Montreal Junior Canadiens | |
---|---|
City | Montreal, Quebec |
League |
JAHA (1933–37 & 1940-49) QJHL (1949-55) Independent (1955-58) EOSHL (1958-59) MMJHL (1959-60) ISHL (1960-61) OHA (1961–72) |
Operated | 1933 | –1972
Home arena | Montreal Forum |
Colours | Red, white and blue |
Parent club(s) |
Montreal Canadiens (1933–67) |
Championships | 1950, 1958, 1969, & 1970 Memorial Cup Champions |
Franchise history | |
1933–56 & 1961–72 | Montreal Junior Canadiens |
1956–59 | Ottawa-Hull Canadiens |
1959–60 | Brockville Canadiens |
1960–61 | Hull Canadiens |
1972–75 | Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge |
1975–82 | Montreal Juniors |
1982–84 | Verdun Juniors |
1984–89 | Verdun Junior Canadiens |
1989–96 | Saint-Hyacinthe Laser |
1996-Present | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies |
The Montreal Junior Canadiens were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Junior Hockey League from 1933 to 1961, and the Ontario Hockey Association from 1961 to 1972. They played out of the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The Junior Canadiens were a farm team to the NHL Montreal Canadiens from the early 1930s until the institution of the NHL Entry Draft. The Juniors originally played in the Quebec Junior Hockey League.
In 1961 the franchise switched to the Ontario Hockey Association to compete at the major junior level. It was granted entry as an expansion club in 1961. At the time, major hockey in Quebec, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, did not exist.
In the Quebec Junior playoffs, the Junior Canadiens defeated the Quebec Citadels and the Halifax St. Marys. The series versus Halifax was surrendered by St. Marys when Montreal won the first two games on the road by scores of 11–3 and 10–1. After that the Junior Canadiens defeated the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters to represent eastern Canada in the Memorial Cup.
The Memorial Cup of 1950 saw two farm teams of the Montreal Canadiens playing each other for the top junior prize. The Junior Canadiens defeated the Regina Pats in a best-of-seven game series by 4 games to 1, winning on home ice at the Forum.
In 1955, the Quebec Junior Hockey League disbanded. With the Canadiens as the sole-survivor of the league, they elected to play an independent schedule but still compete in the Laurier Cup seasonal tournament with the teams of the OHA. The Canadiens would win the Laurier Cup that year, outplaying the best of the OHA. The Canadiens entered the Richardson Trophy playdowns as an independent team, but lost in the finals to the OHA's Toronto Marlboros 4-games-to-3 with 1 tie.