Created as a founding member of the National Hockey Association (NHA) with the aim of appealing to Montreal's francophone population, the Canadiens played their first game on January 5, 1910, and captured their first Stanley Cup in 1916.
Creado como membro fundador da National Hockey Association (NHA) coa finalidade de apelar á poboación francófona de Montreal, os Canadiens xogaron o seu primeiro partido o 5 de xaneiro de 1910, e conquistaron a súa primeira Stanley Cup en 1916.