Sportsnet facing criticism for disrespecting beloved Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov last night

Between 2000 and 2017, the Montreal Canadiens featured blue liner Andrei Markov in their lineup for a total of 990 games, with the hard nosed defenseman becoming a major fan favourite in that time.

The city hasn't seen him since he departed the team for Europe, but on Wednesday night, the 46-year old finally got the appropriate send-off, as fans gathered to celebrate the former sixth-round pick and fan favourite.

That was a fantastic event to see for those in the Bell Centre as they celebrated Markov, but for those fans at home, they weren't able to witness the event, as Sportsnet did not air their pre-game ceremony.

According to reporter Stu Cowan, this has plenty of Canadiens fans incredibly frustrated, as they would have loved to have seen their beloved star honoured in the way he has deserved for a long time.

In those 990 games, Markov tallied 119 goals and 572 points, becoming a favourite for his consistency and hard work through almost two decades with the team, a massive pickup for Montreal as he was originally the No. 162 overall pick in the 1998 NHL Draft.

Ultimately, this was a marquee event for the Canadiens this season, as Markov has long deserved to be celebrated following his abrupt departure from the team, and while some fans are frustrated, the event is gone now, with the hopes that the next time something like this comes along, that Sportsnet will choose to air it.