Top 100 Habs By Decade: 5. 1979-1989

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.

1979-1989

5 decades to go and we start to get pretty interesting. If I know my readers, I'd say there are a few who get pretty romantic about some of the upcoming decades – the 1980s being no exception.

The 1980s were a funny time. At one end, you had the clear wane of stars and a dynasty from the 1970s, with retirements and general slowing of production across the board. However, at the other end of the 1980s you have the 1985-1993 period, which as dynasties go is much more silent and forgotten than that of the 1960s. 3 Cup finals (2 in the 1980s) and the 2nd best overall record by a hair to the Calgary Flames.

The list of ten players reflects these two realities with 70s players who fared better but didn't make the grade for that team and (super)stars who were born in the 1980s.

[Note: Each player only appears in one decade's top 10 – so Patrick Roy fans, don't get too ruffled]


10. Doug Jarvis (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1975-82	560	91	154	245	+105	13
Decade best (Season)	1981-82	80	20	28	48	+34	4
Habs career (Playoffs)	1976-82	72	11	20	31		1	4 SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1979-80	10	4	4	8		0

Strong defensive forward and big contributor to 1970s success. He won Selke after leaving Montreal.


9. Pierre Mondou (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1977-85	548	194	262	456	+215	25
Decade best (Season)	1981-82	73	35	33	68	+18	4
Habs career (Playoffs)	1977-85	69	17	28	45	(+11)	2	3 SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1983-84	14	6	3	9	+8	1

A solid offensive contributor who lived in the shadows of some true greats.


8. Doug Risebrough (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1974-82	493	117	185	302	+158	19
Decade best (Season)	1981-82	59	15	18	33	+23	2
Habs career (Playoffs)	1975-82	74	11	20	31		2	4 SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1981-82	5	2	1	3		0

A valuable contributor to the 1970s dynasty, he was still a very valuable member of the team that tried to showdown the Islanders and Oilers.


7. Rod Langway (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1978-82	268	26	101	127	+160	4	AS, HOF
Decade best (Season)	1981-82	66	5	34	39	+66	1	AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1979-82	26	3	6	9		0	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1979-80	10	3	3	6		0

A prodigal talent with the Montreal Canadiens. One wonders what might have been.


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

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1977-82	236	110	126	236	+81	10
Decade best (Season)	1979-80	73	50	41	91	+36	7
Habs career (Playoffs)	1978-81	22	4	13	17		2	2 SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1979-80	9	1	7	8		0

Exceptional goalscoring talent who made a brief stop in Montreal.


5. Mario Tremblay (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1974-86	852	258	326	584	+184	36
Decade best (Season)	1981-82	80	33	40	73	+24	4
Habs career (Playoffs)	1975-85	101	20	29	49	(+5)	4	4 SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1979-80	10	0	11	11		0

A youngster from the dynasty years who came into his own in a leadership role during the 1980s. Only a career-ending injury stopped him from lifting one more Cup.


4. Bobby Smith (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1983-90	505	172	310	482	+34	30	AS
Decade best (Season)	1985-86	79	31	55	86	+10	7
Habs career (Playoffs)	1984-90	107	38	46	84	-1	6	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1988-89	21	11	8	19	+1	1

A big-game player with a talent for passing and scoring. Led the line for the Habs in the late 1980s.


3. Chris Chelios (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1983-90	402	72	237	309	+74	14	N, AS
Decade best (Season)	1988-89	80	15	58	73	+35	6	N, AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1984-90	98	16	52	68	+8	2	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1988-89	21	4	15	19	+2	2

The new anchor of the Habs blueline really came into his own in his last few years in Montreal.


2. Mats Naslund (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1982-90	617	243	369	612	+120	34	LB, AS
Decade best (Season)	1985-86	80	43	67	110	+11	7	AS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1983-90	97	34	57	91	+5	9	SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1986-87	17	7	15	22	-1	3

The Canadiens first European superstar and last 100-point scorer.


1. Guy Carbonneau (Top 100 all-time, Profile)

	Years(s)	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	GWG	Awards*
Habs career (Season)	1980-94	912	221	326	547	+158	33	3 FS
Decade best (Season)	1988-89	79	26	30	56	+37	10	FS
Habs career (Playoffs)	1983-94	161	30	43	173	+3	6	2 SC
Decade best (Playoffs)	1985-86	20	7	5	12	+9	1	SC

Carbonneau, in retrospect, inherited the torch passed from one great Quebecois star to the next for 50 years. His defensive forward tag often clouds the fact that he was a fine scorer who knew how to show people what clutch play meant more than most. The second face of the forgotten mini dynasty of late 1980s and early 1990s.



* Awards: AS= N = Norris; FS = Frank Selke; LB = Lady Byng; All-star; HOF = Hall of Fame; SC = Stanley Cup.