Leon Rochefort
Encyclopedia
Leon Joseph Fernand Rochefort (born May 4, 1939 in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec
) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
centerman
who spent 15 seasons in the National Hockey League
for seven clubs. A hard-working journeyman, he helped the Montreal Canadiens
win the Stanley Cup
in 1966 and 1971.
, playing for the Guelph Biltmores alongside future Hall of Famers
Rod Gilbert
and Jean Ratelle
. He turned pro in 1959, and made his NHL debut in 1960–61 appearing in a single game for the Rangers. In 1962–63, he appeared in 23 games for the Rangers, recording 5 goals and 9 points.
Prior to the 1963–64 campaign, Rochefort was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens
in a seven-player trade involving star goaltenders Jacques Plante
and Gump Worsley
. He would find it difficult to crack the powerful Montreal roster, spending most of the next three years with the Quebec Aces
of the American Hockey League
and appearing in just 11 games in Montreal over that span. However, he was called up to the team for the 1966 playoffs and appeared in 4 games, recording a goal and an assist, as Montreal won the Stanley Cup
. He would build on that success the following year, spending most of the 1966–67 season in Montreal, notching 9 goals and 7 assists in 27 games.
Rochefort was claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers
in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft
, and in Philadelphia was finally able to establish himself as a full-time NHL player. He would have his finest NHL season in 1967–68, leading the Flyers with 21 goals and finishing 3rd in overall scoring with 42 points. He would have another solid year in 1968–69, finishing 5th on Philadelphia with 35 points, but was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings
at the conclusion of the season in a deal for enforcer Reggie Fleming. He spent a single season in Los Angeles, and led the team in assists although the team struggled to a last-place finish.
For the 1970–71 season, Rochefort was re-acquired by the Canadiens. He finished the year with just 5 goals and was briefly dispatched to the AHL, but appeared in 10 playoff games as Montreal again won the Stanley Cup. Following the season, he was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, where he had a bounce-back year to finish with 17 goals and 28 points. Early in the 1972–73 season, he was dealt again, this time to the expansion Atlanta Flames
where he would be a stabilizing influence in the team's first two NHL seasons.
Prior to the 1974–75 season, Rochefort was sold to the Vancouver Canucks
, who would be his seventh NHL team. At the age of 35, he turned in one of the best seasons of his career, notching 18 goals - good for 5th on the team - and 29 points, and was a valuable veteran influence on a Canuck team which would win their division for the first time in their history. However, he was sent to the minors after a sluggish start to the following year, and he retired from the sport in 1976.
Rochefort finished his career with totals of 121 goals and 147 assists for 268 points in 617 NHL games, along with just 93 penalty minutes.
Rochefort is the uncle of Normand Rochefort
, who spent 13 seasons as an NHL defender between 1980 and 1994.
Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec
Cap-de-la-Madeleine is a former city in Quebec, Canada at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River and the St. Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into the City of Trois-Rivières in 2002. Population 33,022.- History :...
) is a retired Canadian 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...
centerman
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who spent 15 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...
for seven clubs. A hard-working journeyman, he helped 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 ...
win 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...
in 1966 and 1971.
Playing career
Rochefort came up through the junior system of the New York RangersNew 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...
, playing for the Guelph Biltmores alongside future Hall of Famers
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...
Rod Gilbert
Rod Gilbert
Rodrigue Gabriel Gilbert is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. He played right wing on the GAG line that also featured Vic Hadfield and Jean Ratelle...
and Jean Ratelle
Jean Ratelle
Joseph Gilbert Yvon "Jean" Ratelle is a former Canadian ice hockey player and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. It has often been said of Jean Ratelle that he was so consistently effective at a high level of play day in and day out that he has been overlooked by some as one of the greatest to...
. He turned pro in 1959, and made his NHL debut in 1960–61 appearing in a single game for the Rangers. In 1962–63, he appeared in 23 games for the Rangers, recording 5 goals and 9 points.
Prior to the 1963–64 campaign, Rochefort was dealt to 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 ...
in a seven-player trade involving star goaltenders Jacques Plante
Jacques Plante
Joseph Jacques Omer Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947–1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey...
and Gump Worsley
Gump Worsley
Lorne John "Gump" Worsley was a professional ice hockey goaltender. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, he was given his nickname due to friends deciding he looked like comic-strip character Andy Gump.-Career:...
. He would find it difficult to crack the powerful Montreal roster, spending most of the next three years with the Quebec Aces
Quebec Aces
The Quebec Aces, also known in French as Les As de Québec, were an amateur and later a professional men's ice hockey team from Quebec City, Quebec. The Aces were founded in 1928, and played until 1971. The team played home games at the Quebec Coliseum from 1930 to 1971.The Aces were Allan Cup...
of the 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...
and appearing in just 11 games in Montreal over that span. However, he was called up to the team for the 1966 playoffs and appeared in 4 games, recording a goal and an assist, as Montreal won 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...
. He would build on that success the following year, spending most of the 1966–67 season in Montreal, notching 9 goals and 7 assists in 27 games.
Rochefort was claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft
1967 NHL Expansion Draft
The 1967 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 6, 1967, in the ballroom of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's six expansion teams for the 1967–68 season: the California Seals, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars,...
, and in Philadelphia was finally able to establish himself as a full-time NHL player. He would have his finest NHL season in 1967–68, leading the Flyers with 21 goals and finishing 3rd in overall scoring with 42 points. He would have another solid year in 1968–69, finishing 5th on Philadelphia with 35 points, but was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
at the conclusion of the season in a deal for enforcer Reggie Fleming. He spent a single season in Los Angeles, and led the team in assists although the team struggled to a last-place finish.
For the 1970–71 season, Rochefort was re-acquired by the Canadiens. He finished the year with just 5 goals and was briefly dispatched to the AHL, but appeared in 10 playoff games as Montreal again won the Stanley Cup. Following the season, he was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, where he had a bounce-back year to finish with 17 goals and 28 points. Early in the 1972–73 season, he was dealt again, this time to the expansion 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...
where he would be a stabilizing influence in the team's first two NHL seasons.
Prior to the 1974–75 season, Rochefort was sold 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,...
, who would be his seventh NHL team. At the age of 35, he turned in one of the best seasons of his career, notching 18 goals - good for 5th on the team - and 29 points, and was a valuable veteran influence on a Canuck team which would win their division for the first time in their history. However, he was sent to the minors after a sluggish start to the following year, and he retired from the sport in 1976.
Rochefort finished his career with totals of 121 goals and 147 assists for 268 points in 617 NHL games, along with just 93 penalty minutes.
Rochefort is the uncle of Normand Rochefort
Normand Rochefort
Normand Rochefort is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman.Drafted in 1980 by the Quebec Nordiques, Rochefort played eight seasons for the Nordiques before being traded to the New York Rangers. He finished out his NHL career with a short stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1993...
, who spent 13 seasons as an NHL defender between 1980 and 1994.
Awards
- 1966 and 1971 Stanley CupStanley CupThe 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...
Champion (MontrealMontreal 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 ...
) - Led Philadelphia Flyers in goals during their inaugural season (1967–68)