Survey says, we are all Habitants (or most of us anyways)

As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to put the wraps to their Centennial year, they can close the year out with the knowledge that after all these years, they still hold a place in the heart of many a Canadien and Canadian hockey fan.

A survey conducted by the Ipsos-Reid polling firm for the Historica-Dominion Institute has found that 33 per cent of Canadians claim allegiance to the Habs, compared to 25 per cent for the Leafs, while Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers all were well back between 2 and 5 per cent each, 28 per cent of Canadians claimed no allegiance.

1,105 Canadians were surveyed in the poll, providing answers to some other cutting hockey questions of the day.

Included in the results is the discovery that over half of all Canadians believe Montreal is the greatest team in hockey history, comparing them to the Yankees as far as reverence, though unlike the Yankees the Habs don't seem to attract as much anger or angst.

4 in 10 believe that Montreal will see a Stanley Cup parade in the next four or five years (one wonders what the odds for Toronto would be?)Whatever those odds, most Canadians 75 per cent believe that Montreal will win the Cup before Brian Burke's boyo's grab the Holy Grail.

Just so the results don't go to their heads however, more than 50 per cent of the respondents said that they believe the Habs best years are behind them.

The results published in the Globe and Mail, make for an interesting primer prior to this Friday's game, televised across Canada on the CBC which celebrates those hundred years of hockey excellence and passion. Friday nights broadcast will feature coverage of the pre game commemoration of the Centennial, followed by the continuation of one of the great rivalries in Canadiens history a game with the Boston Bruins.

The Historica-Dominion Institute website is dedicated to helping Canadians learn more about the nation and each other, they have a number of sports oriented video clips that focus not only on the Montreal Canadiens, but other key moments in Canadian sport as well.