PETER MAHOVLICH IS ONE OF FOUR PLAYERS IN CANADIENS HISTORY TO HAVE RECORDED 100-PLUS POINTS IN A SEASON.

His brother Frank, eight years older but four inches shorter, was known as “The Big M”. So, when Pete Mahovlich broke into the NHL, he became “The Little M”. One of the most popular and productive centermen in team history, he enjoyed every minute of his nine years in Montreal.

Selected by Detroit in the first round, Mahovlich was the second overall pick in the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft; he broke into the league in 1965-66, appearing in three games. He played 82 games with the Red Wings over four seasons, bouncing between the big club and farm teams before joining the Canadiens organization after the 1968-69 campaign.

Mahovlich spent the entire 1969-70 season in Montreal, splitting his time between the Habs and the AHL’s Montreal Voyageurs. The next year, he stuck with the big boys for good and became a mainstay for the next seven full seasons.

With a long-legged, deceptively quick stride and superior puckhandling skills, he had no difficulty proving his rightful place on the big stage. Little M’s 35 goals and 61 points in the regular season coupled with his 181 penalty minutes were indicative of his versatility. Mahovlich could be a smooth skating, playmaking center or he could drop the gloves for a bout.

An outgoing, light-hearted and sociable player, Mahovlich was always ready with a quick quip or an open flame. Never at a loss for words or too busy to share them, he was a favorite of both fans and reporters.

In the summer of 1971, Pete’s name was engraved on the Stanley Cup alongside that of big brother Frank. Acquired from Detroit midway through the season, the boys from Timmins, Ontario became the fourth pair of siblings to capture the Cup together in a Habs uniform.

Mahovlich repeated his 35-goal exploits in 1971-72 and earned an invitation to join Team Canada for the Summit Series in the fall of 1972. He saw action in all but one game, picking up a goal and an assist along the way.

Another Stanley Cup title came the Mahovlich brothers’ way at the end of the 1972-73 season. It was the final triumph for the siblings, as Frank left the team following the 1973-74 campaign.

By now a proven NHLer, Pete was assigned new wingers. Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt were first round draft choices that had yet to make an impact. By the end of the 1974-75 season, all three had reached new heights.

Shutt doubled his previous season’s total with 30 goals, Lafleur broke through with 53, and Mahovlich potted 35. With most of his time spent feeding his linemates, the centerman ended up with 82 assists to show for his efforts, a team record that has yet to be matched and more than twice his output in any season to that point.

A third Stanley Cup Championship crowned Mahovlich’s 105-point season in 1975-76, which he followed-up with a fourth championship the following spring.

Mahovlich’s place in the Habs' record book remains secure, with the “Little M” still holding club marks for points (117) and assists (82) in a season by a centerman.

The Canadiens made the playoffs in each of the seven full seasons Mahovlich played with the team. His postseason scoring prowess ranks him 13th among all Canadiens players for goals and 15th for total points.

Traded to Pittsburgh in 1977-78, Mahovlich played his last NHL games with Detroit in 1980-81.

Irrepressible and fun-loving, Mahovlich left the ice but remained in the game, working as a coach, commentator and scout in the years since retiring. He was hired as a scout by the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999.