When it comes to sports in Montreal, hockey, and, more specifically, the Canadiens are undoubtedly atop the hierarchy of importance.
With that said, clubs like CF Montreal, the Alouettes, and Montreal Alliance all have their respective fanbases, which play a major role in maintaining the city’s athletic ecosystem.
But over the years, Montreal has seen many franchises come and go, some of them lasting for only a season.
And so, in honour of all those empty arenas and mascot heads collecting dust, here’s a list of 10 defunct sports teams that used to call Montreal home.
Montreal Royals
This Montreal professional minor league baseball team had two stints, one from 1897 to 1917 and another from 1928 to 1960.
As one of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ top farm teams, the Royals helped launch the careers of many Major Leaguers, including the legendary Jackie Robinson, who first hit the field at Delorimier Stadium in 1946.
When the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1960, the Royals soon followed, moving from Montreal to Syracuse.
Montreal Expos
Local sports fans need no reminder about how we lost our beloved MLB team.
The Expos played in the National League (NL) East division from 1969 until 2004, the year they were relocated to Washington, DC. They posted an all-time record of 2,753 wins, 2,943 losses, and four ties during their 36 years in Montreal.
When the Expos packed it up for good, Montreal decided to keep the team’s mascot Youppi and transfer him to the Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiennes
Founded in 2007 as the Montreal Stars (Stars de Montréal), the Canadiennes competed in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL).
With star players like Kim St. Pierre and Marie-Phillip Poulin, Les Canadiennes won a total of four championships, more than any other CWHL team, before the league’s operations ceased in 2019.
Montreal Jazz
This short-lived franchise played a single season in the National Basketball League of Canada. Failing to secure an ownership group, the team was suspended by the league ahead of the 2013-14 season.
Le Club de Hockey Junior de Montréal
From 2008 to 2011, this QMJHL team played out of Verdun Auditorium. A young Jake Allen was even the starting goalie at one point.
But after just three seasons, the Juniors were moved, becoming the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
Montreal Dragons
The Dragons competed in the now-defunct National Basketball League back in 1993.
The team, which played out of Verdun Auditorium, disbanded only 17 games into their first season.
Montreal Concordes
The Montreal Alouettes were founded in 1946 but folded a few times in the 1980s before they were re-introduced to the CFL in 1995.
During that time, a team called the Montreal Concordes was introduced to the league. Owned by businessman Charles Bronfman, the Concordes retained the rights of Alouettes players along with the team’s records.
The Concordes would go back to the old name after a few seasons, though, before being disbanded from the league again in 1987.
Montreal Roadrunners
From 1994 to 1997, this Roller Hockey International team played in front of fans at both the Montreal Forum and Molson Centre.
The Roadrunners were named after former Canadiens star Yvan Cournoyer, who shared the same nickname.
Throughout its short run, the team saw some success, advancing to the league final in 1995.
Ultimately, though, roller hockey just wasn’t appealing enough to Habs fans. The league ceased operations altogether in 2001.
Montreal Wanderers
Founded in 1903, the Wanderers played in four different hockey leagues, winning four Stanley Cups in the process.
After the home rink was burned down in 1918, the team defaulted its next two games and soon disbanded.
Montreal Maroons
With much of the Canadiens fanbase being francophone, the Maroons were founded in 1924 and brought in as a team for the city’s English community, which was mourning the recent loss of the Wanderers.
The Maroons found success quickly, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935. But financial difficulties from the Great Depression led to the franchise suspending play after 1938.
And with that, the Canadiens were once again the city’s lone NHL team.