On January 11, 1995, the first lockout in the National Hockey League finally ended.  The league had locked players out for 103 days as they tried to reach a new deal with players.  The main sticking point was a luxury tax being proposed by Commissioner Gary Bettman.  The union, headed by Bob Goodenow, said the tax was the same thing as a salary cap which they were dead set against. 

On December 6, 1995, the Montreal Canadiens traded their star goaltender Patrick Roy to the Colorado Avalanche.  The move is considered by many to be the worst trade in Montreal history.  It came just days after Roy was humiliated during a home game at the Montreal Forum when coach Mario Tremblay refused to pull Roy from the game until the score was 9-1.  Roy skated off the ice and went to the President of the hockey club and told him he had played his last game in Montreal.