jocelyn thibault was at the center of one of the most charged weeks in Montreal hockey history: he took part in the farewell to the Forum and the opening of the Centre Molson, having arrived in the city only weeks earlier as part of the high-profile exchange that sent Patrick Roy away. He remembers both nights as unforgettable moments for a childhood fan from Laval who suddenly wore the Canadiens’ sweater on his home ice.
Jocelyn Thibault At The Forum And Centre Molson
Thibault had landed in Montreal in December 1995, brought in a few weeks earlier by the trade that reshaped the roster. He had previously played with the Nordiques and said there was a clear difference between arriving as a visiting player and arriving as a local member of the Canadiens. He recalled marking Forum dates on his calendar when he was with the Nordiques, and the pride of finally stepping onto the Forum ice in the Canadiens uniform.
His first game in the Canadiens jersey fell on a Saturday night that ended in a 2-2 tie; during the national anthem he felt deep emotion at wearing the club’s sweater on the Forum ice. The move to Montreal fulfilled a childhood dream for a player who had been a devoted fan of the team growing up.
Two Ceremonial Nights: Farewell To The Forum And Opening Of The Centre Molson
The week featured two high-profile ceremonies: the last game held at the Forum and the inaugural match at the brand-new Centre Molson. For the Forum farewell, the Canadiens defeated the Stars of Dallas 4-1. Thibault said the team played well in that game and he did not have to steal the result from the netminder position.
All the club’s greats were present for the ceremonies that linked past and present — names and images that carry the province’s hockey history. Players and captains passed the symbolic torch across the two nights. Thibault described skating onto the ice alongside legendary figures, including a memorable moment sharing the surface with Gump Worsley.
The first match at the Centre Molson came just days after the Forum farewell, with the opening ceremonies featuring prominent former players and moments designed to honor the franchise’s history. Pierre Turgeon took part in the Centre Molson opening ceremonies on March 16, 1996, an event that helped mark the handover from one building to the next.
The Forum’s Legacy And The Move That Marked An Era
The Forum itself carried nearly a century of history. It opened on November 29, 1924, and was originally built for the Maroons by Donat Raymond and William Northey with an initial capacity of 9, 300. The building was expanded in 1949 and again in 1968 to hold nearly 16, 000 fans and became the site where the Canadiens captured 24 Stanley Cups. The venue also hosted major cultural moments, including the Beatles’ first Canadian concert in 1964.
For Thibault, the back-to-back ceremonies — the farewell to that long-standing temple of hockey and the hello to the Centre Molson — were deeply felt. He described the two nights as exceptional occasions that will remain engraved in his memory, the culmination of childhood fandom and a professional milestone. He also remains involved in hockey beyond his playing days, continuing as a co-owner of the Phoenix de Sherbrooke.
Those ceremonies framed a transition for the club and the city: a final salute to the Forum’s storied past and a ceremonial welcome to a new arena intended to carry Montreal hockey forward.
