The origins of the Montreal Canadiens date back to 1909, yet the team’s individual scoring records for goals, assists and points in a single season were all set in the four year span between 1974-75 and 1977-78. Two of the three players that hold the records are now members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Two players in the history of the Montreal Canadiens have scored 60 goals in a single season. The first of these two players was Steve Shutt in 1976-77. While the Canadiens were making National Hockey League history with their 60 win, 132 point regular season and Stanley Cup victory, Shutt was making history of his own by becoming, at the time, just the third player in NHL history to score 60 or more goals in a season. Previously, the feat had only been accomplished by Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins and Reg Leach of the Philadelphia Flyers.

The following season, 1977-78, Guy Lafleurequalled Shutt’s mark of 60 goals. Like Shutt before him, Lafleur led the NHL in goals that season. An original first overall pick of the Canadiens in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft, Lafleur topped 50 goals and 100 points six times during his NHL career. Guy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988. Shutt followed, five years later.

In 1974-75, Pete Mahovlich had a career year, with 82 assists and 117 points. The 82 assists remain a team record, although Lafleur came close in 1976-77 with 80. Mahovlich’s 82 assists were third in the league next to the 89 that Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins and Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers achieved. Pete followed up with 71 assists and 105 points the following season but never came close to those numbers before or after that two year span. Most always in the shadow of older brother Frank, Mahovlich totalled 884 NHL regular season games over his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The same year Steve Shutt was scoring 60 goals, 1976-77, Guy Lafleur was winning the Art Ross Trophy with his 136 points. A Montreal record, the 136 points is the 31st highest single season total in NHL history, tied with Dennis Maruk of the Washington Capitals. Lafleur’s 80 assists also led the league. There were just two other players with 100 or more points that season, Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings and Steve Shutt.