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There are two banners hanging from the rafters on the Bell Centre with the title Richard on them.

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The legendary Maurice “Rocket” Richard had his No. 9 retired after profitable eight Stanley Cups with the Canadiens and there’s additionally a statue honouring him outdoors the Bell Centre, together with fellow Corridor of Famers Jean Béliveau, Man Lafleur and Howie Morenz.

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Henri “Pocket Rocket” Richard — Maurice’s youthful brother — had his No. 16 retired after profitable a document 11 Stanley Cups as a participant with the Canadiens.

On Sunday afternoon, there was one other Richard on the ice on the Bell Centre, this time sporting No. 90 for the Canadiens of their annual Crimson vs. White scrimmage.

Anthony Richard (no relation to the Corridor of Fame brothers) scored two targets and added an help to steer his Crimson group to a 7-2 win over the White group.

“For certain, it’s particular for me and for my household,” Richard stated about enjoying for the primary time on the Bell Centre. “They’re large Canadiens followers my complete household and my buddies are watching just about each sport.

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“Once I signed this summer time, it was a particular second for me and my buddies.”

The 25-year-old Richard has performed solely two profession NHL video games with the Nashville Predators, who chosen him within the fourth spherical (a hundredth total) of the 2015 NHL Draft after he posted 43-48-91 totals in 66 video games with the QMJHL’s Val d’Or Foreurs.

The 5-foot-11, 183-pound centre from Trois-Riviéres had 17-21-38 totals in 71 AHL video games final season break up between the Milwaukee Admirals and Syracuse Crunch. In July, the Canadiens signed Richard to a one-year, two-way contract that can pay him US$750,000 within the NHL and US$300,000 with the AHL’s Laval Rocket (with a minimal assured wage of US$375,000), the place he might develop into a key participant.

Richard stated his favorite Canadiens participant rising up was Richard Zednik as a result of he wore No. 20.

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“I used to put on No. 20 in my youth, so he was certainly one of my favorite gamers ever,” Richard stated.

Juraj Slafkovsky, the No. 1 total decide at this yr’s NHL Draft, now has No. 20 for the Canadiens. However followers who had been hoping to see Slafkovsky in motion on Sunday had been left upset since he didn’t gown for the scrimmage. He’s anticipated to be within the lineup Monday when the Canadiens play their first preseason sport on the Bell Centre towards the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m., RDS, TSN2, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

Alex Inexperienced, Joel Armia, Jared Davidson (sporting P.Okay. Subban’s outdated No. 76), Xavier Simoneau and Arber Xhekaj additionally scored for the Crimson group on Sunday, whereas Brendan Gallagher and Lucas Condotta scored for the White group.

The sport was bought out with tickets costing $10 and there weren’t a variety of empty seats. Ticket gross sales raised $184,540, which can be break up evenly between the Montreal Canadiens Youngsters’s Basis and the Tablée des Cooks.

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The followers had a good time with a variety of households and kids within the crowd.

There was one ahead line on every group that may be collectively when the common season begins on Oct. 12 on the Bell Centre towards the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On the Crimson group, Jake Evans was at centre between Jonathan Drouin and Armia, whereas the White group had Christian Dvorak between Evgenii Dadonov and Gallagher. These two traces have been in place since coaching camp began and so they had been matched up towards one another all through the scrimmage.

“Nothing is ready in stone and all these choices return to Marty (St. Louis),” assistant coach Stéphane Robidas stated when he spoke with the media after the scrimmage as a substitute of the pinnacle coach. “He’s the one which’s making the ultimate calls. However I feel what I see with Jake is he’s only a good participant with good vitality, good velocity. Jo’s a extremely expert participant and Military’s only a large man that may make performs additionally, sturdy on the puck. I feel they’ve been good to date and who is aware of what’s going to occur sooner or later. However to date, so good.”

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As for the opposite line, Robidas stated: “They’ve been good at scrimmages the previous couple of days. Good vitality, good gamers that compete. So I feel they might be an excellent line for us.”

For Dadonov, it was his first time sporting a Canadiens sweater on the Bell Centre after being acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in June in change for Shea Weber.

“We had been sporting white jerseys, so I used to be staying on the identical aspect of the bench as earlier than,” the 33-year-old veteran stated with a smile.

“I heard it was going to be lots of people, however I didn’t anticipate that a lot,” Dadonov added. “It was virtually bought out. Truly, I feel there have been much less folks final season after I performed with Las Vegas right here.”

Sunday was a day for the Canadiens and their followers to attempt to overlook final season, after they completed with the worst document within the NHL.

The scrimmage ended with followers doing the wave and chanting “Go Habs Go!”

It was a day Anthony Richard received’t overlook.

scowan@postmedia.com

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