Fisher, legendary writer for Habs, retiring

After 57 years of chronicling the Montreal Canadiens like no one else could, a career that included covering 17 Stanley Cup champions, legendary Montreal Gazette hockey writer Red Fisher will be retiring from the beat.

Over the span of Fisher's incredible career that began with the Montreal Star, the Canadiens have had seven owners, eight presidents, nine general managers, 16 captains and two homes.

His first assignment to cover the Canadiens came on March 17, 1955, when he was told to go to the game and write a color story on the crowd that night. The crowd, however, became the story after Maurice “Rocket” Richard had been suspended by NHL president Clarence Campbell one game prior, and his presence at the game triggered what came to be known as the Richard Riot.

Since that fateful day, Fisher has been a constant presence in the Canadiens press box -- a career that has seen him win three Canadian National Newspaper Awards and the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for distinguished hockey writing from the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.