The Bell Centre roared with a thunderous, two-minute standing ovation on Wednesday night, a heartfelt welcome back for a Montreal Canadiens legend. The franchise's Homecoming Night for Andrei Markov was a powerful moment of reconciliation, yet it underscored one of the most poignant "what-ifs" in recent team history: the defenceman falling just 10 games short of 1,000 with the storied club.
A Career Cut Short By Contract Dispute
Selected by the Canadiens in the sixth round of the 1998 NHL Draft, the Russian blue-liner dedicated nearly two decades to the franchise. He played 990 regular-season games, amassing 572 points (119 goals, 453 assists). Markov sits second only to Larry Robinson in games played by a Canadiens defenceman and is tied with Guy Lapointe for second in points by a blueliner.
However, his path to the 1,000-game milestone was blocked after the 2016-17 season. At age 38, Markov sought a two-year contract at his existing salary of US$5.75 million annually. Then-general manager Marc Bergevin was only willing to offer a single year. The negotiation, complicated by Markov representing himself without an agent, became a clash of wills.
"I wanted to stay in Montreal but felt insulted," Markov's stance was clear. Feeling disrespected, he returned to Russia and signed with Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL, where he promptly won a Gagarin Cup championship.
The Fallout for the Canadiens and a Lasting Grudge
The Canadiens felt Markov's absence immediately. The season after his departure, the team plummeted to sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 29-40-13 record, missing the playoffs. Bergevin's subsequent signing of defenceman Karl Alzner to a five-year deal, which was later bought out, only magnified the misstep.
Markov twice attempted a return to Montreal on a one-year deal to reach the milestone, even relaying his interest through then-captain Max Pacioretty. Both times, Bergevin rebuffed him. This situation became emblematic of a management style criticized for letting personal ego interfere with business, a pattern that also affected players like P.K. Subban and Alexander Radulov.
When asked at the Homecoming event if he had spoken to Bergevin since their split eight years ago, Markov smirked and asked, "He's in the city?" before answering with a simple "No."
A Night of Healing and Appreciation
The ceremony, orchestrated by team owner Geoff Molson who reached out to Markov three months prior, was a clear effort to mend fences. Walking onto the ice with his wife Sonya and two of his five children, Markov was visibly moved by the prolonged adoration from fans.
"I believe this is the best city to play hockey," Markov told the crowd in his characteristically brief speech. "To the fans, merci!"
In a media scrum, Markov addressed the lingering disappointment. "Right now, it's over already," he stated. "But when I left Montreal, yes, it was staying in my mind. I'm not regret about anything. I'm a lucky person to spend my whole career with a team like Montreal, so I'm happy."
The event allowed the organization and its fans to properly honour a player who ranks among the franchise's defensive greats. Yet, the celebration also served as a lasting reminder of a legacy slightly diminished by a contentious exit, a 1,000-game dream left unfulfilled due to a breakdown that benefited neither the player nor the team he loved.
