New Survey to Mark the 100th Anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens

TORONTO, Dec. 1 /CNW/ - A survey for the Historica-Dominion Institute, conducted by Ipsos Reid, examines Canadians' attitudes towards the Montreal Canadiens as the team prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary on Friday.

The survey revealed that one half (47%) of Canadians 'agree' (17% strongly/30% somewhat) that the 'Montreal Canadiens are the greatest hockey team in history'. In comparison, less than half as many Canadians, just two in ten (20%), 'agree' (3% strongly/16% somewhat) that 'the Toronto Maple Leafs are the greatest hockey team in history'.

The poll of over 1,000 Canadians found that more Canadians consider the Montreal Canadiens to be 'Canada's national hockey team' (33%) than the Toronto Maple Leafs (25%). Comparatively few believe that distinction belongs to the Ottawa Senators (5%), the Vancouver Canucks (4%), the Calgary Flames (2%) or the Edmonton Oilers (2%). Despite having NHL teams in their province, many Canadians still feel a strong attachment to the Canadiens:

    
    -   19% of British Columbians consider the Montreal Canadiens to be
        'Canada's national hockey team' compared to 22% for the Vancouver
        Canucks;
    -   21% of Albertans consider the Montreal Canadiens to be 'Canada's
        national hockey team' compared to 12% for the Calgary Flames and 14%
        for the Edmonton Oilers;
    -   22% of Ontarians consider the Montreal Canadiens to be 'Canada's
        national hockey team' compared to 43% for the Toronto Maple Leafs and
        8% for the Ottawa Senators;
    -   Two in three Quebecers (65%) consider the Canadiens to be Canada's
        national team.
    

"To a large number of Canadians, hockey is Canada and the Montreal Canadiens are hockey's greatest success story," said Andrew Cohen, President of The Historica-Dominion Institute. "Our love of the Habs is strong even one hundred years after their creation, seventeen seasons after their last Stanley Cup victory and in a League with 30 franchises including 6 in Canada."

One of the greatest rivalries in all of sport is between the Habs and the Leafs - Montreal vs. Toronto. The survey found that:

    
    -   If it were still possible for them to meet in the Stanley Cup final,
        and they did, 44% of Canadians say they'd cheer for the Canadiens,
        while slightly fewer (38%) would cheer for the Leafs.
    -   Three quarters (73%) of Canadians believe that the Habs will win
        their next Stanley Cup first, while one quarter (27%) thinks that the
        Leafs will emerge victorious first.
    

One player clearly emerges in the public's mind as the greatest Habs player in history: 45% of Canadians believe that Maurice "The Rocket" Richard is the best of all time. Meanwhile, two in ten believe Guy Lafleur (19%) has earned that title. Others think the crown goes to Patrick Roy (13%), Jean Béliveau (13%), Jacques Plante (4%) or Ken Dryden (1%).

For detailed survey results, visit www.historica-dominion.ca.

For further information: Media Inquiries: Andrew Cohen, President, [phone], [email protected]; Marc Chalifoux, Executive Vice-President, [phone], [email protected]