1977-78 Montreal Canadiens Guy Lafleur Jersey

After beginning he career with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Junior Hockey League in the 1966-67 season with eight games, Guy Lafleur played two more seasons for the Aces, scoring 30 goals and 49 points in 43 games in 1967-68, but really turned heads in 1968-69 with 50 goals and 110 points in 49 games of the 1968-69 season, averaging more than a goal and more than an assist per game.

A young Lafleur with the Quebec Aces

He then progressed up the ladder to the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he blossomed with a league leading 103 goals and 170 points in 56 games in 1969-70. Then, in just 15 playoff games, Lafleur scored 43 points from 25 goals and 18 assists.

With Lafleur looking to be a can't miss NHL prospect available in the 1971 NHL Draft, the Montreal Canadiens General Manager Sam Pollock, looking to replace the aging Jean Beliveau, who would play just one more NHL season, fleeced the California Golden Seals by sending them Montreal's first choice in the 1970 draft and Ernie Hicke for not only the Golden Seals first pick in the 1971 draft, but a player, Francois Lacombe, as well.

Lafleur announced his readiness for the NHL with a stellar second season with the Remparts, when he again led the league with an astonishing 130 goals on his way to a 209 points to earn the Jean Beliveau Trophy as the QMJHL scoring champion. Lefleur then duplicated his playoff performance from 1970 when he scored an identical 43 points, only now in one game less than the previous year, 14. The Remparts then advance to the Memorial Cup playoffs, where the prolific Lafleur averaged 2 points per game with 9 goals and 5 assists in 7 games as Quebec won the Memorial Cup.

Lafleur celebrates winning the 1971 Memorial Cup

Hoping the Golden Seals would come through by finishing last, Pollock was alarmed when the Los Angeles Kings began playing quite poorly in 1970-71. In an effort to shore up the Kings, Pollock sent veteran Ralph Backstrom to Los Angeles. The addition of Backstrom ensured that the Kings would avoid the cellar and secured the first pick of Lafleur for Montreal.

With Lafleur safely now a part of the bleu, blanc et rouge, he produced 29 goals and 64 points as an NHL rookie in 73 games in 1971-72. His next two seasons were similar, with 28 goals and 55 points in 1972-73 and a drop in goals to 21 in 1973-74, but an increase in assists saw his point total increase to 56. During the 1973 playoffs, Lafleur contributed 3 goals and 8 points in 17 games as the Canadiens won the first Stanley Cup of his career.

A Guy Lafleur rookie card

As if someone flipped a switch, Lafleur took his game to another level for the 1974-75 season when he scored the first of his six consecutive 50 or more goal seasons when he scored 53 goals and 66 assists for 119 points to lead the Canadiens in scoring for the first time.

The 1975-76 season saw Lafleur lead not only the Canadiens, but all of the NHL with 56 goals and 69 assists for 125 points for his first Art Ross Trophy. During the Stanley Cup playoffs, Lafleur would score the cup winning goal for Montreal as they defeated the two-time champion Philadelphia Flyers, whose slug it until you win it style could not overcome the speed and skill of the Canadiens. Following the season, Lafleur was voted as the winner of the Pearson Award as the Most Valuable Player by his fellow players.

Lafleur with the Canadiens in 1975-76

Before the 1976-77 season began, Lafleur made his international hockey debut as a part of Team Canada that would win the inaugural Canada Cup tournament over Czechoslovakia.

Lafleur won the Canada Cup in 1976 against the Czechs

Lafleur would dominate the 1976-77 NHL season when he won his second consecutive Art Ross Trophy with a career high 136 points from 56 goals and 80 assists. He would finish the season a +89 and win not only the Pearson Award, but also his first Hart Trophy as NHL MVP as voted on my the NHL Hockey Writers Association. His 9 goals and 17 assists would lead all players in playoff scoring as the Canadiens would win the 1977 Stanley Cup over the rival Boston Bruins. His efforts would earn Lafleur the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. In recognition of his outstanding NHL season, he was the recipient of both the Lionel Conacher Award as Canada's Top Male Athlete and the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's Top Athlete.

Lafleur being presented the Art Ross Trophy by Ted Lindsay

Still fully on top of his game, the fluid skating right winger continued to dominate the NHL in 1977-78. He set a career high by hitting the 60 goal plateau and added 72 assists for 132 points to claim his third consecutive Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer. He would also win his second consecutive Hart Trophy and third straight Pearson Award as league MVP. The Canadiens, led by Lafleur's 21 points in 15 games, would defeat the Bruins again for their third straight Stanley Cup, the fourth of Lafleur's career.

Yvon Lambert, Yvan Cournoyer and Guy Lafleur

hoisting the Stanley Cup in 1978

Despite a 52 goal, 129 point season, Lafleur would finally have to relinquish his standing at the NHL's top scorer, finishing third behind Bryan Trottier (134) and Marcel Dionne (130). Al l was not lost, however, as the Canadiens would capture their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup and 5th for Lafleur, when they defeated the New York Rangers as Lafleur led the team in scoring with 23 playoff points.

During the 1978-79 season, Lafleur was also named as a member of the NHL All-Star team that took part in the 1979 Challenge Cup, a three game series against the Soviet Union that took the place of the traditional NHL All-Star Game that season.

Lafleur's sixth and final 50 goal season came in 1979-80 when he led the Canadiens for the sixth consecutive season with 125 points, which was again good for third in the league behind NHL newcomer Wayne Gretzky and Marcel Dionne, who tied with 137 points. His feat made him the first player to ever have six consecutive 50 goal, 100 point seasons in league history.

Age and injuries would begin to take their toll on Lafleur beginning with the 1980-81 season, as he was limited to 51 games, never having played less than 70 during his previous nine NHL seasons. He did score his 1,000th point on March 4, 1981, setting a then NHL record for the fastest player to 1,000 points, having done so in just 720 games.

Lafleur acknowledging the fans after scoring his 1000th point

In 1981-82 he saw action in 66 games followed by 68 in 1982-83. During each of those shortened campaigns, Lafleur scored an identical 27 goals, with 84 points in 1981-82 being his best. In 1982-83, Montreal was a shadow of it's former self, and Lafleur's 76 points were enough to lead the team in scoring for the seventh time.

During that time period, Lafleur competed in his only World Championships for Canada in 1981, scoring a goal in 7 games as well as taking part in his second Canada Cup later that fall as the Canadians finished as runner up to the Soviets despite Lafleur scoring 11 points in 7 games.

Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur chatting during the 1981 Canada Cup

He played in all 80 of Montreal's games in 1983-84, scoring 30 goals and 70 points as the Canadiens team leader once more. Mind you, Gretzky led the league with 205 that season... After three consecutive first round postseason exits, the Canadiens did go on a nice run, making it to the third round of the playoffs, but Lafleur only contributed 3 assists in 12 of Montreal's 15 games.

His final season with Montreal saw him play just 19 games, scoring just 2 goals and 5 points, before he decided to retire. In front of 18,000 fans, he took one last skate around the ice and received a five minute standing ovation. "After 13 years, I couldn't accept to be number two. I'm proud of what I did in the past and I'm proud I played for the Canadiens, especially on five Stanley Cup winners. I was in a slump and I wasn't scoring much a the time. I was frustrated," Lafleur recalled about his decision to retire.

Lafleur became the sixth Canadien to have his number retired and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on 1988.

Lafleur on the occasion of his introduction into

the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988

However... he still believed he could play after three seasons away from the game and signed to play with the New York Rangers for the 1988-89 season. He played in 67 games for New York before being sidelined by a knee injury, becoming only the second player after Gordie Howe to play after being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He totaled 18 goals and 45 points, including scoring twice during his first game back in the Montreal Forum against Patrick Roy as the fans chanted his name every time he touched the puck just as they had during the peak of his career as a Canadien.

Lafleur waves to his fans in Montreal after being named

the game's #1 Star on his return to the forum with the Rangers

Rangers head coach, and Lafleur's close friend Michel Bergeron was dismissed and joined the Quebec Nordiques, who also signed Lafleur for the 1989-90 season, who stood out on the ice, as he was allowed to play without a helmet, while all new players into the league were now required to wear one since the 1979-80 season. Lafleur reportedly turned down a more lucrative offer from the Los Angeles Kings, preferring to play in his native Quebec.

During his two seasons with the Nordiques, Lafleur played in 39 games his first season, scoring 12 goals and 34 points, followed by 59 games in 1990-91, again scoring 12 goals on his way to 28 points before he retired again, this time for good.

Lafleur finished his career with two seasons with the Nordiques

His final NHL totals were 560 goals and 793 assists for 1,353 points in 1,126 games with an additional 58 goals and 134 points in 128 playoff games. He won five Stanley Cups, 3 scoring titles, 2 Hart Trophies and 3 Pearson Awards as MVP, a Conn Smythe Trophy and a Canada Cup. Lafleur also played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1991 as well as being on the Challenge Cup team in 1979. He is the Canadiens all-time scoring leader and holds the club single season scoring record with 136.

The Guy Lafleur exhibit at the Hockey Hall of Fame

Today's featured jersey is a 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens Guy Lafleur jersey as worn during his career year when he set a personal best and Canadiens team record of 136 points on his way to winning the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy and the Pearson Award as well as the Stanley Cup.

This style jersey dates back to 1941 and, aside from a version with a blue stripe around the chest for three years in the late 40's, has remained essentially unchanged ever since.

Bonus jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a 1971-72 Montreal Canadiens Guy Lafleur jersey as worn during Lafleur's rookie season in the NHL.

The Canadiens red sweaters with the blue band around the chest date back to before the formation of the NHL in 1917 and this exact variation with the lace up collar and numbers inside the arms stripes dates back to 1966-67 and remained in use through 1974-75 when it was replaced by a new v-neck collar.

photo courtesy of Classic Auctions

Extra bonus jersey: Today's extra bonus jersey is a 1990-91 Quebec Nordiques Guy Lafleur jersey as worn during his final season in the NHL, his second in Quebec.

Today's video section is the always excellent Legends of Hockey series profile of Lafleur.

1967-68 Montreal Canadiens Henri Richard Jersey

Henri Richard, who passed away yesterday at age 84, knew at a young age what he wanted to do in life, but it's easy to be influenced by your older brother when he plays for the Montreal Canadiens.

"I was positive that I, too, was going to play for the team, although I never imagined playing with Maurice. Our age difference was 15 years. I hardly knew him; he married when I was a boy, and then he was so busy with hockey. He was more like and uncle than a brother. It's funny, but Maurice never talked to me about hockey, even when we were teammates. We did our talking on the ice," Richard recalls.

Richard arrived on the scene with the Montreal Canadiens at the ideal time, as the club was loaded with talent and had won the Stanley Cup as recently as 1953. Richard kicked off his career with five consecutive Stanley Cup Championships from 1956 to 1960. He was an immediate producer, scoring 40 points as a rookie in 1955-56 and just two seasons later set his career high with 80 points from 28 goals and 52 assists in 1957-58.

"We had quite the team and won the Stanley Cup in my first five years. We almost got bored winning. It was better to win after a loss, much more enjoyable."

After taking a backseat to the Toronto Maple Leafs run of cups in the early 1960's, the Canadiens were back on top again in with back-to-back championships in 1965 and 1966, and again in 1968 and 1969.

Richard was a model of consistency and durability during his 20 year career. From 1957 to 1970 he scored between 50 and 80 points in 13 out of the 14 years, playing no less than 53 games every season. His highest goal total was 30 in 1960 and his career-best 52 assists in 1958 and another 50 assists in 1963 lead the NHL both times.

Richard would win the Stanley Cup again in 1971, one he considers the sweetest. "I had had a few arguments with coach Al McNeil but went on to score the tying and winning goals in the seventh game," said Richard. This after being benched in Game 6 of the finals by McNeil.

He would win the cup one final time in 1973, giving him a total of 11, more than any other player in NHL history. "I won 11 Cups in total, a record that may never be broken. The structure of the league, with the draft and free agency, prevents the creation of dynasties like the one we had in Montreal," Richard speculated.

Richard was named captain of the Canadiens in 1971 after the retirement of

Jean Beliveau. "The oldest player usually got the "C," and at the time, it seemed a normal transition to be voted captain. I never said much to the players, but I had always tried to lead by example. Now that my playing days are over, I see the tradition, the honor, more clearly."

Richard laments, "In all my years with the Canadiens, I never played a shift on the power play. With the great teams we had, I couldn't get on that line." He continues, "I might have had that chance on another team, and though I was tempted by a large contract offer from Houston of the WHA, I'm thankful to have finished as a Montreal Canadien."

Richard retired in 1975 after 1256 games, 358 goals and 688 assists for 1046 points. He participated in the playoffs an astounding 20 times in 22 seasons, totalling 180 games, 49 goals and 80 assists for 129 career playoff points along with his 11 Stanley Cups. That's championships in half of the seasons he played in! Richard was also named the winner of the Masterton Trophy in 1974.

"I saw the younger guys coming on and retired when I knew I wouldn't play regularly anymore. After my retirement, the team went on to win four more cups in a row. I had declined a contract offer from Montreal for those years. I opened a tavern, and the guys would come for a beer and tease me with, "We really missed you out there, Henri." But I've no regrets."

The Canadiens retired Richard's #16 on this date in 1975 and he was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979. His record of 11 Stanley Cups as a player still stands to this day.

Today's featured jersey is a 1967-68 Montreal Canadiens Henri Richard jersey as worn when Richard won his eighth Stanley Cup, tying his brother Maurice for the league record.

The Canadiens were founded in 1909 but did not wear their now iconic red sweaters with the blue chest stripe until the 1912-13 season when it was introduced as an alternate jersey due to their red, white and blue striped "barberpole" jerseys drawing complaints that they were too similar to the Ottawa Senators similarly striped red, white and black jerseys.

White trim was added to the blue central stripe the following season, essentially creating the same basic jersey that remains in use today.

Photo courtesy of Classic Auctions

Bonus jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a 1974-75 Montreal Canadiens Henri Richard jersey worn in his final game and features the captain's "C" on the left chest.

The Canadiens came into existence in 1909, but did not add a white jersey until the 1935-36 season and it would take until 1941 for it to evolve into the style still worn today.

Photo courtesy of Classic Auctions

Today's first video selection is the "Legends of Hockey" profile of Henri Richard with commentary by both Henri and Maurice Richard, along with Beliveau, a real treat to see.

Next up are highlights of the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7, where Richard scores both the tying and winning goals as the Canadiens come from behind to win the championship.

1930-31 Montreal Canadiens Johnny Gagnon Jersey

Right winger Johnny Gagnon began his organized hockey with his hometown Chicoutimi Bleuets of the Quebec Provincial Hockey League in the 1922-23 season.

The problem for Gagnon was, that his parents did not approve of his playing hockey in the slightest, to the point that his father would break his sticks when he caught him playing hockey!

Gagnon, now 18 years old and not finding any support for his passion for the game at home, traveled the 325 kilometers by train south to try out for the Trois-Rivieres Renards of the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey League. He made the club and played two seasons for the Foxes, scoring 18 goals in 16 games during his second season of 1924-25.

The then joined the Quebec Sons of Ireland club in the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association for the 1925-26 season.

The diminutive Gagnon, topping out at 5 feet 5 inches, had caught the eye of the Montreal Canadiens, but team president Leo Dandurand judged him to be too small for the NHL. Gagnon challenged Dandurand to weigh him and judge for himself. Gagnon then filled his pockets with rocks and weighed in at 150 pounds, ten more than his actual weight!

Gagnon was invited to the Canadiens training camp and was eventually assigned to the Quebec Castors of the Canadian-American Hockey League for the 1926-27 season, where he scored 27 goals and 33 points in 32 games, easily beating his next closest Beavers teammate, who had but 13 goals and 17 points.

After standing out during an exhibition game in Providence, Rhode Island, and arrangement was made for him to join the Providence Reds for the next three seasons, leading the club in scoring in 1927-28 with 20 goals and 24 points in 39 games. Gagnon bettered that in 1929-30 with 21 goals and 38 points, finishing second on the club while Providence won the Can-Am League championship that season.

The 1928-29 Providence Reds

For the 1930-31 season, Gagnon realized his dream of playing in the NHL, as he became a member of the Canadiens. Even better, he was paired with linemates and future Hall of Famers Aurele Joliat and Howie Morenz.

Morenz, Joliat and Gagnon formed the core of the Canadiens offense

Gagnon's rookie season saw him finish with 18 goals and 25 points in 41 games. The Canadiens would win the Canadian Division of the NHL and defeat the Boston Bruins 3 games to 2 in the Semifinals to advance to play the Chicago Black Hawks for the Stanley Cup.

Gagnon's father passed away during the Finals, and after attending his funeral, Gagnon made his way to Montreal for Game 4, where he scored twice and assisted on a third goal to help tie the series at 2 games apiece. Montreal would win the decisive Game 5 to capture the championship 3 games to 2 and earn Gagnon his name on the Stanley Cup after just his first season of play in the NHL, bearing in mind that the Canadiens were not the dominant club they would become, as this was only their fourth championship in franchise history at the time. In all, Gagnon contributed 6 goals and 8 points in Montreal's 10 playoff games.

The Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens

He set a career high in points in 1931-32, scoring 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 48 games. The following season of 1932-33, he set a career high in assists with 23 on his way to 35 points. The humble Gagnon was quoted as saying that he would just pass the puck to Morenz and Joliat, stand back and get an assist.

In 1933-34, his point total was down to 21, no doubt affected by Morenz missing 9 games that season, but he still managed to finish third in team scoring for the third consecutive season.

Just prior to the 1934-35 season, Gagnon was traded to Boston due to clashes with then Canadiens head coach Newsy Lalonde. He was a huge disappointment for the Bruins, scoring just one goal and being credited with a single assist in 24 games before being sold back to the Canadiens on January 3, 1940, a move made possible with Lalonde having been relieved of his duties just 16 games into the season. Despite being back in familiar territory, Gagnon had but one goal and 5 assists in 23 games for the Canadiens.

Gagnon was sold back to Montreal after just a half a season in Boston

In 1935-36, he had a somewhat improved season, but was still off his usual pace with 7 goals and 16 points in full season with Montreal.

Gagnon roared back with a career high in goals with 20 in 1936-37 on his way to 36 points, the second best of his career to lead the Canadiens in scoring for the only time.

He proved that season was no fluke with 13 goals and 30 points in 1937-38 and 34 points in 1938-39.

During this time period, Morenz tragically passed away in March of 1937, slightly more than a month after severely breaking his leg in a game in late January. A benefit game for Morenz' family was organized for November of that season between a team of all-stars from the Canadiens and Montreal Maroons, taking on a team comprise of players from the remaining six clubs.

The combined Canadiens and Maroons All-Star Team in 1937

Gagnon scored the first goal of the game and later added an assist plus a second goal, both in the second half of the third period to fuel a Montreal All-Stars attempted comeback in a 6-5 defeat.

Gagnon was the star of the Howie Morenz Benefit Game

Just prior to the 1939-40 season, Gagnon again appeared in a benefit all-star game, this time for former Canadiens player Babe Siebert, who tragically drowned while swimming.

He returned to Montreal for the 1939-40 season, scoring 9 point in 10 games before being traded to the New York Americans on January 3, 1940. He would play 24 games for the Americans to close out his time in the NHL.

He was not finished as a player however, as he would play for the Shawinigan Cataracts in the Quebec Senior Hockey League in 1940-41, scoring 41 points in 33 games. The following season he would play for the North Sydney Victorias of the Cape Breton Senior Hockey League.

After taking the 1942-43 season off, Gagnon returned to the ice with his old club in Providence, playing in 50 games for the Reds with 19 points. He returned for an abbreviated 1944-45 season, playing the final 9 games of his career before retiring as a player.

His final NHL totals were 454 games played, scoring 120 goals and 141 assists for 261 points. Additionally, he scored 12 goals and 24 points in 32 playoff games, winning the Stanley Cup once during his rookie season of 1930-31.

Today's featured jersey is a 1930-31 Montreal Canadiens Johnny Gagnon jersey as worn during his rookie season in the NHL when he would go on to win the Stanley Cup.

The Canadiens first wore a red jersey with a blue band around the body when they wore barberpole jerseys during the 1912-13 season, which were too similar to those worn by the Ottawa Senators. The concept returned the following season as their new full season jersey, only now with white trim separating the blue band from the red boy, which remains in use, now over 100 years later.

This particular variation began to come into focus in the 1924-25 season when the Stanley Cup winning Canadiens proudly wore a jersey with a globe logo emblazoned "World Champions", while moving their traditional "CH" logo to the sleeves that season.

While the "CH" logo returned to the chest for 1925-26, one of the "CH" logos remained on the Canadiens left sleeve. In 1927-28, the collar changed to all white from its previous red, white and blue, bringing us to today's feature jersey. This remained in effect through the 1934-35 season.

photo courtesy of Classic Auctions

1970-71 Montreal Canadiens Ken Dryden Jersey

For the first time in 23 years, the 1969-70 Montreal Canadiens missed out on the playoffs, despite a 38-22-16 record for 92 points. They finished with an identical record to the New York Rangers, but lost out on the final day of the season when the second tiebreaker, after number of wins, total goals scored, went to the Rangers 246-244 when the Rangers outscored Montreal 9-2 on the final day of the season.

So dominant was the East Division, which was comprised of the Original 6 teams, over the West Division's 1967 expansion clubs, that fifth place Montreal's 92 points were 6 more than the West Division winning St. Louis Blues 86 and 28 more than the second place Pittsburgh Penguins!

Changes were made for the 1970-71 season when the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks were added to the league and placed in the East Division, while the Chicago Black Hawks were moved to the West.

Montreal started their campaign with 4 wins and 8 of their first 12. By the end of December they were 16-11-8, having lost just once in their last 10. After an indifferent January, where the Canadiens were 6-5-3, Montreal found their game in February, finishing the month 10-1-1.

The Canadiens cooled off a bit the rest of the way, which saw the quiet debut of a rookie goaltender named Ken Dryden on March 14th.

Dryden joined the Canadiens late in the 1970-71 season

Dryden, an unusual case, having been drafted back in 1964, had elected to attend Cornell University in the United States rather than immediately devote himself fulltime to hockey. After having won 76 of 81 starts, including an NCAA national championship in 1967 at Cornell, Dryden had been playing for the Montreal Voyageurs of the AHL that season while working toward his law degree from McGill University by day.

Dryden took the unconventional route of United States college hockey to
the NHL, which included winning an NCAA championship while at Cornell

He won his first game over the Pittsburgh Penguins, allowing just one goal and making 35 saves. Phil Myre would start the next game, allowing 6 goals in a loss to St. Louis. Dryden got the next stars, defeating the rival Toronto Maple Leafs after holding them to just one goal on March 18th.

March 20th saw history made, as Rogie Vachon started the game for Montreal, but was injured during the second period and replaced by Dryden. Once he entered the game, Punch Imlauch of the Buffalo Sabres, with a sense of history, inserted Ken's brother Dave Dryden into the Sabres lineup, the first time two brothers had faced each other in goal during an NHL game. Ken was the eventual winner among the four goalies who saw the ice that night, despite the two brothers having an identical 12 saves on 15 shots.

Ken and Dave Dryden meet at center ice following
a game where they faced each other, as was their custom

Dryden then defeated the Rangers the following day 6-2. Vachon got the win on March 24th followed by Myre winning on the 27th. Dryden's turn came next on the 28th and he outdueled the Chicago Black Hawks Tony Esposito 2-1. March 31st saw the Bruins shell Vachon for 6 goals in a loss prior to Dryden winning 7-2 against the Rangers on April 3rd before it was Myre's turn to get hammered by the Bruins, 7-2 on the final day of the season.

After going 10-6-1 to finish the season, the Canadiens final record of 42-23-13 gave them 97 points in the standings (fourth overall) and returned the Canadiens to their familiar place in the playoffs, but it left Montreal coach Al MacNeil with a decision to make, as the rookie Dryden clearly had the hot hand, going 6-0-0 with a 1.65 goals against average entering the playoffs after just having watched their first round opponent Boston tear apart his two veterans.

Dryden lost Game 1 by a score of 3-1, and gave up 5 in Game 2, only Montreal scored 7 of their own to even the series. Back in Montreal for Game 3, Dryden held the Bruins to just 1 for the win. Boston again came back strong to win Game 4 by a score of 5-2. The Bruins were even strong back in Boston for Game 5, a dominant 7-3 win. Still, MacNeil stuck with Dryden for Game 6 back at home, where 8 goals by the Canadiens were more than enough to stay alive for a Game 7 back in Boston. Dryden responded to the pressure like an established veteran, not a rookie playing in only his 13th game, as he made 46 saves to out duel Gerry Cheevers 4-2 and eliminate the first overall Bruins in a seventh game on the road.

Dryden, still wearing his "pretzel style" mask early in his career

After eliminating the Minnesota North Stars in six games, including two wins on the road, Montreal advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals to take on the West Division winning Chicago Black Hawks, who finished 10 points ahead of the Canadiens in the regular season standings.

Montreal versus Minnesota in the second round of the playoffs

Game 1 of the finals in Chicago went to overtime tied at 1-1 before Chicago won a minute into the second overtime. The Black Hawks won Game 2 at home 5-3 but Dryden held Chicago to 2 goals in Games 3 and 4 as Montreal evened the series 2-2.

Esposito shut out the Canadiens back in Chicago to put Montreal on the brink. A dramatic Game 6 saw the Canadiens trailing 3-2 when Frank Mahovlich tied the game at 5:10 from captain Jean Béliveau and Peter Mahovlich saved the day with a shorthanded game winner from brother Frank at 8:55. Dryden made 27 saves on 30 shots while Esposito only faced 16 shots from Montreal.

Once again, the rookie Dryden was facing a Game 7 on the road against a higher seeded team, only now in a winner-take-all 60 minutes with the Stanley Cup going to the survivor on this date in 1971. Dennis Hull scored a power play with 48 seconds remaining in the first period from his brother Bobby Hull and Cliff Koroll. Chicago's lead was extended to two with Danny O'Shea's goal from Pit Martin at 7:33 of the second.

Jacques Lemaire got Montreal on the board at 14:18 from Jacques Laperrière followed by Henri Richard tying the game at 18:20 from Lemaire, sending the game into it's final 20 minutes even.

At 2:34 of the third period, Richard put Montreal ahead for the first time in the game with an even strength goal from Réjean Houle and Guy Lapointe. Dryden would hold Chicago off the board for the entire second half of the game, making 31 saves in all to lead Montreal to the Stanley Cup championship despite only having six regular season games of experience.

Rookie Dryden shut down Chicago in the Stanley Cup Finals

The win for Montreal on the road was the only game in the series not won by the home team.

It was quite a turnaround for Montreal, who had failed to even qualify for the playoffs the previous season and even more of a surprise considering their unsettled goaltending situation heading into the playoffs.

Also of note, winning the championship was a fine way for the Canadiens captain Béliveau to go out in style, as he had just played in the final game of his career, leaving the ice as a champion with the Stanley Cup in his arms, the 10th of his career.

Béliveau accepts the 1971 Stanley Cup following the final game of his career

The 23-year-old rookie Dryden would be named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. He played all 20 of Montreal's postseason games, finishing with a 12-8 record and a 3.00 goals against average, with five of those wins coming on the road and two of those being in Game 7's.

Remarkably, Dryden would go on to win the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year the following season, despite already having won the Conn Smythe Trophy and a Stanley Cup! Winning a Stanley Cup as the playoff MVP was a feat no other player had ever done before or since.

Today's featured jersey is a 1970-71 Montreal Canadiens Ken Dryden jersey from the season in which the Canadiens would capture their 17th Stanley Cup championship during Dryden's first season with the club and Béliveau's 20th and last.

This style jersey dates back to 1941 and, aside from a version with a blue stripe around the chest for three years in the late 40's, has remained essentially unchanged ever since.

Bonus jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a 1970-71 Montreal Canadiens Jean Beliveau jersey as worn during his final game as he skated off the ice as a Stanley Cup champion. The Canadiens first wore a red jersey with a blue band across the chest adorned with a white "C" back in the 1912-13 National Hockey Association season due to complaints by the Ottawa Senators that Montreal's blue, white and red barberpole jersey was too similar their black, red and white barberpole jersey.

The red jersey with the blue band became their primary jersey for the 1913-14 NHA season, now with a C that contained the letter A, which stood for the team's official name of "Club athletique Canadien".

Four seasons later, a change in ownership saw the team now wearing the now iconic "CH" logo as the team name was changed to "Club de hockey Canadien".

Photo courtesy of Classic Auctions

Today's video section starts with highlights of Game 7 of the Canadiens first round series against Boston. Two pad stack!

Next, the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals, scored with the always funky 1970's background music. Be sure to note the old Chicago Stadium scoreboard with it's clock dials!

Here is fellow goaltender John Davidson narrating a look at the career of Dryden, highlighting the incredible beginning of Dryden's career before summarizing the remainder of his career.

Here is Dryden, telling about his career from his point of view, as part of the Legend of Hockey series.

1979-80 Washington Capitals Ryan Walter Jersey

Born on this date in 1958, Ryan Walter first played junior hockey for the Langley Lords in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League in the 1973-74 season, demonstrating his potential with 40 goals and 102 points in 62 games. In a bit of foreshadowing, he also played a pair of games for the Kamloops Chiefs in the Western Canada Hockey League, a step higher than the BCJHL.

For 1974-75, Walter scored 32 times on his way to 92 points in 54 games. He again played with Kamloops in the WCHL, scoring 8 goals and 12 points in 9 games.

He moved to Kamloops full time for the 1975-76 season, needing no adjustment period, as he scored 35 goals and 84 points in 72 games. He had a 40 goal season with the Chiefs in 1976-77 with 41 and totaled 99 points, second best on the club and one short of equaling his penalty minute total for the season.

For the 1977-78 season, the Chiefs relocated to Seattle, Washington and were renamed the Seattle Breakers. Walter was named as the team captain and again finished second on the team with 54 goals and 71 assists for 125 points, which earned him WCHL MVP honors. The club would be known as the Breakers through the 1984-85 season before they were subsequently renamed the Thunderbirds after a change in ownership and continue to play in Seattle today.

During the holidays that season, Walter captained the Canadian team at the 1978 World Junior Championships, where he scored 5 goals and 8 points in 6 games on his way to winning a bronze medal.

That summer, Walter, a center, was selected second overall in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft behind only Bobby Smith.

Walter would miss the Capitals training camp due to an injury suffered over the summer playing sports with his younger brother. As a result, he would play 2 games with the Calgary Wranglers of the Western Hockey League before joining Washington, the only two minor league games of his career. Once called up to the NHL, Walter would make the jump with ease, playing in 69 games and scoring an impressive 28 goals and 56 points as a rookie, a season which saw him finish second in Rookie of the Year voting.

His fine season earned him a place on the Canadian roster for the 1979 World Championships, where he scored 4 times in 8 games.

The Capitals then made Walter, at just 21 years old, the youngest captain in league history for the 1979-80 season. He set a club record with 12 power play goals on his way to a 24 goal, 66 point season.

Walter wearing the "C" as the captain of Washington

His 1980-81 season was a virtual repeat, as in 80 games he had an identical 24 goals and 44 assists for 68 points, along with a career high of 150 penalty minutes. After the conclusion of the NHL season, Walter again suited up for Canada at the 1981 World Championships.

Walter had a career season in 1981-82 for the Capitals, setting career highs in goals with 38, assists with 49 and points with 87. With Washington missing the playoffs yet again, Walter was available for his third World Championships in four seasons. He played in 4 of Canada's 10 games, scoring a goal and 3 assists as the Canadians took home the bronze medal.

With the Capitals never having made the playoffs in their eight seasons of existence, Washington was looking to revamp their roster and sent their captain Walter, along with Rick Green, to the Montreal Canadiens in a blockbuster trade in exchange for Doug Jarvis, Rod Langway, Craig Laughlin and Brian Engblom.

Walter's card showing him in a Capitals jersey

reflects his trade to Montreal

His first season with the Canadiens saw Walter's offensive game pick up where he left off in Washington, scoring 29 goals and 46 assists for 75 points, finishing just one point back of Guy Lafleur for the team lead. He also got his first taste of playoff hockey, albeit for a brief 3 games.

His style of play also changed with the move to Montreal, as after penalty minute totals of 150 and 142 his final two seasons with the Capitals, he only had over 60 penalty minutes once while with the Canadiens. Additionally, his annual playoff appearances would bring an end to his international hockey career, as he was no longer available during the World Championships as he had been with the Capitals.

Walter was traded to Montreal in 1982

From the 1983-84 season on, Walter's role with the Canadiens changed to a less offensive role, which was reflected in his point totals. He still hit 20 goals that season, but his point total was reduced to 49 and he would never reach 50 again.

He had 19 goals and 19 assists in 1984-85 for 38 points, but he was able to add 9 points in 12 playoff games.

Walter had 15 goals and 49 points in 1985-86, but broke his ankle with three games left in the regular season which caused him to miss much of the playoffs. He was able to return in time to play in 5 postseason games, which earned him his name on the Stanley Cup, as the Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins in 3 straight, narrowly escaped the Hartford Whalers by winning in overtime of Game 7, cruised past the New York Rangers in 5 and won the championship in 5 games over the Calgary Flames.

After a 23 goal, 46 point season in 1986-87, the Canadiens went on another deep playoff run, and Walter had a fine postseason with 19 points in 17 games. Injuries limited him to 61 games and 36 points in 1987-88. For the 1988-89 season, Walter had 14 goals for his 11th consecutive season of double digit goals dating back to the start of his career. He would finish with 31 points and in the playoffs, in 21 games, he would add just 3 goals, but one was a double overtime winner in Game 3 of the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals against the Calgary Flames, the last time to date two Canadian teams would play for the Cup.

Walter in the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals

His offensive numbers dipped in 1989-90 to just 8 goals and 24 points in 70 games, his first time under 30 points in his career. Worse, he only played in 25 games in 1990-91 after breaking his wrist early in the season and was ineffective on his return, with just one assist for the season followed by 5 scoreless playoff games, which brought an end to his time in Montreal.

Walter played nine seasons for the Canadiens

He returned home to British Columbia for the 1991-92 season when he signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks. Named as an assistant team captain, Walter played in 67 games that season, contributing 6 goals and 17 points and another 3 assists in 13 playoff games. His 1992-93 season was another abbreviated one. Although he played in just 25 total games, they included Walter playing in his 1,000th career game on March 20, 1993 against the New York Islanders. Not offered a contract for the following season, Walter chose to retire as a player.

Walter finished his career with Vancouver

His final career totals were 1,003 games played with 264 goals and 382 assists for 646 points along with a World Championship bronze medal and a Stanley Cup championship with Montreal in 1986.

Today's featured jersey is a 1979-80 Washington Capitals Ryan Walter jersey from the season the Capitals made the 21 year old Walter the youngest captain in NHL history, keeping in mind that prior to the expansion that allowed the four surviving WHA teams into the NHL, players could not be drafted by NHL clubs until they were 20 years of age.

After starting life in the NHL with this style, the changes were few. While they began with names on the back of the home white jerseys, the road reds did not get names until they were required by NHL rules until 1977-78. After two seasons they were reduced one color white for the 1979-80 season. The sleeves changed from five stars to four in 1983 for two seasons and then the names became two colors again in 1987-88 and remained that way until the 1984-85 season, the last for the Capitals original jerseys.

After wearing their original white jerseys as a throwback for the 2011 Winter Classic, that jersey became the team's new third jersey for the following season. In 2015-16, the capitals would change their throwback alternate from the white version to the red version.

Bonus jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a 1978-79 Washington Capitals Ryan Walter jersey worn during his rookie season prior to being named their team captain. The difference between this and his 1979-80 jersey shown above is the original use of two color names on the back, which was simplified to one color names for for eight seasons until becoming two color names again in 1987-88.

Extra bonus jersey: Today's extra bonus jersey is a 1985-86 Montreal Canadiens Ryan Walter jersey from the season Montreal won the only Stanley Cup of Walter's career.

Montreal first introduced a white jersey for the 1935-36 season, By 1941-42, the red shoulders and twin red and blue stripes arrived and this style has remained in use essentially unchanged since then, save for the 1944-45 to 1946-47 seasons when the club added the a blue band around the chest identical to their famous red jerseys.

In today's video section, Walter is now a motivational speaker, and here he talks about having to miss most of the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In this next video, Walter takes on Boston's Mike Milbury, and it's always nice to see Milbury dropped like a sack of potatoes.