10 players you forgot ever played for the Montreal Canadiens

With over 110 years of rich history behind them, the Montreal Canadiens are just about as old as hockey itself.

While it gives fans plenty to celebrate, it also gives them quite a bit to educate themselves on. And every once in a while even the biggest of Canadiens superfans find themselves stumped on team trivia night.

If you don’t, you’re not alone.

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Alexander Semin (2015 – 2016)

This Russian winger spent the majority of his NHL career on the Washington Capitals alongside none other than Alexander Ovechkin. He then became a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.

But before calling it a career in North America and going to the KHL Semin signed with Montreal in 2015. He registered a goal and four points in 15 games with the Habs before being placed on waivers.

George Parros (2013 – 2014)

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This former tough guy and current head of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety was an iconic figure during his nine-season career.

While Parros spent the bulk of his playing time in the penalty box with the Anaheim Ducks, he actually signed with Montreal during the 2013-2014 season. The moustached vet played 22 games with the Habs before calling it a career.

Trevor Linden (1999 – 2001)

It’s weird to see this Vancouver Canucks legend in another uniform, but it happened.

While Linden spent the bulk of his 19-season career with the Canucks, he moved around a bit in the late ’90s, spending two seasons on the east coast with the Habs.

Tomáš Vokoun (1996-1997)

One of the more notable goalies of the 2000s actually got his start in Montreal.

Drafted 226th overall in the 1994 entry draft by the Canadiens, Tomáš Vokoun played a mere one game with Le Grand Club during the 1996-1997 season.

He was promptly sent down to the minors and eventually shipped off to Nashville where he made a name for himself with the Predators.

Radek Bonk (2005 – 2007)

Everyone had high hopes for this third overall pick (1994) when he arrived to Montreal from Ottawa. But like so many players on this list, he just wasn’t born to be a Hab.

And so, after two seasons, with fewer than 25 points in the bank, Bonk was on the move again.

Tomas Kaberle (2011 – 2013)

Few players have completed the rivalry trifecta of playing for Toronto, Boston, and Montreal, but Tomas Kaberle did.

After many years as a steady figure on the Leafs’ blue line, the Czech defenceman went on to win a cup with the Bruins and finish off with the Habs for a season and a half before hanging up the skates.

Sergei Gonchar (2014 – 2015)

With over 1,300 games played, Sergei Gonchar made a lot of stops in his 22-year NHL career. Montreal was his last.

In 2014 the Habs acquired the Russian defenceman from the Dallas Stars, in return for forward Travis Moen.

Ales Hemsky (2017 – 2018)

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There’s a reason you probably don’t remember Ales Hemsky with the Habs: he didn’t put a single point.

While he had some fairly productive years with the Edmonton Oilers, it only took Hemsky seven games with Montreal to learn that his time in the league had come to an end.

Ilya Kovalchuk (2020)

Sure, this one may be too recent for everyone to forget. But Ilya Kovalchuk’s 22 pre-pandemic games with Montreal were brief but very fun.

In that time, he netted six goals — a few of those being overtime winners — and seven assists before the world came to a halt. Kovy ended up finishing his NHL career with the Washington Capitals.