Montreal Forum The Montreal Forum ( In French : Le Forum de Montréal ) was an indoor arena located in Montreal , Quebec , Canada . It was home of the National Hockey League ' s Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996 . The Forum was built by the Canadian Arena Company in 159 days . Located at the northeast corner of Atwater Street and Saint Catherine Street near the Atwater ( Montreal Metro ) , the building was historically significant as it was home to 24 Stanley Cup championships ( 22 of the Canadiens and two of the Montreal Maroons , for whom the arena was originally built ) . It was also home to the Montreal Royals and Montreal Junior Canadiens . History . The Forum opened on November 29 , 1924 at a total cost of Canadian $ 1 , 500 , 000 ( $ 19 , 083 , 333 . 33 as of December 11 , 2008 by inflation . with an original seating capacity of 9 , 300 . It underwent two renovations , in 1949 and 1968 . When the Forum closed in 1996 it had a capacity of 17 , 959 , which included approximately 1 , 600 in standing room . Construction . The idea to build the Forum in 1923 is credited to Sir Edward Beattie , president of the Canadian Pacific railway . At the suggestion of Senator Donat Raymond , William Northey developed a plan for a 12 , 500 seat capacity rink . Plans were scaled back for financial reasons to a rink of 9 , 300 seats . Even at the reduced size , the rink could not immediately find financing . The Forum would eventually be financed by H . L . Timmins . The site selected was the site of a roller skating rink named the Forum , and the name was kept . The site had previously been the site of an outdoor ice hockey rink , used by Frank and Lester Patrick , Art Ross and Russell Bowie . Ice hockey . While hosting the Canadiens and Maroons on Thursdays and Saturdays , the Forum also hosted the Quebec Senior Hockey League , featuring the Montreal Victorias , Montreal Royals and the Montreal Canadiens amateur team on Wednesdays and Sundays . The Quebec Junior Hockey League played on Monday nights , the Bank League on Tuesdays and the Railways and Telephone League played on Friday nights . As well , the Forum was used by the university teams in Montreal , especially McGill University . The Metropolitan Montreal Junior League filled many dates in the 1950 ' s and 1960 ' s . In 1947 the Montreal Royals won the Allan Cup in the building . The Montreal Forum hosted Memorial Cup games in 1950 , 1968 , 1969 , 1970 , 1973 & 1976 , with the Montreal Junior Canadiens winning on home ice in 1970 . In 1972 The Montreal Forum hosted game 1 of the famous " Summit Series " between Team Canada and the USSR . The USSR won the game 7 - 3 in a very warm building despite the air conditioning . Only two visiting teams ever won the Stanley Cup on Forum ice : the New York Rangers did so in 1928 , defeating the Maroons , while the Calgary Flames defeated the Canadiens in 1989 . On March 11 , 1996 , the Montreal Canadiens played their last game at the Montreal Forum , beating the Dallas Stars 4 - 1 on a Monday night . After the game , many previous hockey greats were presented to the crowd . Five days later , the team had settled into their new home , the Molson Centre ( now the Bell Centre ) , as they took to the ice , and celebrated with another win , against the New York Rangers .