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Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens, 2003 (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)

Canadiens Will Finally Recognize Andrei Markov’s Impact by Honouring Him This Season

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By William Bourget | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 2:40 PM ET

This season, the Montreal Canadiens will finally pay tribute to one of the most quietly impactful defensemen in franchise history: Andrei Markov. While his departure from the team in 2017 left fans with a lingering sense of unfinished business, this long-overdue recognition gives Montreal a chance to celebrate a player whose loyalty, consistency, and understated excellence made him a cornerstone of the Canadiens for nearly two decades.

Markov’s Impact and Loyalty

Few players embodied steady reliability quite like Markov. Drafted in the sixth round in 1998, he became one of the most successful late-round gems in Canadiens history. Markov suited up for 990 NHL games, all of them in a Canadiens uniform. That level of loyalty is increasingly rare in modern hockey, and it’s one of the reasons his name continues to resonate with fans today.

On the ice, Markov was more than just consistent; he was quietly brilliant. His offensive numbers are proof of his skill: 119 goals and 453 assists, a total that ranks second among Canadiens defensemen in assists, third in goals, and second in games played. Beyond the raw numbers, Markov was the type of defenseman who could control the pace of a game.

Markov achieved all this without ever seeking the spotlight; he preferred to let his game do the talking. Yet for nearly two decades, when fans thought about the Canadiens’ defensive identity, his name was front and center. His quiet dedication to Montreal, even as the team went through rebuilds and leadership changes, is what makes him one of the true greats of the modern Habs era.

Markov’s Abrupt Departure from the Canadiens

Despite everything he gave to the franchise, Markov’s time with Montreal ended abruptly and somewhat controversially. In the summer of 2017, after 16 seasons with the Canadiens, the team decided not to re-sign him.

It wasn’t because he was washed up or unable to contribute. Far from it. Markov had just completed a season where he ranked third in average ice time on the team, and he continued to be a vital piece of the team’s defence. Even as he got older, his poise and high hockey IQ made him effective against top competition.

What stung for many fans was that the Canadiens could have easily kept him around to reach the milestone of 1,000 NHL games, a mark that carries symbolic weight in the hockey world. Markov finished just 10 games short. To see a player of his stature leave without that recognition left an empty feeling, as though the organization had failed to properly close the chapter on one of its greats.

After leaving the NHL, Markov returned to Russia. He played three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, including a memorable campaign in 2018 when he helped Ak Bars Kazan win the Gagarin Cup. It was a fitting way to cap his career, but for Canadiens fans, there has always been the sense that something was missing. Not seeing Markov hit the 1,000-game milestone wearing red, white, and blue remains one of the franchise’s most regrettable choices of the last decade.

Why This Canadiens Tribute Matters

This season’s tribute carries a lot of weight. Honouring Markov is not just about looking back at his stats and successes; it’s about acknowledging a player who was integral to the Canadiens’ identity for nearly two decades. These ceremonies serve as reminders of the franchise’s continuity and of the players who sacrificed and delivered for them through different eras.

For Markov, this moment should be a well-deserved recognition of a career defined by commitment, excellence, and understated leadership. For fans, it will be a chance to again cheer for a defenseman who gave everything to the team but never sought glory for himself. And for the Canadiens, it will be an opportunity to right a small wrong, giving Markov the ovation and closure that should have come years ago.

Markov’s career with the Canadiens was a study in loyalty, consistency, and quiet brilliance. Though he left under circumstances that frustrated many fans, his legacy as one of the greatest defensemen in Canadiens history remains unquestioned. By honouring him this season, the Canadiens will not only celebrate his impact but also strengthen the connection between their storied past and their future.