Inauguration of avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal
A commemorative monument on Centennial Plaza also unveiled

Friday, 09.10.2009 / 11:45 AM / News
Montreal Canadiens
PRESS RELEASE

MONTREAL – As part of the festivities leading up to the franchise’s 100th anniversary on December 4, 2009, the Montreal Canadiens are pleased to proceed with the official inauguration of avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal and the unveiling of a commemorative monument at the centre of the Centennial Plaza honoring every player to have don a Canadiens’ jersey in the first 100 seasons of the franchise.

Thanks to the collaboration and support of the City of Montreal, the location of the Bell Centre on what will now be known as avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal conjures up the social heritage of the team as an historic entity of the city. The renaming of the street applies only to the section of De La Gauchetière West between de la Montagne and Peel streets.

The Montreal Canadiens will also unveil a commemorative monument positioned at the centre of the Centennial Plaza honoring all players who played with the Canadiens between 1909 and 2009. The monument also features the names of all head coaches, general managers and recipients of NHL individual awards in franchise history as well as the Canadiens year-by-year record for the first 100 years. Alongside the plaques of all 24 Canadiens Stanley Cup winning teams, the retired jerseys section, the 100 memorable moments in team history and the statues of the legendary Howie Morenz, Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau and Guy Lafleur, the new monument is a valuable addition to the Centennial Plaza.

Located in the centre of the Centennial Plaza which was inaugurated last December 4, this new commemorative monument is a tribute to all 761 players who proudly wore the Red, White and Blue in the team’s first 100 seasons and contributing to making the Canadiens one of the most celebrated sports franchises in history. Another side of the monument features Canadiens players awarded NHL individual honors during their career, while the third side portrays the Canadiens annual record since the foundation of the franchise back in 1909. A list of all general managers and head coaches in team history completes the memorial.

Pierre Boivin, President and CEO of the Club de hockey Canadien, along with Gérald Tremblay, Mayor of the City of Montreal, will be presiding over the inauguration ceremonies to be held on Centennial Plaza and on the corner of the De La Gauchetière and de la Montagne streets. Montreal Canadiens Ambassadors Jean Béliveau, Yvan Cournoyer, Guy Lafleur and Réjean Houle will also be attending the ceremonies along with Alumni members Elmer Lach, Dickie Moore, Phil Goyette, Don Johns, Jean-Guy Morissette and Yvon Lambert.