Andrei Markov skated in 990 NHL games, all of them wearing the Montreal Canadiens’ colours, but his association with the team ended abruptly when he couldn’t reach a new agreement with then GM Marc Bergevin. After the 2016-2017 season, both Markov and fellow Russian Alex Radulov left the team after the famous “If you want loyalty, get a dog” quote from the GM. While Markov headed back home to play in the KHL, Radulov signed a five-year contract with the Dallas Stars.
Nearly 10 years later, and with Bergevin being long gone, the organisation has announced that on Wednesday, December 3, the game against the Winnipeg Jets will serve as the former defenseman’s homecoming.
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Expect a celebration similar to the ones Saku Koivu had in 2014 and P.K. Subban received in 2023. While his 16 seasons in Montreal would make him worthy of the Ring of Honour in my opinion, he won’t be added there since that honour is reserved for former Canadiens’ players who have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Does it make sense for Pierre Turgeon to be on the Bell Centre’s wall while Markov isn’t? The answer seems obvious to me, but there we are.
It will be interesting to see how Markov reacts to being under the spotlight since it’s not something he’s ever really relished. Given the ovation he received as a spectator at a game last season, he should expect a very warm welcome.
In his 990 career games, the General gathered 572 points, including 119 goals and 453 assists. Despite being plagued by a serious knee injuries, the rearguard never lost a step, and while his mobility might have gone down somewhat, he always found a way to make up for it with his hockey IQ. His 572 points put him in third place for points by a defenseman in franchise history (Guy Lapointe has the same number of points, but played fewer games, so he gets second place behind Larry Robinson, who recorded 883 in 1202 games), and that alone is more than worthy of celebration.
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