Ultimate Standings 2009: No. 100
Montreal Canadiens
Last Year's Rank: 73
Title Track: 39
Ownership: 50
Coaching: 107
Players: 112
Fan Relations: 113
Affordability: 109
Stadium Experience: 22
Bang for the Buck: 88
Habs fans were expecting a bounty of gifts for their club's 100th birthday: hosts of All-Star Weekend, Centennial Jersey Nights, official coins from the Royal Canadian Mint. But what they really wanted was behind curtain No. 2: a shiny new Cup! Unfortunately, they ended up with a team that went into la toilette before the All-Star break and was swept in a one-and-done in the postseason. That didn't stop management from charging prices through the Bell Centre roof, and why not? Filling the arena to max occupancy since 2004 has been an empty-netter in a city whose citizens would choose hockey over oxygen. A slew of pricey partial (three to five games) plans got gobbled up faster than a midnight plate of poutine. So do you really think $17.19 parking and $21.44 hats would deter fans from turning the rink into an over-crowded fire hazard? Then again, having the luxury of 100 years of memories means fans also remember a time when they weren't getting gouged and the action on the ice was worth every "Loonie." Guess who the loonies are now?
