The Montreal Canadiens are honoring a legend with the naming of their AHL affiliate.
The fans acted as nickname-choosers in this case, and after an extensive voting process, the minor-league affiliate will be known as Club de hockey Rocket de Laval, or, in English, the Laval Rocket.
The team is set to begin playing at Place Bell in nearby Laval, Quebec in 2017-18.
"From the opening day of the contest it was clear that the ROCKET entry would be a heavy favorite among some 850 different names submitted," said Place Bell president Vincent Lucier. "At the completion of phase I it was the most popular choice. In fact, throughout phases II and III, it earned more votes than all other names combined.
"The message was loud and clear from fans looking for a meaningful identity for their team while paying tribute to Maurice 'Rocket' Richard as one of the Canadiens’ most legendary figures."
Richard, of course, was a member of eight Stanley Cup-winning rosters in Montreal, and won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 1947.
A logo and color scheme will be unveiled in the coming months.
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