As passionate and loyal as Montreal Canadiens fans are, there have been moments when they couldn’t help but cheer for the other team.
In some cases, it was because a former Habs player was making his return, while other instances have included Quebec-born players reaching milestones. But every once in a while, the Canadiens’ faithful puts the scoreboard aside just to recognize greatness.
Here are six times opposing players were applauded by fans at the Bell Centre.
Guy Lafleur – 1989
Legendary Canadiens forward Guy Lafleur was the recipient of not one but two standing ovations in his first game at the Montreal Forum as a member of the New York Rangers.
While Habs fans don’t usually cheer for a goal from the opposing team, Lafleur, 37 at the time, got the crowd up on their feet twice more, netting two goals in the game.
Lafleur, Montreal’s all-time scoring leader, had announced his retirement a few years prior and had already been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame before deciding he had more gas in the tank.
Martin Brodeur – 2009
With the hockey gods smiling down on him, former New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur tied Patrick Roy’s record of 551 career wins after beating the Canadiens in Montreal.
Rather than being disappointed that their team lost, Habs fans gave the Quebec-born goalie a standing ovation for reaching the milestone set by one of their own. Even Roy, who was in attendance, got up to applaud his successor’s place in the record books.
Saku Koivu – 2013
From his heroic return after battling cancer back in 2002 to his retirement ceremony in 2014, former Montreal captain Saku Koivu has received plenty of love from the home crowd over the years ā no matter which jersey he was wearing.
In 2013, as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, Koivu became emotional in his final game at the Bell Centre when Montreal fans rose to their feet to cheer him on as he skated to the faceoff circle one last time.
PK Subban – 2017
When former general manager Marc Bergevin sent beloved Habs defenceman packing in a 2016 trade for Shea Weber, fans were shocked.
In Subban’s first game back to the Bell Centre as a member of the Nashville Predators, the packed Montreal arena welcomed him back with open arms via a standing ovation and tribute video.
Visibly emotional, Subban even shed a few tears during the pre-game introductions.
Once the game got underway, though, Subban was subject to a fair amount of boos when touched the puck.
Zdeno Chara – 2019
Long before he injured former Habs captain Max Pacioretty, former Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara would be booed mercilessly by Bell Centre patrons every time he touched the puck.
But back in 2019, Big Z happened to be playing his 1,500th career game in Montreal. And when they showed him on the jumbotron to commemorate the milestone between whistles, the Bruins captain was met with a big round of applause.
With a slightly surprised look on his face, Chara acknowledged the crowd with a wave.
Marc-Andre Fleury – 2023
In what was possibly his final NHL game in Montreal, Marc-Andre Fleury put on one hell of a show in front of the Canadiensā home crowd.
After stopping 27 out of 29 shots, securing a 5-2 win for the Minnesota Wild, the Sorel-Tracy, Quebec native was named the first star of the game. Fleury, 38, knowing it may have very well been his last start in the arena, skated out to an ovation from Canadiens patrons.
The crowd was not shy to salute Fleury before the final buzzer either, chanting his name as he saved one of the Canadiens’ breakaway opportunities.
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