Most Famous Montreal Canadiens Players

A deck by Faye Renoir · 20 cards

The most renowned players ever to play for the Montreal Canadiens, ranked by Wikipedia reach.

P. K. Subban

Pernell-Karl Sylvester Subban is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Between 2009 and 2022, he played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, and New Jersey Devils. The Canadiens selected Subban in the second round, 43rd overall, of the 2007 NHL entry draft. In 2013, he won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenceman, and tied with Kris Letang as the season's leading scorer among defencemen. In the summer of 2014, he signed an eight-year, $72 million contract with the Canadiens, running through the 2021–22 season. After the 2015–16 season, Subban was traded to the Nashville Predators, where he spent three seasons before being traded to New Jersey in 2019. He is now a broadcast analyst for the NHL on ESPN.

Maurice Richard

Maurice Richard is a Canadian ice hockey player (1921–2000).

Raphael Diaz

Raphael Diaz is a Swiss ice hockey player.

Saku Koivu

Saku Koivu is a Finnish ice hockey player.

Patrick Roy

Patrick Jacques Roy is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach, executive, and former player who most recently was the head coach for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Roy was hailed in sports media as "king of goaltenders" and was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history in 2017. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick", he split his playing career in the National Hockey League (NHL) between the Montreal Canadiens, with whom he played for 11 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he played for eight years. Roy won the Stanley Cup four times during his career, two with each franchise.

Eric Staal

Eric Craig Staal is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played eighteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Florida Panthers. Eric is the oldest of the Staal brothers, who include former teammates Marc, Jordan, and Jared.

Thomas Vanek

Thomas Vanek is an Austrian former professional ice hockey winger who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Vancouver Canucks. Vanek was drafted by the Sabres fifth overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft, making him the highest-drafted Austrian player in NHL history along with David Reinbacher in the 2023 NHL entry draft. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2026.

Georges Vézina

Georges Vézina is a Ice Hockey Goaltender (1887–1926).

Jean Béliveau

Jean Béliveau is a Canadian ice hockey player (1931–2014).

Jacques Plante

Joseph Jacques Omer Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. During a career as a goaltender lasting from 1947 to 1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey. He played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1953 to 1963; during his tenure, the team won the Stanley Cup six times, including five consecutive wins. In 2017 Plante was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.

Howie Morenz

Howie Morenz is a Canadian ice hockey player (1902–1937).

Guy Lafleur

Guy Lafleur is a Canadian ice hockey player (1951-2022).

Chris Chelios

Chris Chelios is a American ice hockey player.

Trevor Linden

Trevor Linden is a Canadian ice hockey player.

Mats Näslund

Mats Torsten Näslund, nicknamed "Le Petit Viking", is a Swedish former ice hockey player. He played as a left winger. Despite his small size at only five feet and seven inches, Näslund is best known for being one of the top forwards with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens from 1982 to 1990. In addition to the Canadiens, Näslund played for Timrå IK, Brynäs IF, and Malmö IF of the Swedish Elite League, and HC Lugano of the National League A between 1975 and 1994. He made a short NHL comeback attempt in 1995 with the Boston Bruins following the 1994–95 NHL lockout, and retired after the season's conclusion.

Robert Lang

Robert Lang is a Czech former professional ice hockey player. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the fifth round, 133rd overall, of the 1990 NHL entry draft, Lang made his NHL debut with the team in the 1992–93 season. He has also played for the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens and Phoenix Coyotes, with whom he retired with in 2010.

Tomáš Vokoun

Tomáš Vokoun is a Czech ice hockey player.

Valeri Bure

Valeri Bure is a Russian ice hockey player.

Shea Weber

Shea Weber is a Canadian ice hockey player.

Corey Perry

Corey Perry is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played the first 14 years of his career with the Anaheim Ducks where he won the Stanley Cup in 2007. He has also played for the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.