The NHL’s Shortest-Lived Franchise Was in Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens are the oldest and longest-running franchise in National Hockey League history. The NHL version of the team is as old as the league itself, having played its first game on opening night, Dec. 19, 1917. This season, both the Canadiens and the NHL enter their 110th season of existence.

In reality, however, the Canadiens are even older than the NHL. The franchise was founded on Dec. 4, 1909, and originally played in the National Hockey Association (NHA). This is not about them.

Not only is Montreal home to the oldest and longest-running NHL franchise, but it was also home to the shortest-lived franchise in league history. The Montreal Wanderers.

The Wanderers Went From Original Four to Gone in 16 Days

The Wanderers were one of the NHL's four founding clubs, joining the Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Arenas when the league opened for business on Dec. 19, 1917. They were also part of what may have been the wildest opening night in NHL history, a 10-9 win over the Arenas.

While the Canadiens would go on to build a history spanning more than a century, the Wanderers' NHL existence lasted just 16 days. On Jan. 2, 1918, only two weeks after the NHL's inaugural games, the Montreal Arena — home to both the Canadiens and the Wanderers — burned to the ground. The Canadiens were able to relocate to Jubilee Rink. The Wanderers were not.

Already short two players, brothers Sprague and Odie Cleghorn, because of the First World War, the franchise also lost all of its equipment in the fire. Unable to secure another home arena, the Wanderers were forced to forfeit their next two scheduled games before officially folding. Their NHL story was over almost as soon as it began.

Four Games That Became Hockey History

The Wanderers played only four games in NHL history. After the thrilling 10-9 home-opener win, the Wanderers dropped an 11-2 decision to the Canadiens. They then lost consecutive games to the Ottawa Senators by scores of 6-3 and 9-2. The club finished with a 1-3 record and was charged with two additional forfeiture losses before the franchise ceased operations.

Although their NHL stay was short and ended tragically, the Wanderers were anything but an unsuccessful hockey club. They were one of the founding franchises of the National Hockey Association in 1909 and captured four Stanley Cups during their amateur and professional years before helping to launch the NHL.

A Tale of Two Franchises in Montreal

Few cities can claim a place in hockey history quite like Montreal. It is home to the league's oldest and most decorated franchise, a team that has survived wars, economic hardship and more than a century of change. It is also home to the NHL's shortest-lived franchise.

The Canadiens are preparing to begin Season No. 110. The Wanderers never made it to Day No. 17. For just 16 days, however, they stood alongside the Canadiens, Senators and Arenas as one of the NHL's original franchises. More than a century later, their story remains one of the most remarkable — and least remembered — in hockey history.