Originally published in The Big Book of Sports Lists
1. Maurice Richard: The first player to score 50 goals in a season and 500 in a career is the all-time face of the franchise thanks to those fire-filled eyes.
2. Jean Béliveau: His elegant game and gentlemanly manner made Béliveau one of the best ambassadors Montreal – and the NHL – has ever known.
3. Guy Lafleur: In a city that cherishes style, nobody played with more élan than “The Flower,” the Canadiens’ all-time points leader.
4. Doug Harvey: Before there was Bobby Orr, hard-nosed Doug Harvey was pushing the attack from the back end.
5. Jacques Plante: An innovator who has more wins and games in the crease than any other Habs goalie.
6. Howie Morenz: The team’s first superstar and a three-time Hart Trophy winner had the entire city mourning when he passed away prematurely at age 34.
7. Larry Robinson: How does plus-700 in his Habs career sound? “Big Bird” was a force in every sense of the word.
8. Patrick Roy: Without his goaltending heroics the Canadiens never would have claimed their last two Cups in 1986 and 1993.
9. Aurèle Joliat: Small in stature but big on skill, Joliat often played beside Morenz to form an unstoppable duo in the 1920s and ’30s.
10. Henri Richard: The franchise leader in games played was as steady as they come, and has more Stanley Cup rings (11) than fingers.
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