Known for its rich hockey heritage, Montreal was the host of the first public ice hockey game, which took place on March 3, 1875 at the Victoria Skating Rink. The sport excelled from that point on and today is Canada’s national sport.

Many games were played at the Victoria Skating Rink during the 1870s and 1880s. That time period saw the development of many of hockey’s entities that are customary today: rules, uniforms, advertising, paid admission, positions and on-ice officials.

Montreal was also the site of the first hockey championship, captured by McGill University at the Montreal Carnival in 1883.

Montreal eventually became the home of the Montreal Canadians, an Original Six NHL team that has etched its name onto the Stanley Cup 24 times, most recently in 1993.

In 2002, the Society for International Hockey Research officially recognized Montreal as the birth city of the game of hockey.

For parts of the last three seasons, the Lake Erie Monsters have been fortunate to have Montreal native Patrick Bordeleau as part of their lineup. During that time, Bordeleau has appeared in 135 games for the Monsters, posting 15 points (3G, 12A) and an franchise-leading 248 penalty minutes.

Prior to joining the Monsters, Bordeleau spent parts of four seasons developing his game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – one of the most prestigious development leagues in North America.