José Charbonneau
Encyclopedia
Jose Charbonneau is a retired professional ice hockey
player who spent parts of 4 seasons in the National Hockey League
between 1987 and 1995.
by the Montreal Canadiens
. As a Francophone
drafted with such a high pick by Montreal expectations were very high, but he proved to be one of the most disappointing picks in franchise history. He turned pro in 1986, but experienced a difficult first pro season, scoring just 14 goals for Montreal's American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate in Sherbrooke. He rebounded the next year to score 30 goals for Sherbrooke and received his first NHL action for the Canadiens, although he registered just 2 assists in 16 games. He played 9 more games for Montreal in 1988–89 and scored his first NHL goal, but was traded to the Vancouver Canucks
mid-season. In 13 games for the Canucks, he continued to struggle, recording just a single assist.
Charbonneau spent one more season in the Canuck organization, but failed to see any more NHL action and was released by the club in 1990, having produced just 1 goal and 7 points in 38 NHL games. Following his release, he disappeared into hockey obscurity. He spent the 1990–91 season with the Canadian National Team
, and had brief stints over the next two seasons in low-level leagues in Germany, Switzerland, and Holland. By the summer of 1993, he was playing roller hockey
for the Vancouver Voodoo
.
Charbonneau's performance with the Voodoo impressed the team's GM, ex-NHL star Tiger Williams
, who convinced the Canucks to give him another chance. He was given an invite to the club's 1993 training camp, and shocked everyone by making the team. Charbonneau was playing and scoring regularly for the first two months of the season, until back and knee injuries struck and caused him to miss 4 months of action. He returned late in the season, but struggled to get back his regular lineup spot. He finished the season with 7 goals and 14 points in 30 games. He was also a member of the Canuck team which went to the Stanley Cup
Finals in 1994, playing in 3 playoff games and scoring a goal.
Charbonneau started the 1994–95 season with the Canucks, but played only 3 games before being loaned to Las Vegas
of the IHL. Unable to get another NHL contract, he signed in Germany, where he enjoyed 6 productive and successful seasons in the DEL before retiring from the game in 2001.
He finished his career with 9 goals and 22 points in 71 career NHL games, along with 67 penalty minutes.
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 who spent parts of 4 seasons in 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...
between 1987 and 1995.
Playing career
A scoring winger who also possessed a gritty element to his game, Charbonneau was selected 12th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft1985 NHL Entry Draft
The 1985 NHL Entry Draft was the first draft outside of Montreal. The event was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, and attended by 7,000 fans. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the...
by 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 ...
. As a Francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
drafted with such a high pick by Montreal expectations were very high, but he proved to be one of the most disappointing picks in franchise history. He turned pro in 1986, but experienced a difficult first pro season, scoring just 14 goals for Montreal's American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) affiliate in Sherbrooke. He rebounded the next year to score 30 goals for Sherbrooke and received his first NHL action for the Canadiens, although he registered just 2 assists in 16 games. He played 9 more games for Montreal in 1988–89 and scored his first NHL goal, but was traded to the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
mid-season. In 13 games for the Canucks, he continued to struggle, recording just a single assist.
Charbonneau spent one more season in the Canuck organization, but failed to see any more NHL action and was released by the club in 1990, having produced just 1 goal and 7 points in 38 NHL games. Following his release, he disappeared into hockey obscurity. He spent the 1990–91 season with the Canadian National Team
Canadian national hockey team
The Canadian national Hockey team may refer to:*Canadian national women's hockey team*Canadian national men's hockey team*Canada women's national field hockey team*Canada men's national field hockey team...
, and had brief stints over the next two seasons in low-level leagues in Germany, Switzerland, and Holland. By the summer of 1993, he was playing roller hockey
Roller hockey
Roller Hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and...
for the Vancouver Voodoo
Vancouver Voodoo
The Vancouver Voodoo were a roller hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada which played in the RHI league. The Voodoo were one of the original twelve teams to join the league in 1993. They played in the PNE Agrodome in 1993 and 1994, the Pacific Coliseum in 1994 and 1995, and in...
.
Charbonneau's performance with the Voodoo impressed the team's GM, ex-NHL star Tiger Williams
Tiger Williams
David James "Tiger" Williams is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 to 1987–88. He is the NHL's career leader in penalty minutes.-NHL career:...
, who convinced the Canucks to give him another chance. He was given an invite to the club's 1993 training camp, and shocked everyone by making the team. Charbonneau was playing and scoring regularly for the first two months of the season, until back and knee injuries struck and caused him to miss 4 months of action. He returned late in the season, but struggled to get back his regular lineup spot. He finished the season with 7 goals and 14 points in 30 games. He was also a member of the Canuck team which went to the 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...
Finals in 1994, playing in 3 playoff games and scoring a goal.
Charbonneau started the 1994–95 season with the Canucks, but played only 3 games before being loaned to Las Vegas
Las Vegas Thunder
The Las Vegas Thunder were an independent professional ice hockey team competing in the International Hockey League. The team's home rink was at the Thomas & Mack Center. They began play in the 1993–1994 season, folding on April 18, 1999...
of the IHL. Unable to get another NHL contract, he signed in Germany, where he enjoyed 6 productive and successful seasons in the DEL before retiring from the game in 2001.
He finished his career with 9 goals and 22 points in 71 career NHL games, along with 67 penalty minutes.