It may be difficult for a modern fan to envision, but entering the summer of 1955, the Montreal Canadiens were simply just another team in the NHL. Yes, under the leadership of Dick Irvin and driven by Maurice Richard, the team had made five consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. However, they had lost four of them: three to Gordie Howe’s Detroit Red Wings and one to Bill Barilko’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
The defeats placed the Red Wings level with the Canadiens at seven Cups apiece, with both clubs trailing the Toronto Maple Leafs by two.