For generations, the Habs have been dogged by accusations that their historic
Stanley Cup success was because they had territorial rights to the best players
 French Canada had to offer. In this great article, originally published May
12, 2010, former THW contributor Mike Moore lays out why all those claims of
an unfair advantage are wrong.

I've heard it more than once. You've probably heard it yourself, especially if
you're a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. Some misinformed anti-Habs fan usually
brings it up. It's a myth passed on from one generation to the next, an old
wives' tale stoked by jealousy or emotions even more sinister. You know where
I'm headed - the Montreal Canadiens have won all of those Stanley Cups in their
 team history because the NHL traditionally gave them exclusive territorial
rights to all French Canadian players. Ugh, such ignorant nonsense!

Throughout its history, the NHL has been governed by a President and board of
governors whose best interest has always been equal and fair competition. Do
you really believe the NHL could have survived over 90 years if one team had
been given such an obviously huge and advantageous privilege?Mr. Frank Selke
and his VisionFrank Selke

Here's what really happened. In 1946, Frank Selke became General Manager of the
 Montreal Canadiens, a team nicknamed "The Flying Frenchmen" long before the
formation of the National Hockey League. He was a man of extraordinary
foresight and Mr. Selke had a vision.

He upgraded the Montreal Forum to attract more fans. More fans meant more
revenue. With these additional funds, Selke started sponsoring minor and junior
 league teams across North America, especially in the province of Quebec. In
turn, talented players from sponsored teams naturally migrated to the Canadiens
 if they were deemed to be NHL material. At one point, there were 10,000
players on 750 teams across the continent that were considered a part of the
Canadiens' farm system, a stable of future prospects larger than that of the
five other NHL teams combined.

Most French Canadian players, especially those from Quebec, dreamed of one day
dressing up for le bleu, blanc et rouge. However, there were plenty of
exceptions. Hall-of-Famer Marcel Pronovost who hailed from Lac-de-Tortue,
Quebec, was scouted by the Detroit Red Wings in the late 1940's and never
played a game for the Montreal Canadiens in his long, illustrious career. He
was never owned by the Canadiens' organization in any way.Rod Gilbert, Jean
Ratelle, Henri Richard

Same story for future Hall-of-Famers Rod Gilbert and his buddy Jean Ratelle.
They were backwoods Quebecois who were scouted by a guy named Yvon Prud'homme
of the New York Rangers and signed by New York in the mid-1950's. Ratelle
couldn't speak a word of English when he joined the Guelph Biltmores of the
Rangers' organization.

Hubert "Pit" Martin was another one. Unlike the rest of his family, Pit was a
French Canadian Quebecer whose favorite team was the Red Wings, so he joined
their organization. Martin would enjoy a long NHL career in the 1960's and
ΓÇÿ70's and never played a single game for the Habs. There are many more
examples of successful French Canadian players who were never Montreal
Canadiens property under the old sponsorship system.The "New NHL" of the
1960';s

The hockey landscape changed in the 1960's with the gradual elimination of the
sponsorship system. President Clarence Campbell had league expansion in the
back of his mind and he envisioned a level playing field whereby all teams
would have equal opportunity to recruit fresh young talent. Thus in 1963, the
NHL conducted its first Amateur draft.

Needless to say, the draft was a brand new game with rules that required much
refinement that evolved over several years. Only 21 players were selected in
the first year, mainly because amateur players who were already on teams'
sponsorship lists were ineligible to be drafted. The Boston Bruins had finished
 last in the league in 1962 and were scheduled to draft first overall. For some
 reason, they chose to go third instead.

Having built an unequaled and powerful empire of feeder teams across North
America, the Montreal Canadiens stood to lose the most by the institution of
the new draft system. In recognition and as compensation, the NHL granted the
Canadiens the choice of either drafting in turn with other teams or selecting
the two French Canadian players of their choice before any other team
drafted.Garry Monahan

This may seem like an outrageously biased allowance, given the importance of
the NHL's Entry draft of today. How could they grant so much leverage to one
team? But this was 1963, don't forget - all of the valuable junior talent was
already signed and wrapped up through sponsorship. There simply wasn't much
highly desirable talent left to be drafted. Nobody raised an eyebrow. In fact,
the Canadiens didn't even make use of their French Canadian privilege in the
inaugural draft. Instead, they drafted Garry Monahan first overall, a young
prospect from Barrie, Ontario right out of the back yard of the Toronto Maple
Leafs.Using The French Canadian Rule

For the first five years of the Amateur draft, from 1963 to 1967, the Canadiens
 never invoked their French Canadian option. In 1968, the Canadiens saw an
opportunity and finally made use of their exclusive right for the first time.
They selected goaltender Michel Plasse and a centreman from Montreal named
Roger Belisle. Plasse played 32 games for the Habs as a backup goalie and was
subsequently lost with no compensation in the 1974 Expansion draft. Roger
Belisle never played a game in the NHL.

In 1969, the Canadiens used the French Canadian rule again to select Rejean
Houle and Marc Tardif before the other teams drafted in regular order. Although
 both of these 1969 selections were serviceable NHL'ers, they were hardly the
foundation of any future Habs dynasty. Both players were lost to the rival WHA
after four seasons with Montreal.Au Revoir to the Rule

By 1969, the old sponsorship system had been completely phased out. The NHL
voted to eliminate the French Canadian rule, otherwise, the Habs would have
been happy to take junior phenom Gilbert Perreault from Victoriaville, Quebec
in 1970. Perreault went on to become the foundation of the early Buffalo
Sabres' success.

That's it. From 1970 forward, the Canadians built their mostly successful teams
 the old fashioned way, through wise trades and diligent draft picks. As the
league expanded, the newer teams needed skilled players immediately. Still
deeply stocked, the Canadiens could afford to give up serviceable players for
future draft picks. Other Original Six teams had the same opportunity, but
Habs' General Manager Sam Pollock was the master. That's how he secured Guy
Lafleur and other superstars the Canadiens' of the 1970's employed while
grabbing six more Stanley Cups.

The next time fans of a less successful team try to convince you that some
unfair French Canadian advantage is the reason behind the 100-year and 24
Stanley Cup success story of Les Habitants, tell ΓÇÿem to do some homework and
discover reality.

The post Myth of the Montreal Canadiens'; Early Success appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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