Which NHL team is commonly nicknamed the Habs?

The NHL team commonly nicknamed the Habs is the Montreal Canadiens.

“Habs” is generally understood as a shortened form of “Habitants,” a historical French term for settlers who farmed along the St. Lawrence River. The nickname was being used for the Canadiens by at least 1914, although a popular later story credits New York sports promoter Tex Rickard with spreading it in 1924.

The Canadiens were founded in 1909 and joined the NHL when the league began in 1917. Their familiar logo contains a red C surrounding a white H. The H stands for “Hockey” in “Club de Hockey Canadien,” not “Habitants”—a common trivia mix-up.

Montreal also has several other famous nicknames, including the Tricolore, referring to the team’s red, white, and blue colors. The Canadiens are one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises and have won the Stanley Cup more often than any other team.