Top 100 Habs By Decade: 9. 1989-1999

In recognition of the Canadiens Centennial next Friday, we at Lions in Winter have been doing what we like best – making lists. As a precursor to publishing the definitive LIW top 100, we will be counting down the decades from least successful to most successful and naming our LIW top 10 players for the ten-year span. You should expect a few each day for the next few days.

Though this celebration has inevitably lost some steam due to relentless marketing and pre-game ceremonies for all of living memory, it would be a shame to let it pass unnoticed just because Mr. Gillett wanted to cash in before he cashed out.

1989-1999

An objective look reveals what we all fear – that we became fans of this team just as its fortunes began to turn. From a Cup final to end the decade previous, these ten years took the team to its lowest in 1999.

There were good years, of course, and a Stanley Cup. But after that amazing run of 1993, the years were not kind to the Canadiens, as they went from perennial contender for league and playoff crowns to being just one of 24 odd teams.

Thanks to the early years, there were good players on the team and good players to trade for other good players. One trade chain (the Richer chain) provided 4 players for our top 10 from the 1990s.

[Note: Each player only appears in one decade's top 10 – so Brisebois fans, hold on to your hats]


10. Shayne Corson (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1985-2000	662	168	255	423	+70	26	AS
Decade best (Season)	1989-90	76	31	44	75	+33	6	AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	2002-06	90	28	35	63	+16	7
Decade best (Playoffs)	1990-91	13	9	6	15	+5	3

A good solid player from the 1980s who had his best offensive seasons with Richer. Came back for a stint where he was captain and all-star again.


9. Eric Desjardins (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1988-95	405	43	136	179	+55	7	AS
Decade best (Season)	1992-93	82	13	32	45	+20	1
Habs career (Playoffs)	2002-06	71	9	20	29	+6	1	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1992-93	20	4	10	14	+2	1	SC

A player who would have held his own in the dynasty years, I bet. He saved his best year for when it counted, and his 1 playoff GWG, well we all know that...


8. Denis Savard (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1990-93	210	72	107	179	+6	7	AS, HOF
Decade best (Season)	1991-92	77	28	42	70	+6	5	AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1990-93	38	5	25	30	-3	0	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1991-92	11	3	9	12	+1	0

Came to Montreal under immense pressure to be THE star. Wasn't the dominant force, but still a big contributor over his 3 seasons in town.


7. Mathieu Schneider (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1987-2009	383	68	148	216	+36	13
Decade best (Season)	1993-94	75	20	32	52	+15	4
Habs career (Playoffs)	1990-2009	46	5	16	21	+5	0	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1990-91	13	2	7	9	+2	0

Learned to play offense from the back in Montreal. Was a pretty good option for D as well.


6. Pierre Turgeon (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1994-96	104	50	77	127	+35	8	AS
Decade best (Season)	1995-96	80	38	58	96	+19	6	AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1995-96	6	2	4	6	+1	0
Decade best (Playoffs)	1995-96	6	2	4	6	+1	0

The best season from a Canadiens player since Naslund, and it still stands.


5. Mark Recchi (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1994-99	346	120	202	322	+23	18	AS
Decade best (Season)	1995-96	82	28	50	78	+20	6
Habs career (Playoffs)	1996-98	21	11	13	24	+5	2
Decade best (Playoffs)	1997-98	10	4	8	12	+2	2

Like clockwork, both in being healthy for games and scoring.


4. Kirk Muller (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1991-95	267	104	143	247	+1	15	AS
Decade best (Season)	1992-93	80	37	57	94	+8	4	AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1992-94	38	20	12	32	+3	6	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1992-93	20	10	7	17	+4	3	SC

Could find a new gear in important games and was pivotal in helping the whole team to do just that in several consecutive OTs.


3. Stephane Richer (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1984-98	490	225	196	421	+65	36	AS
Decade best (Season)	1989-90	75	51	40	91	+35	8
Habs career (Playoffs)	1986-97	77	36	21	57	+1	9	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1990-91	13	9	5	14	E	1

The last 50-goal season from a Canadiens player, a link to Lafleur. Richer was a serious threat in the first few years of the decade.


2. Vincent Damphousse (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1992-99	519	184	314	498	+26	35
Decade best (Season)	1992-93	84	39	58	97	+5	8
Habs career (Playoffs)	1993-98	48	19	24	43	E	5	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1992-93	20	11	12	23	+8	3	SC

The most unheralded scoring machine, captain, cup-winning, hometown hero you could imagine. Going out on a low note shouldn't eclipse what he managed in the mid-90s.


1. Patrick Roy (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	W	L	T	GAA	S%	SO	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1984-2005	551	289	175	66	2.78	0.904	29	3 V, 4 WJ, AS, HOF
Decade best (Season)	1991-92	67	36	22	8	2.36	0.914	5	V, WJ, AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1986-94	114	70	42	0	2.46	0.914	5	2 SC, 2 CS
Decade best (Playoffs)	1992-93	20	16	4	0	2.13	0.929	0	SC, CS

He finds himself in the 1990s, but could head the 1980s list. Patrick was the source of most success in this decade – winning most individual honours and taking the team for a nice ride to LA to receive the silverware.


* Awards: V = Vezina trophy; WJ = William Jennings trophy (GA); AS= All-star; HOF = Hall of Fame; SC = Stanley Cup; CS = Conn Smythe.