1955–56 Montreal Canadiens season

{{Infobox ice hockey team season

|Team=Montreal Canadiens

|League=NHL

|Season=1955–56

|year=1955

|LeagueRank=1st

|Record=45–15–10

|HomeRecord=29–5–1

|RoadRecord=16–10–9

|GoalsFor=222

|GoalsAgainst=131

|GeneralManager= Frank J. Selke

|Coach= Toe Blake

|Captain=Emile Bouchard

|AltCaptain=

|Arena=Montreal Forum

|Attendance=

|GoalsLeader=Jean Beliveau, 47

|AssistsLeader=Bert Olmstead, 56

|PointsLeader=Jean Beliveau, 88

|PIMLeader=Jean Beliveau, 143

|WinsLeader= Jacques Plante (42)

|GAALeader= Jacques Plante (1.86)

|StanleyCup=yes

|PoWTrophy=yes

}}The 1955–56 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's 47th season of play. The Canadiens placed first in the regular season standings (with their 45 wins setting an NHL record) and won the Stanley Cup for the eighth time in the club's history.

Offseason

Regular season

=Final standings=

=Record vs. opponents=

Schedule and results

{{Game log start|style=background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 5px solid; border-bottom:#192168 5px solid;|title=1955–56 regular season{{cite web |title=1955-56 Montreal Canadiens Schedule |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MTL/1956_games.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=April 7, 2025}}}}

{{Game log section start|hide=y|style=background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid;|title=October|Game |Result |Date |Score |Opponent |Record}}

|- {{Game-won}}

|1||W||October 6, 1955||2–0 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||1–0–0

|- {{Game-won}}

|2||W||October 8, 1955||2–0 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||2–0–0

|- {{Game-won}}

|3||W||October 9, 1955||5–2 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||3–0–0

|- {{Game-won}}

|4||W||October 15, 1955||4–1 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1955–56) ||4–0–0

|- {{Game-tied}}

|5||T||October 16, 1955||2–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||4–0–1

|- {{Game-lost}}

|6||L||October 20, 1955||2–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||4–1–1

|- {{Game-won}}

|7||W||October 22, 1955||6–0 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||5–1–1

|- {{Game-lost}}

|8||L||October 26, 1955||1–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||5–2–1

|- {{Game-lost}}

|9||L||October 27, 1955||1–4 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||5–3–1

|- {{Game-won}}

|10||W||October 29, 1955||2–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||6–3–1

|- {{Game-tied}}

|11||T||October 30, 1955||2–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||6–3–2

{{Game log section start|hide=y|style=background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid;|title=November|Game |Result |Date |Score |Opponent |Record}}

|- {{Game-tied}}

|12||T||November 3, 1955||3–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||6–3–3

|- {{Game-won}}

|13||W||November 5, 1955||4–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||7–3–3

|- {{Game-tied}}

|14||T||November 6, 1955||3–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||7–3–4

|- {{Game-tied}}

|15||T||November 9, 1955||1–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1955–56) ||7–3–5

|- {{Game-won}}

|16||W||November 12, 1955||3–0 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||8–3–5

|- {{Game-won}}

|17||W||November 13, 1955||2–0 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||9–3–5

|- {{Game-won}}

|18||W||November 16, 1955||3–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||10–3–5

|- {{Game-won}}

|19||W||November 19, 1955||6–1 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1955–56) ||11–3–5

|- {{Game-tied}}

|20||T||November 20, 1955||1–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1955–56) ||11–3–6

|- {{Game-lost}}

|21||L||November 24, 1955||2–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||11–4–6

|- {{Game-won}}

|22||W||November 26, 1955||3–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||12–4–6

|- {{Game-tied}}

|23||T||November 27, 1955||3–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1955–56) ||12–4–7

{{Game log section start|hide=y|style=background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid;|title=December|Game |Result |Date |Score |Opponent |Record}}

|- {{Game-won}}

|24||W||December 1, 1955||2–1 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||13–4–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|25||W||December 3, 1955||3–1 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||14–4–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|26||W||December 4, 1955||5–1 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||15–4–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|27||W||December 8, 1955||3–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||16–4–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|28||W||December 10, 1955||4–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||17–4–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|29||W||December 11, 1955||4–2 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||18–4–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|30||W||December 15, 1955||2–0 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1955–56) ||19–4–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|31||W||December 17, 1955||5–0 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||20–4–7

|- {{Game-lost}}

|32||L||December 18, 1955||0–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||20–5–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|33||W||December 20, 1955||7–1 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||21–5–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|34||W||December 24, 1955||4–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||22–5–7

|- {{Game-lost}}

|35||L||December 25, 1955||1–5 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1955–56) ||22–6–7

|- {{Game-lost}}

|36||L||December 28, 1955||0–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||22–7–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|37||W||December 29, 1955||5–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||23–7–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|38||W||December 31, 1955||7–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||24–7–7

{{Game log section start|hide=y|style=background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid;|title=January|Game |Result |Date |Score |Opponent |Record}}

|- {{Game-lost}}

|39||L||January 5, 1956||2–5 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||24–8–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|40||W||January 7, 1956||3–1 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||25–8–7

|- {{Game-lost}}

|41||L||January 11, 1956||1–6 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1955–56) ||25–9–7

|- {{Game-lost}}

|42||L||January 14, 1956||0–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||25–10–7

|- {{Game-lost}}

|43||L||January 15, 1956||0–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||25–11–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|44||W||January 18, 1956||3–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||26–11–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|45||W||January 19, 1956||3–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||27–11–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|46||W||January 21, 1956||3–1 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1955–56) ||28–11–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|47||W||January 22, 1956||6–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||29–11–7

|- {{Game-lost}}

|48||L||January 26, 1956||1–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||29–12–7

|- {{Game-won}}

|49||W||January 28, 1956||6–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||30–12–7

|- {{Game-tied}}

|50||T||January 29, 1956||1–1 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||30–12–8

{{Game log section start|hide=y|style=background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid;|title=February|Game |Result |Date |Score |Opponent |Record}}

|- {{Game-won}}

|51||W||February 2, 1956||2–0 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||31–12–8

|- {{Game-won}}

|52||W||February 4, 1956||2–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||32–12–8

|- {{Game-tied}}

|53||T||February 5, 1956||3–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1955–56) ||32–12–9

|- {{Game-tied}}

|54||T||February 8, 1956||1–1 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||32–12–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|55||W||February 10, 1956||3–1 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||33–12–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|56||W||February 12, 1956||7–1 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||34–12–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|57||W||February 16, 1956||8–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||35–12–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|58||W||February 18, 1956||9–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1955–56) ||36–12–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|59||W||February 23, 1956||5–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1955–56) ||37–12–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|60||W||February 25, 1956||5–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||38–12–10

|- {{Game-lost}}

|61||L||February 29, 1956||1–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||38–13–10

{{Game log section start|hide=y|style=background:#fff; border-top:#AF1E2D 2px solid; border-bottom:#192168 2px solid;|title=March|Game |Result |Date |Score |Opponent |Record}}

|- {{Game-won}}

|62||W||March 2, 1956||3–1 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||39–13–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|63||W||March 3, 1956||3–1 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||40–13–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|64||W||March 4, 1956||6–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1955–56) ||41–13–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|65||W||March 8, 1956||4–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1955–56) ||42–13–10

|- {{Game-lost}}

|66||L||March 10, 1956||0–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||42–14–10

|- {{Game-lost}}

|67||L||March 11, 1956||1–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1955–56) ||42–15–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|68||W||March 15, 1956||5–2 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1955–56) ||43–15–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|69||W||March 17, 1956||7–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1955–56) ||44–15–10

|- {{Game-won}}

|70||W||March 18, 1956||3–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1955–56) ||45–15–10

Legend:

Playoffs

=Stanley Cup Finals=

This was the first Finals for Henri Richard and Toe Blake's first Finals as coach. The Canadiens faced the Detroit Red Wings for the fourth time in five years, having lost in {{scfy|1952}}, {{scfy|1954}}, and {{scfy|1955}}. This year, they won in five games.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Montreal Canadiens

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="60" \| Date ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="150" \| Away ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5" \| Score ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="150" \| Home ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5" \| Score ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="60" \| Notes
class="wikitable"
March 31	Detroit	align="center"\| 4	Montreal	align="center"\| 6
April 3	Detroit	align="center"\| 1	Montreal	align="center"\| 5
April 5	Montreal	align="center"\| 1	Detroit	align="center"\| 3
April 8	Montreal	align="center"\| 3	Detroit	align="center"\| 0
April 10	Detroit	align="center"\| 1	Montreal	align="center"\| 3

Montreal won the best-of-seven series 4 games to 1.

Player statistics

=Regular season=

==Scoring==

class="wikitable sortable" width="60%"
ALIGN="center" ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="3%" title="Position"\| Pos ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Games played" \| GP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Goals" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Assists" \| A ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Points" \| Pts ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Penalties in Minutes" \| PIM
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jean\|Beliveau}}	C	70	47	41	88	143
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Maurice\|Richard}}	RW	70	38	33	71	89
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Bert\|Olmstead}}	LW	70	14	56	70	94
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Bernie\|Geoffrion}}	RW	59	29	33	62	66
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Dickie\|Moore\|Dickie Moore (ice hockey)}}	LW	70	11	39	50	55
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Doug\|Harvey\|Doug Harvey (ice hockey)}}	D	62	5	39	44	60
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Henri\|Richard}}	C	64	19	21	40	46
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Floyd\|Curry}}	RW	70	14	18	32	10
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Ken\|Mosdell}}	C	67	13	17	30	48
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Claude\|Provost}}	RW	60	13	16	29	30
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jack\|LeClair}}	C	54	6	8	14	30
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jean-Guy\|Talbot}}	D	66	1	13	14	80
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Dollard\|St. Laurent}}	D	46	4	9	13	58
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Tom\|Johnson\|Tom Johnson (ice hockey)}}	D	64	3	10	13	75
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Donnie \|Marshall}}	LW	66	4	1	5	10
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{sortname\|Bob\|Turner\|Bob Turner (ice hockey)}}	D	33	1	4	5	35
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Dick\|Gamble}}	LW	12	0	3	3	8
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Emile\|Bouchard}}	D	36	0	0	0	22
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Connie\|Broden}}	C	3	0	0	0	2
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Wally\|Clune}}	D	5	0	0	0	6
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jacques\|Deslauriers}}	D	2	0	0	0	0
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Bob\|Perreault}}	G	6	0	0	0	0
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jacques\|Plante}}	G	64	0	0	0	10

==Goaltending==

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" \| Player ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Minutes played" \|MIN ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Games played in"\|GP ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Games played in"\|W ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF"title="Games played in"\| L ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Ties"\|T ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Goals against"\|GA ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Goals against average"\|GAA ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF"title="Shut-outs"\| SO
class="wikitable sortable" width="60%"
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jacques\|Plante}}	3840	64	42	12	10	119	1.86	7
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Bob\|Perreault}}	360	6	3	3	0	12	2.00	1
align="center" \| align="right" \| Team:	4200	70	45	15	10	131	1.87	8

=Playoffs=

==Scoring==

class="wikitable sortable" width="60%"
ALIGN="center" ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="3%" title="Position"\| Pos ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Games played" \| GP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Goals" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Assists" \| A ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Points" \| Pts ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" title="Penalties in Minutes" \| PIM
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jean\|Beliveau}}	C	10	12	7	19	22
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Bernie\|Geoffrion}}	RW	10	5	9	14	6
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Maurice\|Richard}}	RW	10	5	9	14	24
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Bert\|Olmstead}}	LW	10	4	10	14	8
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Dickie\|Moore\|Dickie Moore (ice hockey)}}	LW	10	3	6	9	12
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Henri\|Richard}}	C	10	4	4	8	21
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Doug\|Harvey\|Doug Harvey (ice hockey)}}	D	10	2	5	7	10
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Claude\|Provost}}	RW	10	3	3	6	12
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Floyd\|Curry}}	RW	10	1	5	6	12
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jack\|LeClair}}	C	8	1	1	2	4
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Ken\|Mosdell}}	C	9	1	1	2	2
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Tom\|Johnson\|Tom Johnson (ice hockey)}}	D	10	0	2	2	8
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jean-Guy\|Talbot}}	D	9	0	2	2	4
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Donnie \|Marshall}}	LW	10	1	0	1	0
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{sortname\|Bob\|Turner\|Bob Turner (ice hockey)}}	D	10	0	1	1	10
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Emile\|Bouchard}}	D	1	0	0	0	0
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jacques\|Plante}}	G	10	0	0	0	2
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Dollard\|St. Laurent}}	D	4	0	0	0	2

==Goaltending==

class="wikitable sortable" width="60%"
bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" \| Player ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Minutes played" \|MIN ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Games played in"\|GP ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Games played in"\|W ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF"title="Games played in"\| L ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Goals against"\|GA ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Goals against average"\|GAA ! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Shut-outs"\| SO
align="center" \| align="right" \| {{Sortname\|Jacques\|Plante}}	600	10	8	2	18	1.80	2
align="center" \| align="right" \| Team:	600	10	8	2	18	1.80	2

class="wikitable sortable" width="60%"

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" | Player

! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Minutes played" |MIN

! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Games played in"|GP

! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Games played in"|W

! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF"title="Games played in"| L

! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Goals against"|GA

! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Goals against average"|GAA

! width="3%" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" title="Shut-outs"| SO

align="center"

| align="right" | {{Sortname|Jacques|Plante}}

600

1.80

align="center"

| align="right" | Team:

600

1.80

{{cite web |publisher=hockey-reference.com |accessdate=2009-05-28 |title=1955-56 Montreal Canadiens Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MTL/1956.html}}

Awards and records

Prince of Wales Trophy: Montreal Canadiens
Art Ross Trophy: Jean Beliveau
Hart Memorial Trophy: Jean Beliveau
James Norris Memorial Trophy: Doug Harvey
Vezina Trophy: Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens
Jean Beliveau, Centre, NHL First Team All-Star
Doug Harvey, Defenceman, NHL First Team All-Star
Tom Johnson, Defenceman, NHL Second Team All-Star
Bert Olmstead, Left Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
Jacques Plante, Goaltender, NHL First Team All-Star
Maurice Richard, Right Wing, NHL First Team All-Star

Transactions

Citations

References

[http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000451956.html Canadiens on Hockey Database]
[http://nhlreference.com/teams/teamscores.htm?tm=MON&yr=1955&lg= Canadiens on NHL Reference]

Mon

Category:Montreal Canadiens seasons

Category:Stanley Cup championship seasons

1955–56 Montreal Canadiens season

Offseason

Regular season

=Final standings=

=Record vs. opponents=

Schedule and results

Playoffs

=Stanley Cup Finals=

Player statistics

=Regular season=

==Scoring==

==Goaltending==

=Playoffs=

==Scoring==

==Goaltending==

Awards and records

Transactions

See also

Citations

References