreal, Plekanec returned to the Czech league until he retired in the 2022-23 Season. 

The Hockey Hall of Fame is not likely to call his name, but he has an outside shot for the IIHF Hall of Fame, as he represented the Czech Republic in two Olympics, one World Cup and eleven World Championships.

The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most iconic franchises in hockey and hold the record for the most Stanley Cup wins. Montreal, an Original Six team, has had many legendary goalies, but Carey Price holds the record for the most wins in a Habs uniform - 361 games.

Price was the top goalie in the Western Hockey League and was highly rated in the draft. He debuted for the Canadiens in 2007 and quickly became their lead goalie, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Although he had some ups and downs in the next two seasons, Price led the NHL in wins (38) in the 2010-11 season and had his first sub-2.50 GAA year (2.35). He was fifth in Vezina and seventh in Hart voting, cementing his place as the star the Canadiens had hoped for when they drafted him.

Price continued to impress, earning top-ten Vezina Trophy finishes in 2012-13 (10th) and 2013-14 (4th). However, his 2014-15 season was nothing short of legendary, leading the NHL in wins (44), save percentage (.933), goals against average (1.96), and goalie point shares (16.2). He swept the awards, winning the Vezina, William M. Jennings, Hart, and Ted Lindsay Award. This came just a year after he helped Canada win a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Price suffered an MCL sprain the year after his monster campaign, limiting him to just 12 games. However, he bounced back with a third-place Vezina finish in 2016-17, where he had a 2.23 GAA over 62 games. He had another great year in 2019-20, anchoring Montreal to an improbable Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to Tampa Bay in the Finals. The fact that Montreal even made it there was a testament to Price's skills.

Sadly, that was likely the last great moment of Price's career. He faced personal and health issues afterward, and though he returned for five games in 2021-22, it was clear that his career was over. Price won the Bill Masterson Award that year, and he left the NHL, establishing his legacy as one of the greatest goalies of all time.

From Toronto, P.K. Subban won two Gold Medals in World Junior Hockey action before he joined the team that drafted him in the second round in 2007, Montreal.  Subban was an All-Rookie in 2010-11, and two years later, in the strike-shortened 2012-13 campaign, he won the Norris Trophy on the strength of 38 Points in 42 Games.  With the Habs, Subban was a First Team All-Star not only in his Norris year but also two years later.

In a shocking trade, Subban was sent to Nashville in a deal that saw the fellow defensive star, Shea Weber, go the other way.  Subban remained strong in his new environment, collecting Second Team All-Star honors in 2018, a year after he propelled the Predators to their first Stanley Cup appearance.  The charismatic superstar concluded his career with two seasons in New Jersey, where he won the King Clancy Award in his now final year.

In addition to his two Golds as a Junior, Subban won Gold for Canada in the 2014 Olympics and back-to-back Golds in the 2008 and 2009 World Juniors.

Glen Harmon played all nine of his NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens where he assisted the Habs in winning the Stanley Cup in 1944 and 1946.  Harmon was a very efficient player who twice was named a Second Team All-Star but in terms of a modern look he more importantly led the league in Defensive Point Shares (1946 & 1949).  With all due respect to the fans of Montreal, arguably the best fanbase in the league, his legacy in Montreal is not as strong as it should be.

While Ted Harris was not a goal scorer by any means (he never had a 10 Goal Season) he provided rugged defense and a physical presence over his career.  Five times an All Star, Harris would win five Stanley Cups over his career (four with Montreal and one with Philadelphia) and he was a named to the Second Team All Star roster in the 1968-69 season.  Notably in the 1965-66 season (a campaign where he recorded no Goals) he would lead the NHL in Plus/Minus.

While he was in the shadow (and actually played in it) of his big brother, “The Big M” Frank Mahovolich, Pete Mahovolich was quite the player in his own right.

Mats Naslund was a star with the Montreal Canadiens throughout the 1980’s and while Patrick Roy received the bulk of the credit for the Has shocking Stanley Cup win in 1986, it was Naslund who was the offensive star of the team.  The Swedish star was a Second Team All Star and a Lady Byng Trophy winner and internationally speaking he would represent his country multiple times including an Olympic Gold Medal win in 1994.  Had Naslund played longer in the NHL (which he could have, but he elected to play in Europe instead) he might be ranked a little higher.

From the famous Boucher hockey family (two of his brothers, Frank and George are in the Hockey Hall of Fame) Billy Boucher was a very good player in his own right and was Stanley Cup Champion in 1924 with the Montreal Canadiens.  Bucher debuted in Montreal in the 1921/22 season as a rookie where his 17 Goals placed him eighth that year and he would post a career high of 23 the following season where he was second overall in the NHL.  Boucher would finish in the top ten the next two seasons after but his production would shut down after that and realistically his career was four very good bordering on excellent seasons followed by mediocrity.

Petr Svoboda quietly carved out a long and fruitful career in the NHL where he played 1,028 Games.  Svoboda didn’t actually enter the National Hockey League in the quietest of ways, as he was a Czechoslovakian defector but it proved advantageous quickly as he was a member of the Stanley Cup Championship Montreal Canadians in his second year in the league. 

It is a sad day for the Montreal Canadiens and the world of hockey as it was announced today that Henri Richard passed away at the age of 84.

The younger brother of Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Henri was nicknamed the “Pocket Rocket” in reference to his small stature.  While he may have played part of his career in his brother’s shadow, the younger Richard was a superstar in his own right.  

Playing his entire 20-year career with the Canadiens, Richard debuted in 1955-56, and two years later he would lead the NHL in Assists.  That season, the Centre would earn a First Team All-Star selection for the first and only time.  Richard would later be a Second Team All-Star three more times, and in 1962-63, he won his second Assists Title.  Overall, he would score 1,046 Points in 1,258 regular season games.

Richard was not just a playmaker, but he was also a leader.  Henri took over the captaincy of the Habs in 1971 from the legendary Jean Beliveau, and he would wear the “C” until his retirement in 1975.  

Montreal was a league powerhouse while he was there.  In 11 of his 20 seasons, Richard would hoist the Stanley Cup over his head, the most won by any player.  This is a record that will never be broken.  He had 129 Points in the playoffs.  Richard was chosen for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, family and fans of Henri Richard.

The Montreal Canadians are one of the most successful franchises in NHL history and Jean Guy Talbot is a significant part of that success.  Talbot was a member of seven Stanley Cup wins and would play in six All Star Games.  A somewhat forgotten member of those teams, Talbot was also a First Team All Star in 1961-62 and he finished third in Norris Trophy voting that year.   It is also very notable to us that Talbot would lead the National Hockey League twice in Defensive Point Shares.

A two-time All-Star with a 22-year professional career, Mathieu Schneider was one of the best American born blueliner in the game’s history.  Schneider was adept on the offensive side of the game as he scored over 700 Points and Internationally played for the U.S. on their 1996 World Cup winning team.  Schneider’s Hall of Fame chances almost depend on his longevity, but that is not always a stat that matters.

In the era of star centers, it is easy to forget about Bobby Smith. As a player who once scored more points than Wayne Gretzky to win the OMJHL scoring title, Smith entered the NHL with a bang winning the Calder Trophy with the Minnesota North Stars. Smith was a quiet star in the NHL who was leadership and passing skills seemed to go unnoticed expect during playoff runs in Minnesota and Montreal. Smith finished his career with over 1,000 points but he seemed to do so without a lot of people taking notice.

A converted winger, J.C. Tremblay made the transition to defense look easy. As a converted forward, Tremblay understood the offensive aspects of the game and was a natural playmaker from the blue line. Tremblay’s last two years with the Habs saw him reach his best points totals, but it could be argued that his best years were out of the NHL. Tremblay joined the WHA’s Quebec Nordiques and was easily among the best defenders in the league. His WHA output was good and had he chose to stay in the NHL it could be debated that he might have had a potential induction by now.

Claude Provost is the answer to a few unwanted trivia questions. He currently is the man who has his name etched on the Stanley Cup Trophy the most times without being in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He also has the most All Star appearances of any non Hall of Fame Member. It could be because Claude Provost was primarily a checker (though about as good as they came) and maybe because he was on a star studded Montreal Canadians dynasty that he got forgotten by the Hall. Though he was on those amazing Habs teams, Provost was a key part of that success and earned all of his names on Lord Stanley’s Mug; all nine of them.

A solid two-way defenseman, Eric Desjardins was one of the better players behind the blue line during the 1990s. Desjardins could help stop the puck as well as help put it in the net. He won a Stanley Cup with the Habs in 1993 and upon being traded to Philadelphia he was even more productive. He was easily their best defenseman and was good enough to represent Canada on three World Class National teams. Desjardins was a star, and with 575 career points he could receive a look, but chances are that will be all he will receive.

As the second selection in the 1982 NHL draft, Brian Bellows struggled with the initial comparison to Wayne Gretzky. Once he shook off the yoke of living off the disappointment, Bellows settled into a solid career becoming one of the key players for the Minnesota North Stars. Bellows became the youngest captain (though an interim) in 1983 and his leadership became evident as it was for him when he led the Kitchener Rangers to a Memorial Cup. Bellows was a star for the North Stars on and off the ice, where in Minnesota he became famous for his charitable endeavors. As one of the few players with over 1,000 points he should be an outside threat to break into the Hall, though he never did crack 100 points in any season. Brian Bellows could get into the Hall, but he may have a continued wait ahead of him.

The forgotten third center of the Montreal Canadians, Ralph Backstrom was a forgotten grinder on the great Hans team of the 60’s. As he was primarily on a checking line (and not French Canadian), he was not necessarily the poster boy of Canadians Hockey. Still, Backstrom was a multi time All Star and a pivotal member of many Stanley Cup wins. Like many, Backstrom bolted for the WHA and was a force there. Similar to others on this list, Ralph Backstrom’s tenure in the World Hockey Association might be to his determent for Hall consideration.

Known for his strong defensive skills as a hockey player, Don Marshall did not necessarily come by those skills naturally. Upon joining the loaded Montreal Canadians, he was asked to focus on the defensive and checking attributes. It worked, and as Marshall would venture across various teams he was able to use these new-found skills while still able to contribute on offense. A quiet leader and a dependable asset, he was always considered a great teammate. He won’t make the Hall, but at some point, it would be nice if he received a few props from some of the teams he played for in the past.

A solid goal scorer during his sting with Montreal, Stephane Richer gave Montreal fans a blast from the past and hope for a future with a French Canadian offensive star playing for Les Habitants. Richer was the first Montreal player since Guy LaFleur to score 50 goals a season. Richer accomplished that feat twice and was known throughout the NHL for his blistering shot. Once Richer’s skills eroded, he lacked the intangibles to remain an effective player late in his career and he bounced around the league. Still, Richer finished with 421 goals and had two Stanley Cup rings and was able to have an effective career.