The Montreal Canadiens began their 2024-25 pre-season schedule by pitching a shutout over the Philadelphia Flyers. Although there are no official records for pre-season contests, this was an excellent opportunity to revisit the franchise’s shutout leaderboard and see ranks at the top.
Top 5 Shutout Leaders in Canadiens History
5. Bill Durnan – 34
Bill Durnan played his entire career with the Canadiens, dressing for 383 games over seven seasons. As the league’s best goalie, he won the Stanley Cup twice and captured six Vezina Trophies.
In addition to leading the league in wins from 1943 to 1947, Durnan produced the best GAA in six of his seven campaigns while collecting the most shutouts in 1946 (four) and 1949 (10). He had just two shutouts during his first two seasons, but he never posted less than four in the final five seasons, finishing with eight in his final year, 1949-50.
Durnan was an ambidextrous goaltender who could change his stick hand depending on the situation and he had special gloves made so that he could catch pucks with either hands.
4. Ken Dryden – 46
Like Durnan, Ken Dryden played for the Canadiens briefly, just eight seasons from 1970 to 1979. Highly regarded as one of the game’s greatest goalkeepers, he won the Stanley Cup six times and five Vezina Trophies.
Dryden was only 23 when he broke into the NHL and retired by 31, recording 46 shutouts in eight seasons. He led the league in the category on five occasions and reached a personal best of 10 in 1976-77.
3. Carey Price – 49
Carey Price is one of two netminders on this list to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP while backstopping the Canadiens. Over 15 seasons, he tended goal for Montreal, becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in games played and wins.
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Unfortunately, Price is the only goalie among the top five in shutouts who never helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup.
But, thanks to his longevity, Price reached the top of several statistical categories. This shows in his shutout totals, as he finished 49 and never reached double digits in a single season, topping out at nine in 2014-15.
2. Jacques Plante – 58
Jacques Plante is a hockey legend, not for holding the Canadiens’ win record for decades or winning six Stanley Cup titles, but for pioneering the goalie mask.
As one of the workhorse netminders of his era, Plante played in 556 games from 1952 to 1963, leading the league in wins on five occasions. In addition to the victories, he earned the NHL’s lowest GAA six times and collected no fewer than five shutouts from 1953 to 1959.
Interestingly, Plante posted three consecutive campaigns with nine shutouts from 1957 to 1959 during Montreal’s five straight Stanley Cup titles.
1. George Hainsworth – 75
George Hainsworth began his NHL career almost a century ago, in 1926-27. Right out of the gate as a 31-year-old, he led the league in shutouts with 14 while posting a 1.47 GAA.
The following year, he recorded 26 wins, 13 of them shutouts. However, the best was yet to come. In 1928-29, Hainsworth set the NHL record for 22 shutouts in a single season, registering a 0.92 GAA.
Considering the Canadiens only played 44 games that season, he won half of his contests by blanking his opponents. Shockingly, Hainsworth did not help Montreal win the Stanley Cup that season, losing in the Semi-Finals.
However, that year was the best statistical campaign of his career and tenure with the Canadiens. Although he would go on to win two championships, he never reached double digits in shutouts again. He’s maintained the top spot on this list for 91 years.
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