Canadiens honor Markov with pregame ceremony

Not that it was ever in doubt, but Montreal loves Andrei Markov.

Fans at Bell Centre proved that on Wednesday, giving the former Montreal Canadiens defenseman a two-minute standing ovation during his homecoming ceremony.

Markov walked out onto the ice with his wife, Sonya, and his daughter Vasilisa and son Alexander, and fans revered in a raucous cheer for the fan favorite.

The two-time All-Star took in the special moment with his family, as the cheers grew stronger with time.

The crowd then broke into an “Ole! Ole!” chant and Sonya hugged Markov, who couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“First of all, it’s a big honor to be here tonight,” Markov said to the fans. “When I came to Montreal 25 years ago, I didn’t know what to expect. What I found was a city that welcomed me, a team that became my family, and fans that support us every single night.

“To all my teammates, my coaches, and staff, thank you for making me a better person and a better player.”

Fans kept standing throughout the entirety of Markov’s speech.

Before Markov addressed the crowd, the team played a video tribute, highlighting moments from Markov’s 16-year career.

Former teammate P.K. Subban and Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin were both included in the video.

“He never got enough credit for how impactful he was,” Subban said. “He was a catalyst for the Montreal Canadiens for his whole time there.”

“To play against Andrei was always challenging because he knew the game so well,” Ovechkin said. “I was privileged to play against him.”

Markov played his entire 16-year career with the Canadiens, from 2000-2017. He suited up for 990 regular season games and another 89 in nine Stanley Cup Playoffs appearances.

“I always believed that this is the best city to play hockey,” he said during his speech. “Monteral, je’taime.”