Bernie Geoffrion
Encyclopedia
Joseph André Bernard Geoffrion (ʒɛfʁiɔ̃; February 14, 1931 – March 11, 2006), nicknamed Boom Boom, was a Canadian
professional ice hockey
player and coach. Generally considered as one of the innovators of the slapshot
, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1972 following a 16-year career with the Montreal Canadiens
and New York Rangers
of the National Hockey League
.
, Quebec
, and began playing in the NHL in 1951. He earned the nickname "Boom Boom" for his thundering slapshot
(which Geoffrion claimed to have 'invented' as a youngster http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=158150&hubname=) from sportswriter Charlie Boire of the Montreal Star
in the late 1940s while playing junior hockey for the Laval Nationale. He was the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals in one season, the first being teammate Maurice Richard
. Half the time, he played left-wing
on Montreal's front line with fellow superstars Richard and Jean Béliveau
, helping the Canadiens to six Stanley Cup
championships, and at other times was right wing on the No. 2 line. But Boom Boom had a hard time convincing the NHL of his considerable talents; Maurice Richard
, Andy Bathgate
(New York Rangers
) and Gordie Howe
(Detroit Red Wings
) were so good that they overshadowed him. Even after Geoffrion won the Art Ross Trophy
as league scoring champion in 1955, NHL First All-Star honours went to Richard, while Geoffrion only hooked up on the Second.
However, Geoffrion's resulting anger was nothing compared to the Montreal Forum
fans when Geoffrion scored one goal while crowd-favourite Richard was suspended, and at the time had led the NHL scoring race. The Wings beat the Canadiens in the final round in seven games that year, exactly the same result of the previous season. "I couldn't deliberately not score, that isn't the point of hockey, Montreal," complained Geoffrion, but fans regardless kept catcalling and jeering him. "I was so feeling the urge to vomit; I felt terrible," Geoffrion emotionally, admitted. "Even thinking about hockey made me feel bad, man did I want to leave. If it had not been for Jean (Béliveau) and Maurice (Richard) visiting, I would have. Usually, it's not too much to expect to be on the First (All-Star) Team when you have more points than anyone else."
Early in his playing career, he had a reputation for letting his temper get the best of him. One such example occurred late in the second period of a Canadiens' 3–1 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden
on December 20, 1953. With a two-handed swing, Geoffrion's stick made contact with the left side of Ron Murphy
's face
, resulting in a broken jaw
and concussion. The injuries ended Murphy's season. Geoffrion was suspended for the remaining matches between the two teams in that campaign.
In a testament to the rough-and-tumble style of play of that era, Geoffrion broke his nose six times, and received over 400 stitches. In 1958, a training accident severely injured him and his life was saved by emergency surgery
. Despite advice from his doctors to stop playing for a season, Geoffrion was on the ice six weeks later to take part in the 1958 Stanley Cup Final.
Geoffrion first retired in 1964, but returned two seasons later to play for the New York Rangers
. Likely the reason for his first retirement was Béliveau (who was not one of three alternate captains), getting appointed team captain in 1961. This was following the Rocket's retirement in 1960 and Doug Harvey's trade to the Rangers in 1961 (he only lasted a year with the C). Geoffrion, who had had an A, was devastated by the decision to go with Béliveau.
"If I didn't keep suffering all those terrible injuries and yet keep coming back, if I weren't fit to lead, would I have gotten the C and kept playing?" asked Geoffrion, who had, in the 1961 semifinals, had a hurt leg and insisted, even so, that Harvey cut a cast off it so he could play. "Yes, I think I would. There were times when everybody kept telling me to quit. My doctor even told me I should stop playing, but I came back."
In 1968 he finally retired as a player and became coach of the Rangers, but resigned after only 43 games due to ulcer
s in his stomach. In 1972 he became the first coach of the Atlanta Flames
, and held the position for two and a half seasons, leading them to their first playoff appearance in 1974. However, 52 games into his third season, he had to resign due to health problems. Geoffrion moved to the Flames' broadcast booth, where he became the color commentator alongside veteran play-by-play man Jiggs McDonald. He realized a longtime dream of coaching his beloved Canadiens in 1979, but his recurring stomach ailment forced him to step down mid-season.
In the 1970s and into the 1980s, Geoffrion appeared in several television commercials for Miller Lite
beer
, part of their stable of retired athletes-turned-spokesmen which also included Billy Martin
and Bob Uecker
.
.
Geoffrion's widow Marlene is the daughter of fellow Hockey Hall of Fame
r Howie Morenz
and the granddaughter of the sister of the wife of Billy Coutu
, the only player banned from the NHL for life. Marlene and Boom Boom Geoffrion's son, Dan
, (born January 24, 1958) played five seasons of professional hockey, which included stops with the Quebec Nordiques
of the World Hockey Association
in 1978–79, Canadiens in 1979–80 (with his father as coach), and Winnipeg Jets in 1980–81. His grandson Blake Geoffrion
(born February 3, 1988) plays for the Nashville Predators
in the NHL. Another Geoffrion, Sebastian, plays for the University of Alabama at Huntsville Chargers. Bernie and Marlene's son-in-law, Hartland Monahan
, played in the NHL for several teams in the 1970s and grandson Shane Monahan
played Major League Baseball
for the Seattle Mariners
in the late 1990s.
number 5 would be retired on March 11, 2006. On March 8, Geoffrion was diagnosed with stomach cancer
after a surgical procedure uncovered it. Doctors attempted to remove the tumour, but found that the cancer had spread. Geoffrion died in Atlanta, Georgia
, on March 11, the day his jersey number was to be retired.
During his remarks at the pre-game retirement ceremony, Geoffrion's son Bob recounted how his parents had once gone to a boxing
match at the Montreal Forum
and that Geoffrion had told his wife Marlene that his own number would someday hang from the rafters beside that of her father's, Howie Morenz. Fulfilling that prophecy, and in further recognition of the special link between the Morenz and Geoffrion families, the two numbers were raised side by side (Morenz's banner was lowered halfway and was raised back up to the rafters with Geoffrion's banner).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player and coach. Generally considered as one of the innovators of the slapshot
Slapshot
A slapshot in ice hockey is the hardest shot. It has four stages which are executed in one fluid motion:# The player winds up his hockey stick by raising it behind his body, sometimes raising the blade to shoulder height or higher.# Next the player violently "slaps" the ice slightly behind the...
, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1972 following a 16-year career with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
and New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
Playing career
Geoffrion was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and began playing in the NHL in 1951. He earned the nickname "Boom Boom" for his thundering slapshot
Slapshot
A slapshot in ice hockey is the hardest shot. It has four stages which are executed in one fluid motion:# The player winds up his hockey stick by raising it behind his body, sometimes raising the blade to shoulder height or higher.# Next the player violently "slaps" the ice slightly behind the...
(which Geoffrion claimed to have 'invented' as a youngster http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=158150&hubname=) from sportswriter Charlie Boire of the Montreal Star
Montreal Star
The Montreal Star was an English-language Canadian newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It folded in 1979 following an eight-month pressmen's strike....
in the late 1940s while playing junior hockey for the Laval Nationale. He was the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals in one season, the first being teammate Maurice Richard
Maurice Richard
Joseph Henri Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, Sr., was a French-Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1942 to 1960. The "Rocket" was the most prolific goal-scorer of his era, the first to achieve the feat of 50 goals in 50...
. Half the time, he played left-wing
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
on Montreal's front line with fellow superstars Richard and Jean Béliveau
Jean Béliveau
Jean Arthur "Le Gros Bill" Béliveau, is a former professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another seven championship teams, the most Stanley...
, helping the Canadiens to six Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championships, and at other times was right wing on the No. 2 line. But Boom Boom had a hard time convincing the NHL of his considerable talents; Maurice Richard
Maurice Richard
Joseph Henri Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, Sr., was a French-Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1942 to 1960. The "Rocket" was the most prolific goal-scorer of his era, the first to achieve the feat of 50 goals in 50...
, Andy Bathgate
Andy Bathgate
Andrew James Bathgate is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
(New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
) and Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
(Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
) were so good that they overshadowed him. Even after Geoffrion won the Art Ross Trophy
Art Ross Trophy
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
as league scoring champion in 1955, NHL First All-Star honours went to Richard, while Geoffrion only hooked up on the Second.
However, Geoffrion's resulting anger was nothing compared to the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
fans when Geoffrion scored one goal while crowd-favourite Richard was suspended, and at the time had led the NHL scoring race. The Wings beat the Canadiens in the final round in seven games that year, exactly the same result of the previous season. "I couldn't deliberately not score, that isn't the point of hockey, Montreal," complained Geoffrion, but fans regardless kept catcalling and jeering him. "I was so feeling the urge to vomit; I felt terrible," Geoffrion emotionally, admitted. "Even thinking about hockey made me feel bad, man did I want to leave. If it had not been for Jean (Béliveau) and Maurice (Richard) visiting, I would have. Usually, it's not too much to expect to be on the First (All-Star) Team when you have more points than anyone else."
Early in his playing career, he had a reputation for letting his temper get the best of him. One such example occurred late in the second period of a Canadiens' 3–1 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden (1925)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the third of that name. It was built in 1925 and closed in 1968, and was located on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan on the site of the city's trolley car barns. It was the first Garden that was not located near...
on December 20, 1953. With a two-handed swing, Geoffrion's stick made contact with the left side of Ron Murphy
Ron Murphy
Robert Ronald Murphy is a retired former professional ice hockey player who played for the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins over the course of an 889-game NHL career....
's face
Face
The face is a central sense organ complex, for those animals that have one, normally on the ventral surface of the head, and can, depending on the definition in the human case, include the hair, forehead, eyebrow, eyelashes, eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, mouth, lips, philtrum, temple, teeth, skin, and...
, resulting in a broken jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
and concussion. The injuries ended Murphy's season. Geoffrion was suspended for the remaining matches between the two teams in that campaign.
In a testament to the rough-and-tumble style of play of that era, Geoffrion broke his nose six times, and received over 400 stitches. In 1958, a training accident severely injured him and his life was saved by emergency surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
. Despite advice from his doctors to stop playing for a season, Geoffrion was on the ice six weeks later to take part in the 1958 Stanley Cup Final.
Geoffrion first retired in 1964, but returned two seasons later to play for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. Likely the reason for his first retirement was Béliveau (who was not one of three alternate captains), getting appointed team captain in 1961. This was following the Rocket's retirement in 1960 and Doug Harvey's trade to the Rangers in 1961 (he only lasted a year with the C). Geoffrion, who had had an A, was devastated by the decision to go with Béliveau.
"If I didn't keep suffering all those terrible injuries and yet keep coming back, if I weren't fit to lead, would I have gotten the C and kept playing?" asked Geoffrion, who had, in the 1961 semifinals, had a hurt leg and insisted, even so, that Harvey cut a cast off it so he could play. "Yes, I think I would. There were times when everybody kept telling me to quit. My doctor even told me I should stop playing, but I came back."
In 1968 he finally retired as a player and became coach of the Rangers, but resigned after only 43 games due to ulcer
Ulcer
An ulcer is a sore on the skin or a mucous membrane, accompanied by the disintegration of tissue. Ulcers can result in complete loss of the epidermis and often portions of the dermis and even subcutaneous fat. Ulcers are most common on the skin of the lower extremities and in the gastrointestinal...
s in his stomach. In 1972 he became the first coach of the Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
, and held the position for two and a half seasons, leading them to their first playoff appearance in 1974. However, 52 games into his third season, he had to resign due to health problems. Geoffrion moved to the Flames' broadcast booth, where he became the color commentator alongside veteran play-by-play man Jiggs McDonald. He realized a longtime dream of coaching his beloved Canadiens in 1979, but his recurring stomach ailment forced him to step down mid-season.
In the 1970s and into the 1980s, Geoffrion appeared in several television commercials for Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, part of their stable of retired athletes-turned-spokesmen which also included Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
and Bob Uecker
Bob Uecker
Robert George "Bob" Uecker is an American former Major League Baseball player, later a sportscaster, comedian, and actor. Uecker was given the title of "Mr. Baseball" by Johnny Carson...
.
Family
Geoffrion was the son of Jean-Baptiste Geoffrion, a restaurant owner, and his wife, Florina Poitras. He grew up in Drolet, a suburb east of Montreal. Geoffrion was a direct descendant of Pierre Joffrion and his wife Marie Priault, early French settlers in the colony of Montreal. Marie Priault was a King's daughterKing's Daughters
The King's Daughters were between 700 and 900 Frenchwomen who immigrated to New France between 1663 and 1673 under the monetary sponsorship of Louis XIV. The government sponsored them so settlers in the colony could marry and start families to populate New France...
.
Geoffrion's widow Marlene is the daughter of fellow Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
r Howie Morenz
Howie Morenz
Howard William Morenz was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played centre for three National Hockey League teams: the Montreal Canadiens , the Chicago Black Hawks, and the New York Rangers...
and the granddaughter of the sister of the wife of Billy Coutu
Billy Coutu
Wilfrid Arthur Coutu was a professional Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, the Hamilton Tigers, and the Boston Bruins...
, the only player banned from the NHL for life. Marlene and Boom Boom Geoffrion's son, Dan
Dan Geoffrion
Daniel Geoffrion is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 111 games in the National Hockey League and 78 in the World Hockey Association. He played with the Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Canadiens, and Quebec Nordiques. He is the son of NHL Hall of Famer Bernie Geoffrion and grandson of...
, (born January 24, 1958) played five seasons of professional hockey, which included stops with the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
in 1978–79, Canadiens in 1979–80 (with his father as coach), and Winnipeg Jets in 1980–81. His grandson Blake Geoffrion
Blake Geoffrion
Blake Geoffrion is an American professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League...
(born February 3, 1988) plays for the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the NHL. Another Geoffrion, Sebastian, plays for the University of Alabama at Huntsville Chargers. Bernie and Marlene's son-in-law, Hartland Monahan
Hartland Monahan
Hartland Patrick Monahan is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. His father-in-law is the late Hall of Famer Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, and is the father of former Major League Baseball player Shane Monahan....
, played in the NHL for several teams in the 1970s and grandson Shane Monahan
Shane Monahan
Shane Hartland Monahan is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He played his entire, but brief career for the Seattle Mariners . He is a graduate of Joseph Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia and attended Clemson University...
played Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
in the late 1990s.
Retired number
The Canadiens announced on October 15, 2005, that Geoffrion's uniformUniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
number 5 would be retired on March 11, 2006. On March 8, Geoffrion was diagnosed with stomach cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
after a surgical procedure uncovered it. Doctors attempted to remove the tumour, but found that the cancer had spread. Geoffrion died in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, on March 11, the day his jersey number was to be retired.
During his remarks at the pre-game retirement ceremony, Geoffrion's son Bob recounted how his parents had once gone to a boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
match at the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
and that Geoffrion had told his wife Marlene that his own number would someday hang from the rafters beside that of her father's, Howie Morenz. Fulfilling that prophecy, and in further recognition of the special link between the Morenz and Geoffrion families, the two numbers were raised side by side (Morenz's banner was lowered halfway and was raised back up to the rafters with Geoffrion's banner).
Awards
- Calder Memorial TrophyCalder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
- 1952 - NHL All-Star Game - 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963
- NHL Second All-Star Team - 1955, 1960
- Art Ross TrophyArt Ross TrophyThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
- 1955, 1961 - Stanley Cup champion - 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960
- Hart Memorial TrophyHart Memorial TrophyThe Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
- 1961 - NHL First All-Star Team - 1961
- His number 5 was retired by the Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
on March 11, 2006 - In 1998, he was ranked number 42 on The Hockey NewsThe Hockey NewsThe Hockey News, commonly abbreviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1946–47 | Montreal Concordia Civics | QJHL | 26 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | Laval Nationale | QJHL | 29 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 49 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 11 | ||
| 1947–48 1948 Memorial Cup The 1948 Memorial Cup final was the 30th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Barrie Flyers of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Port Arthur West End Bruins... |
Laval Nationale | M-Cup Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major... |
— | — | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11 | ||
| 1948–49 | Laval Nationale | QJHL | 42 | 41 | 35 | 76 | 49 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 22 | ||
| 1949–50 | Laval Nationale | QJHL | 34 | 52 | 34 | 86 | 77 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 1949–50 | Montreal Royals | QSHL Quebec Senior Hockey League The Quebec Senior Hockey League was an ice hockey league that operated between 1941 and 1959 in Québec, Canada. From 1941, it operated on an amateur basis, before becoming the semi-professional Quebec Hockey League in 1953... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1950–51 | Montreal Nationale | QJHL | 36 | 54 | 44 | 98 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1950–51 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
18 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1951–52 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 67 | 30 | 24 | 54 | 66 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1952–53 | Montreal Canadiens* | NHL | 65 | 22 | 17 | 39 | 37 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 12 | ||
| 1953–54 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 54 | 29 | 25 | 54 | 87 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 18 | ||
| 1954–55 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 38 | 37 | 75 | 57 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 8 | ||
| 1955–56 | Montreal Canadiens* | NHL | 59 | 29 | 33 | 62 | 66 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 6 | ||
| 1956–57 | Montreal Canadiens* | NHL | 41 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 18 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 1957–58 | Montreal Canadiens* | NHL | 42 | 27 | 23 | 50 | 51 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 1958–59 | Montreal Canadiens* | NHL | 59 | 22 | 44 | 66 | 30 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 10 | ||
| 1959–60 | Montreal Canadiens* | NHL | 59 | 30 | 41 | 71 | 36 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 4 | ||
| 1960–61 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 64 | 50 | 45 | 95 | 29 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1961–62 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 62 | 23 | 36 | 59 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1962–63 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 51 | 23 | 18 | 41 | 73 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1963–64 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 55 | 21 | 18 | 39 | 41 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1966–67 | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
NHL | 58 | 17 | 25 | 42 | 42 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1967–68 | New York Rangers | NHL | 59 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 883 | 393 | 429 | 822 | 689 | 132 | 58 | 60 | 118 | 88 | ||||
- Stanley Cup Champion
See also
- List of the National Hockey League retired numbers
- List of players with five or more goals in an NHL game