Royal Montreal Hockey Club / Montreal Royals
The Royal Montreal Hockey Club, commonly known as the Montreal Royals, was one of the most prominent senior hockey teams in Canadian history. While there was also a junior team under the same umbrella, the senior Royals were the more distinguished squad, with a legacy that spanned nearly three decades.
The Club traces its roots back to one of the oldest hockey organizations in the world, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA), also known as the Montreal Hockey Club. Founded in 1884, this original club was a pioneering force in early hockey history, becoming the first team to win the Stanley Cup in 1893. The Montreal Hockey Club was deeply intertwined with the MAAA, which supported various amateur sports in the city.
The senior Royals were founded in 1933 and initially competed in the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL). Over the next 20 years, the Royals became one of the league's powerhouse teams, enjoying significant success in the 1940s. In 1945 and 1946, the Royals won back-to-back QSHL championships, a testament to their dominance during this era. They followed this up by capturing the coveted Allan Cup in 1947, signifying their status as Canada's top senior amateur team.
The Royals’ success wasn’t limited to one league. After the QSHL folded in 1953, the team joined the newly-formed Quebec Hockey League (QHL). In this semi-professional league, the Royals once again proved their mettle, clinching the QHL championship in 1959. This victory was one of the last major triumphs for the senior Royals, as the QHL would soon disband, leading the team to move to the Eastern Professional Hockey League (EPHL).
Though the EPHL was a relatively short-lived league, existing from 1959 to 1963, the senior Royals played in the league from 1959 to 1961, marking the final years of the team’s existence. Despite remaining competitive in the EPHL, the Royals' glory days were behind them, and by 1961, the team disbanded, concluding a storied run that had spanned almost three decades.
The Montreal Royals were a stepping stone for many hockey greats who went on to have illustrious careers in the NHL. One of the most notable names is Jacques Plante, who played for the Royals before becoming a Hall of Fame goaltender and revolutionizing the position by popularizing the use of the goalie mask. Doug Harvey, another former Royal, is widely regarded as one of the greatest defencemen in hockey history, winning seven Norris Trophies during his NHL career and being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dollard St. Laurent also got his start with the Royals before going on to a successful NHL career, winning multiple Stanley Cups with both the Montreal Canadiens and the Chicago Blackhawks. Additionally, Jack Adams, who later became one of the most influential figures in hockey as a coach and general manager, also played for the Royals early in his career. These players, among others, helped establish the Royals as a premier training ground for elite talent during their era.
