MONTREAL CANADIENS

BY STU COWAN

OWNERSHIP GEOFF MOLSON WHEN GEOFF MOLSON bought the Montreal Canadiens and the Molson Centre (now the Bell Centre) from George Gillett Jr. in June 2009 for a reported $575 million Cdn., it was, at the time, the most ever paid for an NHL franchise. It was a move that raised many eyebrows and had some industry insiders questioning Molson’s decision. “How can a hockey team be worth $575 million?” Forbes wrote. “Half the funds used in the buyout were borrowed, and many of the obvious tactics used to bolster the team’s value were already used by the prior owner. It could be years before the deal makes financial sense.” It certainly makes sense now. When Sportico published its 2024 team valuations, the Canadiens ranked third, at $2.93 billion U.S. (including team-related businesses and real…

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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Money & Power 2025

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