Montreal Celebrates 100 - PART 4 (1930-1939)

The Great Depression was more than just an economic era. It was a tragedy that perpetuated within itself. The success of the last decade flowed strongly into the next. Les Canadiens won their second Stanley Cup in a row in the 1930-31 season.

Howie Morenz who had continually led the team in scoring, finally became the league's top scorer as well.



But things changed very quickly with the depression. Three-time Vezina winner George Hainsworth was traded away for Lorne Chabot. Chabot did well in winning the Vezina in his first year with Montreal. However, he was soon traded along with Morenz to Chicago the following year. The Canadiens would not win another title in this decade and lost many of their stars in efforts to keep finanacially sound. Morenz returned for the 1937 season only for tragedy to strike. He broke his leg in an on ice collision and was hospitalized. Unfortunately, he died through complications. A memorial game was played for his benefit, much like the one he played in for Ace Bailey.

One of the young stars that was added to the roster just before Morenz's death was a Hector "Toe" Blake. Blake would be the only other Canadiens player to be top scorer in this decade - toping the league in 1938-39.

Another Montreal star and MVP of the 1935-36 season was Albert "Babe" Siebert. When Siebert hung up his skates at the end of 1939 he was named as Head Coach of Montreal. Tragedy struck yet a gain as he drowned in August of that year having never recorded a win, a loss or a tie as coach.


This was the hardest decade for the Habitants who began with glory and struggled through the 1930's. But greater things were to come.

Montreal Celebrates 100 - PART 3 (1920-1929)

The 1920's were hard times yet not unimportant to the CANADIENS hockey club. The club won the Stanley Cup in the 1923-24 season. It would be the last time the trophy was competed for by three different leagues. (pictured are 4 cards from the 1923 V145 Patterson card series)

The Pacific Coast was represented by the PCHA Champions - Vancouver Maroons, while the Calgary Tigers of Western Canada won the WCHL. Montreal had to play them both in a series to win the Cup.

Captained by Sylvio Mantha, and backstopped by the league's top goalie - Vezina, the scoring was handled by Billy Boucher (2nd in NHL) and Aurel Joliat (3rd in NHL).

A rookie by the name of Howie Morenz placed 8th in the league scoring charts and led all scorers in the play-offs.

Unfortunately, George Vezina would die in 1926. His legacy is kept in the trophy named after him which the club donated the following season. However, his legacy did not stop there.

Dr. Brian Price would purchase Vezina's goalie pads for his company - In The Game (ITG). He would make the controversial decision to cut up the artifact to include pieces of it in his 2000-2001 Be A Player Memorabilia series of hockey cards.

He sold the packs for an unheard of $99 each - and sold out all his stock. These were also the very first card products to be sold encased in protective plastic. The hobby has since changed as never before as more and more companies follow this formula of numbering and limiting special edition trading cards with memorabilia.

George Vezina stick memorabilia card.