Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge

This article is about the major junior hockey team. For the NHL majors professional hockey team, see Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge
CityMontreal, Quebec
LeagueQuebec Major Junior Hockey League
Operated1972 (1972) to 1975
Home arenaMontreal Forum
ColoursBlue, White and Red
     
Franchise history
1933–72Montreal Junior Canadiens
1972–75Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge
1975–82Montreal Juniors
1982–84Verdun Juniors
1984–89Verdun Junior Canadiens
1989–96Saint-Hyacinthe Laser
1996–presentRouyn-Noranda Huskies

The Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (Blue, White and Red in English) were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1972 to 1975.[a] They played at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They played at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A pre-existing franchise named the Montreal Junior Canadiens that played in the Ontario Hockey Association made the switch to the QMJHL for the 1972–73 season. They finished seventh and were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

History

The Montreal Junior Canadiens were one of the dominant teams of the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association until joining the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) in 1961.[1] The Montreal team was allowed to play in the OHA due to an agreement between the league and the Quebec hockey association and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.[4] During this period, the Junior Canadiens were accused by the Quebec hockey associations (including the newly formed Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)) of poaching all of the excellent junior talent in the province.[1] As a result, with two years left in the agreement, the Quebec hockey association put pressure on the owners of the franchise to return to Quebec and join the QMJHL, despite the protests of the team's president and general manager, Phil Wimmer.[4] In May 1972, the Junior Canadiens suspended operations in the OHA for one-year.[5]

In June it was announced that the Junior Canadiens franchise was purchased by the Entreprises Sportif de Montreal group headed by Jules Duchesneau that the team would move to the QMHJHL for the 1972–73 season. Wimmer was replaced as general manager by Roger Bedard.[6] The team was renamed Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge in September 1972 and played at the Montreal Forum.[7][8] However, neither the team nor any of its players returned to the OHA. Headed by star Mario Tremblay, the team made its first major acquisition in the QMJHL when they acquired forward Robert Sirois in October from the Laval National to help their offence. They also sold the league's top goaltender, Pierre Pérousse, to the Quebec Remparts.[9] In their only season, the team won 26 games, lost 35 and drew three, earning 55 points and finished seventh in the standings.[1][10] During the season, one of the team's goaltenders, Louis Laliberté, suffered a major eye injury after being struck by a shot and underwent two operations and never played hockey again.[11] The team advanced to the playoffs where they were eliminated by the Cornwall Royals in the quarterfinals in their only appearance.[1][12] In some sources, the team was renamed the Montreal Juniors,[1][2] while others continued to use the Bleu Blanc Rouge name.[3]

Players

According to Elite Prospects, the team's all-time games played, goals, points, and penalty minutes leader was André St. Laurent with 64, 52, 100, and 245 respectively. Michel Bélisle is the team's leader in assists.[13]

According to Hockeydb, if all three seasons are included, Norm Dupont is the all-time goals and points leader for the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge. He played 142 games, scoring 139 goals and 283 points. Jean-Luc Phaneuf is the all-time games played and assists leader with 182 and 172 respectively and Robert Picard is the all time penalty minutes leader with 623.[14]

Award winners

NHL alumni

Yearly results

Regular season

Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Pct % Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing
1972–73 64 26 35 3 55 0.430 297 319 7th QMJHL
1973–74 70 43 24 3 89 0.636 443 320 2nd West
1974–75 72 40 25 7 87 0.604 462 338 2nd West

Playoffs

  • 1973 Lost to Cornwall Royals 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
  • 1974 Defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
    Lost to Sorel Eperviers 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.
  • 1975 Defeated Cornwall Royals 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
    Lost to Laval National 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.

Notes

  1. ^ Some sources[1][2] state the team changed its name to the Montreal Juniors following the 1973 season, while other sources continued to use the Bleu Blanc Rouge name the following season.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Fontaine 2016, p. 214.
  2. ^ a b D'Auteuil & Otis 2012, p. 38.
  3. ^ a b "Drummondville ouvre la saison par un triomphe". Le Nouvelliste (in French). October 1, 1973. p. 17. Retrieved January 25, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Ron (March 25, 1972). "Junior Canadiens indeed interested". Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 10. Retrieved January 26, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Junior league will operate with nine teams next year". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. May 11, 1972. p. 19. Retrieved January 25, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Play in QJHL". Kingston Whig-Standard. The Canadian Press. June 2, 1972. p. 12. Retrieved January 26, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Montreal's junior ice entry 'named'". The Montreal Star. September 15, 1972. p. C5. Retrieved January 25, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Le Club Junior de Montreal". Le Devoir (in French). October 7, 1972. p. 27. Retrieved January 25, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ D'Auteuil & Otis 2012, pp. 31–33.
  10. ^ D'Auteuil & Otis 2012, p. 32.
  11. ^ D'Auteuil & Otis 2012, p. 34.
  12. ^ D'Auteuil & Otis 2012, p. 36.
  13. ^ Elite Prospects.
  14. ^ Hockeydb.

Sources

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