Montreal Canadiens: Three Single Season Records That Will Never Be Broken

Most Shutouts

Shutouts? Did the most recent version of the Montreal Canadiens have any of those? Apparently so. Jake Allen had a pair and Sam Montembeault had one as well. That’s three in an 82 game season, which is well short of the Canadiens single-season record.

That record, is an incredible 22 shutouts by George Hainsworth in 1928-29. There are a few reasons that this record has been able to stand for nearly 100 years and will likely stick around for 100 more, if not forever.

First of all, it was back before teams were allowed to use a fairly common practice now that is known as “the forward pass.” Teams would suddenly be allowed to pass the puck ahead to a teammate immediately after Hainsworth piled up 22 shutouts in just 44 games.

The Boston Bruins were the only team in the league to score more than two goals per game in that 1928-29 season, so Hainsworth earning a shutout every other game does have a bit of an asterisk attached. It is impressive, as no one else ever had more than 15 in NHL history, so no one has come close to matching Hainsworth’s impressive shutout record.

And no one else ever will. Martin Brodeur is the only goalie to get over halfway to 22 shutouts since the 2005-06 lockout, and no one on the Canadiens has ever come close.