Toe Blake

It took two seasons for the Canadiens to gel under Blake. Blake led the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup as coach in 1956. They won the Cup each year through 1960. With each Cup, Blake was harder on himself and his players and others around him.

The team did not do well in the early 1960s, making the playoffs but not winning the Cup. While a master strategist as a coach, Blake still had the temper of a player. During a 1961 semi-final game, after losing to the Chicago Blackhawks, Blake hit referee Dalton McArthur after the game. McArthur had waved off two Montreal goals in overtime. Blake was fined the next day by the NHL. By the 1963-64 season, the Canadiens finished in first place again.

While Canadiens won Stanley Cups in the 1964-65, 1965-66 seasons, and 1967-68 seasons, Blake's temper became more evident. He was charged with attacking a fan in a game in Los Angeles on November 19, 1967. Blake was later acquitted of the charges.