Like rules, some records are meant to be broken.
But in the case of the NHL record book, there are more than a few that have been set by the Montreal Canadiens that are bound to stay put.
And to be fair, some of them occurred at a time when the league had no more than six teams, but the most storied franchise in hockey still has bragging rights over the other five.
With that said, here are some unbreakable records set by the Habs over the years.
24 Stanley Cups
With the team being founded in 1909, this one’s a bit of a no-brainer.
But to be fair, 10 of these championships were won after the league expanded in 1967. And funnily enough, that year is the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won a Stanley Cup.
With Toronto firmly set in second place in the Cup leaderboard with 13 wins, it’s unlikely anyone will ever catch up to Montreal’s 24.
Most shutouts in a single season
Keeping a clean sheet in the NHL is not easy. These days, a goalie is considered good if he records a handful of shutouts a season.
But back in the 1928-1929 season, Montreal’s George Hainsworth recorded a ridiculous 22 shutouts in 44 games played. There’s no chance anybody tops that.
Most consecutive Stanley Cup Championships
The Canadiens won five consecutive Stanley Cup titles from 1956 to 1960.
Despite the New York Islanders coming close with their four consecutive championships in the 1980s, Montreal’s record still stands.
Nowadays, one team winning back-to-back Cups is equally rare and impressive.
Most Cups won, as a player
No player has lifted the Stanley Cup more times than Canadiens legend Henri Richard, who did it 11 times between 1956 and 1973.
Jean Beliveau is right behind him with 10, but with 32 teams in the league and star players like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews still waiting for their first, it’s unlikely that anyone else ever gets close.
Fastest pair of goals
In a 2018 game against the Washington Capitals, forward Max Domi scored a late third-period goal, giving Montreal the lead. The Capitals pulled their goalie for the centre-ice faceoff, allowing Joel Armia to net another one for the Canadiens.
The goals were only two seconds apart — an NHL record.
Fewest regulation losses in a season
The Boston Bruins blew everyone away when they registered a mere 12 losses in the 2022-23 season, but Montreal’s 1976-77 season, which saw them log just eight regulation losses over 80 games, will likely stand the test of time.
Most goals scored by one team in a single game
If an NHL game’s scoreboard reaches past the double digits, a wild night has ensued.
And a wild night it was on March 3, 1920, when the Canadiens fired a ridiculous 16 goals past the Quebec Bulldogs.
The Detroit Red Wings came close to surpassing the record when they netted 15 past the New York Rangers in a 1944 game. But with the level of competition in today’s league, the Canadiens’ record will probably never be broken.
Most overtime wins in one playoff year
It takes 16 postseason wins for a team to take home the Stanley Cup.
In the 1993 playoffs, on their way to their 24th championship, the Canadiens earned 10 of their playoff wins in overtime.
Whether it was due to luck, the ability to play under pressure, or just the sheer talent of goaltender Patrick Roy, the chances of another team ever matching their do-or-die record are slim.
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