Top 5 NHL Players To Ever Wear A Montreal Canadiens Jersey
When attempting to compile a list of the top 5 NHL players to ever don a Canadiens jersey I was faced with the enormous task of sifting through a hundred years of grand tradition in order to come up with my selections for the best Montreal Canadiens of all time. So many legendary NHL stars have worn a Canadiens jersey over the years that to narrow it down to just five at first seemed like an impossible chore. Still, as with any sport there have been those few exceptionally gifted athletes who have risen to the top, and in the case of the Montreal Canadiens these athletes were easier to identify than I thought they’d be. Here are my selections for the top 5 players to ever sport a Montreal Canadiens jersey:
5 - Doug Harvey - Canadiens Jersey # 2
This was perhaps the hardest choice for me with a pair of legendary goalies (Jacques Plante and Patrick Roy) biting at Harvey’s heels. Still, with the exception of Bobby Orr no rearguard has dominated the position like Doug Harvey. His 7 career Norris trophies attest to his ability, and is only trumped by the 8 on Bobby Orr’s mantle.
4 - Ken Dryden - Canadiens Jersey # 29
Some might put Plante or Roy ahead of Dryden on the list of the top 5 best Montreal Canadiens ever, but for my money Ken Dryden is the best goaltender ever suit up for the Habs. Ken Dryden’s career was disappointingly brief for Habs fans. He only played 7 complete seasons before calling it a career. In that time he lost only a paltry 57 times in 397 games played, won 6 Stanley Cups, 5 Vezina trophies, a Conn Smythe trophy and a Calder trophy as rookie of the year. Just imagine what kind of numbers Ken Dryden would have put up had he worn a Canadiens jersey for 20 years.
3 - Guy Lafleur - Canadiens Jersey # 10
“The Flower” is one of the most feared snipers in NHL history, and few images in hockey are more vivid than Guy Lafleur speeding down the right wing, hair flying as he unleashed his devastating slapshot. Lafleur scored 1,246 points as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, and is the all time leader in that category. It is an incredible feat considering all the legendary players that have played with the team, and one that may never be broken.
2 - Jean Beliveau - Canadiens Jersey # 4
The Ultimate Montreal Canadien, Jean Beliveau is considered perhaps the classiest player in NHL history. This great Habs legend has his name on the Stanley Cup an unfathomable 17 times as a player and executive, a record that is probably as safe as any in professional sports. Beliveau finished his Hall of Fame career with 1,219 points, second to only Guy Lafleur in that category. No other player in team history has done the Canadiens jersey so proud.
1 - Maurice “Rocket” Richard - Canadiens Jersey # 9
There can be no argument that Montreal’s favorite son is none other than Rocket Richard. This fearsome competitor is arguably the deadliest sniper in league history, and was the first player to score 50 goals in a single season (accomplishing the feat in only 50 games), and score 500 goals over a career. He helped the Canadiens win 9 Stanley Cups during his playing days, and is the only sane choice as the best player to ever wear a Montreal Canadiens jersey.
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