When I was growing up in Southwestern Ontario, most of my friends were Toronto Maple Leaf fans. That didn’t stop me from cheering for the Montreal Canadiens through my teen years. And why not? The 1970s teams, with players like Yvan Cournoyer, Peter Mahovlich, and Serge Savard, offered a special electricity, winning the Stanley Cup six times between 1971 and 1979. So when I got an opportunity to read Habs Nation: A People’s History of the Montreal Canadiens by Brendan Kelly, I eagerly accepted.
“Besides exploring on-ice events and hockey personalities, Habs Nation also explores the Montreal Canadiens’ significance to the people of Quebec.”
Habs Nation, as one might expect, talks about some of Montreal Canadiens’ achievements, particularly during the “Glory Years” from 1955 to 1980, though not forgetting about the less-successful seasons that followed. Draft pick decisions, trades that in retrospect seem ill-advised, and what-might-have-beens are all discussed. The book also reviews changes in ownership and how these affected the team’s philosophy and performance.
Besides exploring on-ice events and hockey personalities, Habs Nation also explores the Montreal Canadiens’ significance to the people of Quebec. The “two solitudes” of English and French, the sovereignty movement, and the Quiet Revolution are commented on, as are the links between Quebec’s history and the rise and fall of the Canadiens’ fortunes. Underscoring the relationship between the team and the province, Kelly also notes that there is data supporting the idea that “the Habs win more often with more Quebecers on the team.”
Kelly argues that there was something special about the Canadiens back when they were largely staffed by French-speaking players—when they were truly the “Flying Frenchmen,” a nickname they once carried. According to Serge Savard, Maurice “Rocket” Richard was “much more than just a hockey player . . . he was a French-Canadian hero who stood up to the English.”
Habs Nation includes discussions with former players like Serge Savard and Bob Gainey, filmmakers like Denys Arcand, university professors, journalists, and many others. Comments from sports broadcaster and former professional ice hockey player P.J. Stock, and from Karl Subban, father of P.K. Subban, and are also in the mix. A number of photos are included in the book, as well as some of the Canadiens-related cartoons created by Terry Mosher, aka Aislin.
Originally written in French and released in 2024 as Le CH et son peuple: Une province, une équipe, une histoire commune, Habs Nation arose from the time Kelly spent working on a documentary TV series about the Montreal Canadiens franchise. While working on this project, Kelly says “series producer Michel Trudeau and I spent months and months discussing the unique social history of the Canadiens and how it mirrored what was happening in the team’s home province.”
Kelly suggests that “the Montreal Canadiens should be considered a cultural institution rather than a sports team like any other,” adding, “they might win a heck of a lot less often than before, and they might be a lot less Québécois as they go about it, but the Canadiens are still every bit as important to the people of Quebec.”
Habs Nation should appeal to Montreal Canadiens fans, readers interested in the link between sport and culture, or anyone wishing to take a deeper dive into the relationship between the team and the province of Quebec.
About the Author
Brendan Kelly, born in Glasgow, raised in Montreal and a fan of the Canadiens for longer than he can remember, was one of the founders of the late great alternative weekly the Montreal Mirror. He worked at the Montreal Daily News in the late 80s and had a weekly music column on CBC Radio for over 30 years. His Montreal Gazette column “What the Puck” is a controversial contrarian hot take on the Canadiens that elicits much hate and even more love. He has written for the Gazette since 1996. He also contributes frequently to various Radio-Canada cultural shows.
About the Reviewer
Lisa Timpf lives in Simcoe, Ontario, where she writes poetry, book reviews, short stories, and creative nonfiction. Lisa’s speculative poetry collections Cats and Dogs in Space (2025) and In Days to Come (2022) are available from Hiraeth Publishing in print and electronic formats. Lisa is a member of SF Canada and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association. You can find out more about her writing projects at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/. Lisa is also on Bluesky, @lisatimpf.bsky.social
Book Details
Publisher: Baraka Books
Publication date: Oct. 1 2025
Language: English
Print length: 230 pages
ISBN-10: 1771864001
ISBN-13: 978-1771864008