Taken in full from itgtradingcards.com:
2008-09 Superlative™ Bleu Blanc et Rouge™
History of the Bleu Blanc et Rouge
The franchise was granted to J. Ambrose O’Brien in 1909 and it was one of the four teams that formed the National Hockey League in 1917. The team was officially named Le Club athlétique canadien in 1911 and was composed entirely of francophone players until the 1912-13 season. Led by Newsy Lalonde, Jack Laviolette and goalie Georges Vezina, the Canadiens won their first Stanley Cup in 1915-16.
The team established its reputation for flair, speed and offensive power personified by Howie Morenz the most exciting player of the 1920s and 1930s.
The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup in 1923-24, 1929-30 and 1930-31, but not again until 1943-44 and 1945-46, when the explosive Maurice Richard, goalie Bill Durnan, Toe Blake and Elmer Lach led the team.
In 1955-56 the team began an era of success unmatched in the history of professional hockey. The team won 5 straight Stanley Cups to 1959-60, 4 out of 5 from 1964-65 to 1968-69, again in 1970-71 and 1972-73, and another 4 straight 1975-76 to 1978-79 – an amazing record of 15 Stanley Cups in 24 years.
Individual stars of the period include; Maurice Richard, Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey, Jean Beliveau, Bernie Geoffrion, Henri Richard, Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard and Guy Lafleur.
The Canadiens moved into the Montreal Forum in 1924 (rebuilt in 1968). Their new arena, the Molson Centre, opened in 1996.
Throughout their history the Canadiens have been a symbol of pride and excellence for the sporting public of Québec. The Canadiens won their 23rd Stanley Cup in the 1985-86 season, setting a new record for professional sports championships, and their 24th Cup in 1992-93. Read more…
