After TSN named the Montreal Canadiens the top team with a core four under 24, it was an excellent opportunity to revisit the franchise's best seasons for players under 24.
Montreal Canadiens fans have been privileged to watch some of the game's greatest players, many of whom had the best seasons of their careers before turning 24.
Since TSN just named the Canadiens the top team with a core four under 24, it was a good time to revisit some of the best performances by players before their 24th birthday.
Unsurprisingly, some of the best single-season campaigns in Montreal occurred with young players. Let's revisit.
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Several noteworthy things emerge when we sort through the data from these magical seasons. First, Guy Lafleur set the franchise record for points with 119, only to break it the following year. By the decade's end, he tied or exceeded 125 points on four other occasions.
Meanwhile, Steve Shutt became the first Canadiens skater to score 60 goals during the 1976-77 seasons, a total only matched by Lafleur the following season. As of 2024, they remain the only ones to reach the plateau.
Additionally, Stephane Richer's 1989-90 season at age 23 was the last time Montreal had a 50-goal scorer when he tallied 51, the seventh-best total in a single season.
Finally, Jean Beliveau, at age 24, set the franchise record for most points in a single season, scoring 88 at in 1955-56, surpassing Elmer Lach's previous total of 80 set in 1944-45.
Once upon a time, these totals were remarkable and ranked among the best single-season campaigns in team history. Now, they are among the top 50 best performances, but when we look into the finer details, these players represent the top point totals by a skater 24 or younger.
Statistics obtained from Stathead.
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