Season's greetings from the Canadiens

posted by Dave Stubbs at 0h22 EST on Dec 14


Xmas Card 001.jpg

Updated with high-resolution card 

All they want for Christmas is a win at home, a win at home, a win at home...

And after tonight's 4-1 defeat of the Flyers in Philadelphia, it's back home to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

From Canadiens collector extraordinaire Erle Schneidman, here are five team Christmas cards spanning five decades. Click here to download this year's card in high-resolution format for use as computer desktop wallpaper.



From top: this year's 2007-08 card, then 1997-98, 1987-88, 1977-78, 1967-68.

 

2007 Xmas Card.jpg
1997 Xmas Card.jpg
1987 Xmas Card.jpg
1977 Xmas Card.jpg
1967 Xmas Card.jpg

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P St. Pierre's picture
Submitted by P St. Pierre on Sat, 12/15/2007 - 01:56.
So that's his problem...

craz11's picture
Submitted by craz11 on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 10:22.
I love how Dandaneault's stick says LE DANDY

Dru's picture
Submitted by Dru on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 21:49.
Hi, There's a bug in the new version of Internet Explorer that causes this. We'll fix it as soon as we find a workaround. In the meantime, I recommend using Firefox for bug-free browsing.

Dave Stubbs's picture
Submitted by Dave Stubbs on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 10:43.
We're looking into this photo issue. Hope to have an answer soon.

Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette

 


idle's picture
Submitted by idle on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 07:00.
Wouldn't it be nice if the numbers on their sticks stood for how many goals they currently have.

Chuck's picture
Submitted by Chuck on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 02:17.
Is there any partuicular reason that Koivu has #88 on his stick? . . . ______________________________________________ "Vote Saku for All-Star... or little Timmy gets it!!!"

craz11's picture
Submitted by craz11 on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 10:21.
It's actually part of the stock graphics CCM uses on their sticks. Gives chumps like you and me the option of colouring in the 88 to make it into whatever number we wear. I guess the Habs trainers can't be bothered to do it, or they left their markers at home! ;-)

P St. Pierre's picture
Submitted by P St. Pierre on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 01:34.
I don't think Pleks had a chance to alter his stick before this picture was taken, because that stick is as long as Komisarek's and there is no tape on the end. Komisarek is 6'4" and Pleks is only 5'10". I realize that defensemen generally like longer sticks but I'd be very surprised if Plekanec's stick is that long considering how good he is with the puck. Dave, thanks for the post. I don't know why, but cheering for the Canadiens is almost a lifestyle. I'm so wrapped up in them that I'm analyzing their Christmas card.

DYCSoccer17's picture
Submitted by DYCSoccer17 on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 19:20.
The size of the knob on Hamrlik's (aka Hamlik) is massive. It looks like a goalie's stick. I wonder if that is a typo or a nickname? Grabovski's stick is the only nameless one. Surprised at how long Saku and Plekanec's sticks are. Perhaps it's an advantage in the faceoff circle? It never ceases to amaze me how much tape these guys put on their sticks. They get these ultra flimsy lightweight sticks that break every time they try to make a pass, but then they load the tape onto it, which makes it as heavy as a stronger wooden stick. Look at Lats' stick, for crying out loud!

Naila Jinnah's picture
Submitted by Naila Jinnah on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 17:57.
Upon closer examination... "Smoke", I get... But "Le Dandy"? And "Hamlik" isn't that much shorter than "Hamrlik"... It just sounds dirtier :O

Chuck's picture
Submitted by Chuck on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 18:40.
Le Dandy jumped right out at me, too. Hilarious! . . . ______________________________________________ "Vote Saku for All-Star... or little Timmy gets it!!!"

Submitted by Chimpanjesus on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:49.
Does anyone have a take on the latest Habs-Sharks rumours- Marleau/Bernier for Koivu/Ryder + Prospect? It sounds interesting. As much as I love Koivu, I think there is definetley a rift between him and Carbo which is dragging him down.

Submitted by habitual on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 17:25.
TSN's Bob McKenzie dismissed it as not making much sense.

Submitted by Barts on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:34.
Esposito gets sent home from the WJ camp for the third consecutive year. I'm glad we didn't pick him.

the_larry's picture
Submitted by the_larry on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:32.
Id like to get myself on that christmas card list. Im barely on my families list so it'd be nice to get one from the Habs

HAB-PROFESSOR's picture
Submitted by HAB-PROFESSOR on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:17.
interesting, the best puck handler on the team has the shortest stick for a forward. --------- until the problem in my picture is solved...we will not be Champions.

joe-hab-nuno's picture
Submitted by joe-hab-nuno on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:25.
usually stick handlers prefer shorter sticks. But i wasn't expecting it to be that much shorter then Koivu's since Koivi is a pretty good stick handler.

joe-hab-nuno's picture
Submitted by joe-hab-nuno on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:16.
Look at much shorter Kovelevs stick is to Koivu's

MatttheHabsFan's picture
Submitted by MatttheHabsFan on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 12:48.
Not sure if this was on anyone's Christmas list...but just read on TSN that PK made the World Juniors as the team's seventh defenseman....good job PK!

Submitted by Sports1131 on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 12:48.
Haha, LE DANDY #25

Oprah's picture
Submitted by Oprah on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 12:18.
Awww... look at that cute lil' Bouillon stick!

B's picture
Submitted by B on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 12:08.
I like the photo of the sticks. I would find it interesting to read what type and style of sticks the players use along with comments on why they have made those choices. I also noticed that some have no "knobs" on the top. Do they wax the tape? Do some cut off the tape of the bottom of the blades? Etc. Perhaps others might find an article on this kind of stuff interesting too? Just a thought.

Moey's picture
Submitted by Moey on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:42.
Yaawwnnnn.....no it would be much more interesting for them to use the sticks to score a few goals for a change.

teamplayer's picture
Submitted by teamplayer on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 11:50.
why is it we are making a point to showing who is on this years team, compared to back when we had really dominating teams in the 60's and 70's? I do enjoy this pick, I think they shoulda had more stuff like this back then. Trivia: from the current lineup of players we have up and players on the ir, whose stick is missing?

Mattee.'s picture
Submitted by Mattee. on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 12:57.
Looks like Gorgeous Gorges and S. Kostitsyn.

B's picture
Submitted by B on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:57.
Georges stick (#26) is the last one on the right. The 4th stick from the left (#54) is Grabovski's so the picture was taken before S.Kostitsyn, O'Byrne or Lapierre were called up.

Mattee.'s picture
Submitted by Mattee. on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 14:14.
Ah, good eye. Touche.

P St. Pierre's picture
Submitted by P St. Pierre on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 01:02.
I also don't see Halak's stick on there.

Mr.Hazard's picture
Submitted by Mr.Hazard on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 11:20.
Pretty nifty. I'm hungry, time for some breakfast yum. Ex nihilo nihil fit

Angry Almond's picture
Submitted by Angry Almond on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 11:14.
Does anyone know if there's a high res of the 2007-2008 card anywhere? That would make the coolest background for my laptop...

Dave Stubbs's picture
Submitted by Dave Stubbs on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 11:20.
I'm on the Canadiens' Christmas card list (or have been...), so if a card arrives in the next few days, I'll scan it high-res and post it on the site.

Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette

 


Angry Almond's picture
Submitted by Angry Almond on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 00:31.
Dave, Thanks for posting this. My son and I think that it's perfect. It's nice to focus on something great about the Habs from an organization point of view for a change. Think of all the great things about this franchise for the past 100 years...and all we do is b*tch and moan about a few losses here and there on what is really a team that's still a few pieces away from a strong contender. Happy Holidays! AA -- Music is the best. FZ

RGM's picture
Submitted by RGM on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 11:00.
How does one get on such a Christmas list? Do you have to be a season ticket holder or have some other connection to the organization?

Dana's picture
Submitted by Dana on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 11:22.
I don't know about other connections but we got one today because we are season ticket holders. It's actually a pretty neat card.. high quality and fold out.. the Habs logo pops out in the middle when you open it.

Naila Jinnah's picture
Submitted by Naila Jinnah on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 10:08.
Very cool!!