Maurice Richard

Joseph Henri Maurice Richard (August 4, 1921 - May 27, 2000), better known as Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, was a professional hockey player.

He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1942 to 1960.

- Maurice Richard -
Richard was the first to score 50 goals in one season (1944-45) (the six-team NHL had a shorter 50-game season then) and the first to score 500 goals in a career. He played on eight Stanley Cup teams in Montreal, and was elected eight times to the first all-star team and six times to the second all-star team. In his career, he scored 544 goals, amassed 421 assists for a total of 965 points in 978 games. He formed the famous "Punch Line" with Elmer Lach as center and Hector 'Toe' Blake playing left-wing.

Maurice Richard was the quintessential Montreal hero in his time. He pulled off a five-goal game after a day spent moving house - including the piano - in 1944, and scored the series-winning goal of the 1952 Stanley Cup semifinals as blood dripped down his face from an earlier injury. In March 1955, Richard punched a linesman in a dispute during a game. NHL President Clarence Campbell suspended him for the rest of the season, wrecking the Canadiens' chances in the playoffs. When Campbell showed up for the hockey game the following night, the fans erupted into the street in the worst riot in Canadian sports history. This incident has been referred in history as The Richard Riot. The Canadiens indeed failed to win the Cup that year.

Richard's career began and ended before the era of huge salaries for sports figures. The largest yearly salary he ever made was $25,000. His jersey number 9 was retired on October 6, 1960 by the Canadiens, less than a month after he announced his retirement. His brother Henri "The Pocket Rocket" Richard joined him with the Canadiens in 1955 and would go on to win 11 Stanley Cups with the team, an NHL record.

Richard's role as a French Canadian icon was epitomized in the short story Le chandail de hockey ("The Hockey Sweater") by Roch Carrier. It also helped transcend Maurice Richard's legend through several generations. In this story, the main character purchases a must-have Maurice Richard hockey sweater with a mail-in order form from Toronto-based "Mr. Eaton". But when he receives a sweater from the Canadiens' historical adversary the Toronto Maple Leafs, he is ridiculed, and even ostracised, by his schoolmates for attempting to impose his "way of things" because of his hockey jersey. An excerpt of this short story is reprinted on the new Canadian 5$ bill.

Although Richard was often perceived as a pre-Quiet Revolution hero excelling in an anglophone world, he insisted throughout his life that he was an apolitical character playing hockey for the love of the sport.

In 1999, the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy was donated by the Montreal Canadiens hockey club to the NHL to be awarded annually to the goal-scoring leader during the regular season.

Although long retired by the time of his death in 2000, while his body lay in state at the Montreal Canadiens' Molson Centre an estimated 115 000 people of all ages paid their respects and his state funeral was attended by throngs lining the streets. A minor league hockey team is also named after him, the Rocket de Montreal (in 2003-04 this team moved to Prince Edward Island).

On June 27, 2001, the Canadian government unveiled a monument in Jacques-Cartier Park, in Hull, Quebec honouring Maurice Richard. He has been inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.

Career Statistics
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM Playoffs GP Playoffs G Playoffs A Playoffs Pts Playoffs PIM

1942-43 Montreal Canadiens NHL 16 5 6 11 4 -- -- -- -- --

1943-44 Montreal Canadiens NHL 46 32 22 54 45 9 12 5 17 10

1944-45 Montreal Canadiens NHL 50 50 23 73 46 6 6 2 8 10

1945-46 Montreal Canadiens NHL 50 27 21 48 50 9 7 4 11 15

1946-47 Montreal Canadiens NHL 60 45 26 71 69 10 6 5 11 44

1947-48 Montreal Canadiens NHL 53 28 25 53 89 -- -- -- -- --

1948-49 Montreal Canadiens NHL 59 20 18 38 110 7 2 1 3 14

1949-50 Montreal Canadiens NHL 70 43 22 65 114 5 1 1 2 6

1950-51 Montreal Canadiens NHL 65 42 24 66 97 11 9 4 13 13

1951-52 Montreal Canadiens NHL 48 27 17 44 44 11 4 2 6 6

1952-53 Montreal Canadiens NHL 70 28 33 61 112 12 7 1 8 2

1953-54 Montreal Canadiens NHL 70 37 30 67 112 11 3 0 3 22

1954-55 Montreal Canadiens NHL 67 38 36 74 125 -- -- -- -- --

1955-56 Montreal Canadiens NHL 70 38 33 71 89 10 5 9 14 24

1956-57 Montreal Canadiens NHL 63 33 29 62 74 10 8 3 11 8

1957-58 Montreal Canadiens NHL 28 15 19 34 28 10 11 4 15 10

1958-59 Montreal Canadiens NHL 42 17 21 38 27 4 0 0 0 2

1959-60 Montreal Canadiens NHL 51 19 16 35 50 8 1 3 4 2

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	Playoffs GP	Playoffs G	Playoffs A	Playoffs Pts	Playoffs PIM
1942-43	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	16	5	6	11	4	--	--	--	--	--
1943-44	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	46	32	22	54	45	9	12	5	17	10
1944-45	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	50	50	23	73	46	6	6	2	8	10
1945-46	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	50	27	21	48	50	9	7	4	11	15
1946-47	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	60	45	26	71	69	10	6	5	11	44
1947-48	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	53	28	25	53	89	--	--	--	--	--
1948-49	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	59	20	18	38	110	7	2	1	3	14
1949-50	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	70	43	22	65	114	5	1	1	2	6
1950-51	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	65	42	24	66	97	11	9	4	13	13
1951-52	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	48	27	17	44	44	11	4	2	6	6
1952-53	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	70	28	33	61	112	12	7	1	8	2
1953-54	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	70	37	30	67	112	11	3	0	3	22
1954-55	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	67	38	36	74	125	--	--	--	--	--
1955-56	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	70	38	33	71	89	10	5	9	14	24
1956-57	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	63	33	29	62	74	10	8	3	11	8
1957-58	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	28	15	19	34	28	10	11	4	15	10
1958-59	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	42	17	21	38	27	4	0	0	0	2
1959-60	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	51	19	16	35	50	8	1	3	4	2