The Montreal Canadiens are set to honour one of their former defencemen, Andrei Markov, also known as ‘The General’, during a pregame ceremony ahead of puck drop against the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 3. This homecoming has been a long time coming for the player who quietly led an entire era of Canadiens hockey.
Markov spent 16 seasons wearing the blue, red and white and was a fan favourite and a popular teammate. Montreal is known for honouring its past, and this ceremony provides a link to a recent past that lacked the championships that are normally celebrated, instead, celebrating a player who was a quiet leader and never got enough credit for just how good he really was during his career.
Related: Canadiens’ Andrei Markov – Revisiting the General’s Career
This comes nine years after Markov last played a game with the franchise back in the 2016-17 season. For most of the fan base, they have been waiting to see a gesture to recognize the career of a player who kept the team relevant for more than a decade. He is likely to never see his number retired, but this simple moment of recognition will finally allow the player, the fans and the franchise to come together and find closure for a past wrong.
A Canadiens Great Returns
Many fans were upset at then-general manager (GM) Marc Bergevin when he let Markov leave during the summer of 2017. That animosity continues to this day as he left for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in his home country of Russia for the final two years of his professional career. In the end, his NHL career, spent entirely with Montreal, ended at 990 games played.
Markov was quietly the embodiment of a top-tier, two-way puck-moving defenceman who can anchor a blue line. He was a master of controlling the pace of the game with his high hockey IQ and pinpoint passing. He excelled as a quiet, durable playmaker who averaged 47 points per season while playing 23 minutes per game. His physical game was also underrated as he was able to provide a big hit when needed, and was willing to block shots at all times, averaging nearly one per game played.
Markov’s advanced stats were similarly underrated, especially considering the teams he played on at the time, which were bubble playoff teams at best. He consistently had positive Corsi for numbers, but averaged 49.8% over his career, and did this while starting over 52% of his shifts in the defensive zone.
Markov was a foundational piece of the franchise, defining an entire era that was marred by some very poor team performances despite his efforts. Defensively, he provided a steady, reliable veteran presence throughout his career, often playing alongside younger, more physical partners and helping them flourish, such as P.K. Subban and Mike Komisarek.
While there were some difficult moments in his tenure, he remains a proud Canadiens alumni. His consistent presence provided a foundation, but his departure was handled poorly. He said he felt disrespected when he and fellow Russian Alex Radulov left the team after the now-infamous Bergevin quote, “If you want loyalty, get a dog.” Before all of that, he played 990 NHL regular-season games, scoring 119 goals and 572 points. But the Canadiens’ new management, under GM Kent Hughes, is looking to change all of that with this ceremony.
“Politics of the world today mean that it’s not easy for the Canadiens to do what they’re doing to honor me. I really appreciate them wanting to do this. Five years ago, when I retired, I said it was too soon to put my career in perspective. But now, the first thing that comes to mind is that all of those years in Montreal was the best time of my life. I have many great memories from those years, and I was happy to spend my entire NHL career with the Canadiens.”
Nine years later, and with an entirely new management group, Markov and the Canadiens will bury the hatchet and give the fans a moment to show an era-defining player the love and respect he earned.
Markov Still Keeps an Eye on the Canadiens
Even though he left on less-than-ideal terms, he has kept a close eye on the Canadiens and still bleeds Blue, Blanc et Rouge. In an exclusive interview with Marco D’Amico of RG.org, Markov said he’s looking forward to his tribute night in Montreal and reflects on the connection that still exists between him and the city. “Of course, I’m very happy. It was a surprise.” He went on to explain the timeline of the planning with team owner Geoff Molson, stating that “It felt really nice to receive a message from the owner of the team. I spent many years in Montreal, and he was at almost every home game, so we spoke quite often.”
He not only gets the respect from management and ownership, but also love from the fans. He noted that: “People turn around and recognize you. It’s very touching. The same thing happens in the city – on the streets, in restaurants. People remember you. I won’t hide it – it feels really good.”
One player that caught his eye is fellow left-handed defenceman Lane Hutson. Markov is a fan of his skating, puck control and playmaking, but he can’t resist continuing to be the mentor with a constructively critical eye on the finer points, noting where the young defender can still grow.
“He likes to control the puck and skates very well. He’s not tall, but he compensates for it with his movement and the way he sees the ice. One area he can improve – just like me at his age – is shooting more. He prefers making plays. He’s an interesting player, and I hope he keeps developing.”
– Andrei Markov
Another reason to remember his time in Montreal is to learn from how he battled through injuries. He suffered two serious knee injuries and returned after a long recovery to remain an impact player. That injury history is proof that it is possible to come back from two successive knee injuries, but it takes time.
This is something from which current Canadiens forward Kirby Dach can take some inspiration. He has also suffered two serious knee injuries and is currently out injured with a fractured foot from blocking a shot. Markov could provide him some inspiration on approaching the mental aspect of the recovery process and how to maintain a positive mental approach once he returns to game play.
Seeing players from the past receive these ceremonies is nice; it happened for P.K. Subban recently, and now Markov. But it’s more than just a fun little nod to a popular past player.
It’s about celebrating loyalty and acknowledging a player’s contributions and sacrifices. A formal tribute provides closure for fans after his somewhat abrupt departure from the team in 2017 and allows the organization to properly acknowledge one of the franchise’s underappreciated great defencemen. For anyone old enough to have watched his career, they will be very interested to see how Markov reacts to the spotlight the ceremony provides him because he has notoriously always avoided it. The ovation he is going to receive will be loud, long and well-deserved.
