When Toe Blake assumed the reins of the Canadiens as head coach in 1955-56, he certainly needed no introduction. Already a proven champion from his playing days with the Canadiens, Blake stepped behind the Canadiens’ bench and continued to do what he had always done – win.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Canadiens from his time skating alongside Maurice “Rocket” Richard and Elmer Lach on the famous “Punch Line”, Blake retired following the 1947-48 season only to return to the Habs in the fall of 1955.

As a rookie coach, Blake immediately led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup in his first year at the helm of the club, and that proved to only be the beginning. With Blake guiding the way, the Habs would blossom into the greatest dynasty in NHL history, winning five straight Cups from 1956 through 1960.

The mastermind behind the on-ice exploits of the likes of “The Rocket”, Jean Beliveau, Doug Harvey, Bernard Geoffrion and Jacques Plante, Blake always knew which buttons to push. Wearing his trademark fedora wherever he went, he had a knack for keeping his talented group of superstars and future Hall of Famers focused and hungry year in, year out. While they could easily have become complacent, Blake’s Canadiens were instead the most driven and determined team in the NHL.

Over the 13 years he spent behind the Canadiens’ bench, Blake guided the Habs to an incredible eight Stanley Cups, a championship ratio unmatched by any coach in league history.

With 500 regular season victories to his credit, Blake remains the winningest coach in Canadiens history.