Emile Bouchard
Encyclopedia
Émile Joseph "Butch" Bouchard, CM
, CQ
(born September 4, 1919) is a former Canadian ice hockey
player who played defence with the Montreal Canadiens
in the National Hockey League
from 1941 to 1956. He is member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
, won four Stanley Cup
s, was captain
of the Canadiens for eight years and was voted to the NHL All-Star Team
four times. Although having a reputation as a clean player, he was also one of the strongest players and best body-checkers of his era. He excelled as a defensive defenceman, had superior passing skills and was known for his leadership and mentoring of younger players. In his early years in the NHL, Bouchard was one of the players who made a major contribution to reinvigorating what was at the time an ailing Canadien franchise.
He was born in Montreal
, Quebec
, and currently lives in Saint-Lambert, Quebec
. In retirement Bouchard was active with several business interests and contributions to his community. In 2008, he received the National Order of Quebec
. On December 4, 2009, Bouchard's No. 3 was retired by the Canadiens as part of their 100th anniversary celebrations. On December 30, 2009, Michaëlle Jean
, Governor General of Canada, announced Bouchard as among the appointments to the Order of Canada.
, Bouchard did not begin skating until he was 16 and had to learn on rented skates, before borrowing $35 from his brother for a complete set of hockey equipment which included his own pair of skates. Bouchard opted for a career in hockey over banking when he was offered $75 a week to play senior hockey and the bank paid $7. In the minors Bouchard played with the Verdun Maple Leafs, Montreal Junior Canadiens and Providence Reds
. It was Verdun team-mate Bob Fillion
who gave Bouchard the nickname "Butch". It originated due to the resemblance of his last name to the English word "butcher". Bouchard was determined, strong and developed enough skills to impress coach Dick Irvin
in the Canadiens
’ 1940–41 training camp after which he was signed as a free agent
. Bouchard had arrived at training camp in peak condition, which was unusual for National Hockey League
(NHL) players of the time. To attend this first training camp he road a bike 50 miles (80.5 km), which also allowed him to pocket the travel expenses the Canadiens had allotted.
In an era when hockey players were regarded by hockey management as rural and unsophisticated, Bouchard had already developed his entrepreneurial skills. While still in high school he was working alongside an inspector with the Department of Agriculture when he came across a bee ranch owned by a priest who had just died. Borrowing $500 from his brother he bought the business. He turned it into an apiary
of 200 hives which was so successful he earned enough to buy his parents a home. It was due to this business acuity that prior to signing with the Canadiens he uncovered what Ken Reardon
and Elmer Lach
, already playing with the Montreal, were currently earning. Then, over the course of ten days he negotiated a larger contract than either player had been receiving, $3,750 ($ in dollars).
in an era before NHL players were concerned about upper body strength he became a very effective defensive presence. Hockey Hall of Fame leftwinger and team-mate Dickie Moore said of Bouchard: "He appeared to have been chiseled out of stone."
By the time of Bouchard's arrival to the Montreal Canadiens the club had not won the championship for 10 years and attendance at the Forum
was very low, often less than 3,000 a game, and there was even talk of folding the franchise. A few years earlier, in 1935, Canadien owners had seriously considered an offer to sell the team to be moved to Cleveland. After finishing last or near the bottom of the league for several years, apathy of the fans was matched by the players themselves who had accepted losing as way of hockey life. In his first training camp, he showcased his physical play by body-checking players, including veterans, with abandon. When the season started other teams discovered that with Bouchard in the lineup they could no longer push Canadien players around. Bouchard's presence reinvigorated the Canadiens and he is credited with playing an important part in keeping the franchise from leaving Montreal.
However, Bouchard was more than just a physical presence. He learned to play good positional hockey and became skilled at passing
the puck. He also possessed a flair for judging the flow of the game and knew when to join the attack and when to retreat. Despite his role being that of a "stay-at-home
" defenceman, due to his skills for the long breakout pass he was even a contributor to the style of firewagon hockey for which the Canadiens exemplified.
Though he had an immediate impact on the team, Bouchard had not scored many points for the team; in his first season, 1941–42, he collected six points in the regular season and scored the first NHL goal of his career in the Canadiens' first-round playoff loss to the Detroit Red Wings
.
The 1943–44 season was Maurice Richard's
first full season with the Canadiens. Richard was not just an exciting player to watch which served to increase attendance, but also had the offensive skills needed to turn the Canadiens into an exceptional team. The Canadiens proceeded to dominate the regular season finishing well ahead of second-place Detroit. In the playoffs in the first round against Toronto
, after losing the opening game, they won the next four straight to win the series. Then, in the final they swept Detroit in four games to win their first Stanley Cup
in thirteen years. While the "Punch Line"
of Richard, Toe Blake
and Lach provided the offensive power it was Bouchard and goal-tender Bill Durnan
who kept the goals out. During the regular season Montreal had allowed only 109 goals, 68 less than second-place Detroit. Bouchard along with Richard and Lach were named to the NHL All Stars'
second team and goaltender Bill Durnan made the first team and won the Vezina
. Bouchard had become one of the most reliable defencemen in the league. He would be named to the NHL First All Star team, as one of the best defencemen in the league, for the next three seasons. He won his second Stanley Cup in 1945–46.
As physical on the ice as Bouchard was, he was also regarded as a clean player and only rarely participated in hockey fights
. Immensely strong, most players avoided engaging him in fights and Bouchard more often would be the person to break up combatants. However, it was a fight involving Bouchard which led to a significant change in the roll of referees
. During the 1946–47 season, Bouchard became involved in a prolonged and one-sided fight with Boston's Terry Reardon
. Due to the fight, Clarence Campbell
, president of the NHL, added to the duties of referees, for the first time they had the responsibility of breaking up fights. Then there was the time in March 1947, in a game in Boston, as the Canadiens were coming back onto the ice for the beginning of the third period, a female fan attacked Bouchard spearing him with a hat pin. Bouchard responded by pushing the woman away forcefully. A few moments later, Boston police were leading Bouchard out to a police car. According to Bouchard, Pat Egan
of the Boston Bruins
, interceded and talked the police out of the arrest.
For the 1947–48 season, defenceman Doug Harvey joined the team. Within a couple years Harvey would become the best offensive-oriented defenceman in the NHL and he and Bouchard would form a long-time and very effective defensive pairing. Whenever Harvey undertook one of the offensive rushes for which he became famous, he was confident in the knowledge that Bouchard was backing him up if he was to lose the puck.
of the Canadiens, a position he retained for 8 years until his retirement. At the time of his retirement no player had served more years as captain of the Canadiens than Bouchard. Hall of Famer Jean Beliveau
, a team-mate of Bouchard for Beliveau's early years with the Canadiens, said Bouchard was the model for his time as captain in the 1960s. Bouchard was a well-respected leader and played a role in supporting and mentoring the younger players. Never afraid to speak up to management, in 1950 on Bouchard's recommendation to Selke to "give the kid a shot", Bernie Geoffrion
was given a tryout and eventually joined the Canadiens. Geoffrion won the Calder
for rookie of the year and would be near the top of league scoring for years to come. Bouchard commenting on the fact that he was nominated for captain by his team-mates: "I don't agree with management nominating you. I can respond to players, not be a yes-man for the proprietor." He missed a large part of the 1948–49 season after a severe knee injury which threatened his career. Despite medical opinion that he may not be able to continue to play he trained hard and was able to strengthen the knee enough to return to the Canadiens.
In 1951, Bouchard was involved in a legal first when he was a defendant in a lawsuit brought by a New York Rangers
fan. The fan claimed Bouchard had struck him with his stick when he was waiving to a friend watching the game on TV. Bouchard said the fan had actually raised his fist towards a fellow Canadien player who was being taken off the ice with an injury and his stick hit the fan accidentally as he tried to ward off the blow. In what may have been the first time in legal history, evidence was taken during a trial from someone witnessing an event on a television as the fan's friend testified he'd seen Bouchard strike the blow. Bouchard won the case when Otis Guernsey, president of Abercrombie and Fitch
, who was a the game testified he heard "vile language" and saw the fan raise his fist and not waive.
On February 28, 1953, the Canadiens had a "Bouchard Night at the Forum". Bouchard was honoured in a ceremony during the second intermission in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. It was presided over by Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde
and broadcast nationally live over the CBC. Among the gifts Bouchard received was a Buick automobile which was driven out onto the ice. The organizer's plan was to have Bouchard drive off in the car at the end of the ceremony. However, sitting in the car Bouchard discovered the keys were missing. To the roar of the crowd Ted Lindsay
, captain of the Red Wings, returned the keys he had stolen and congratulated Bouchard on behalf of the Red Wings
In 1952–53, Montreal and Detroit battled for first place with Detroit coming out on top by the end of the season. In the first round of the playoffs the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings were upset by the Boston Bruins and Montreal won a close seven game series over the Chicago Black Hawks. The Canadiens then defeated Boston in five games and Bouchard won his third Stanley Cup.
Eventually injuries began to take their toll and at the conclusion of the 1954–55 season he considered retirement. Toe Blake, who had taken over as coach, talked him into playing one more season to assist the younger players. Bouchard recognized Blake's value as a "player's-coach" and used his leadership as captain to ease the transition and encourage Blake's acceptance by the Canadiens players. Due to physical problems Bouchard was forced to miss the last half of the season and the playoffs. However, in the deciding game of the Stanley Cup final against Detroit, Blake dressed Bouchard. As the final seconds counted down, with Montreal up 3–1, Blake put Bouchard on the ice and he was able to end his career with one more Stanley Cup celebration.
In the 1970s, his son Pierre Bouchard
, also a defenceman, played for the Montreal Canadiens. While father Émile participated in the birth of the Montreal Canadiens' dynasty, thirty years later son Pierre played a part in continuing the Canadien dynasty into the 1970s. With Butch's four and Pierre's five they have the distinction of winning the most Stanley Cups of any father-son combination in NHL history. Bobby and Brett Hull are the only other father and son to have won the Cup.
In retirement Bouchard remained as active as he was during his NHL career. He received coaching offers soon after his retirement, but his business interests prevented him from leaving Montreal. Bouchard owned a popular restaurant Chez Émile Bouchard which operated for many years in Montreal. On March 22, 1953, while Bouchard was traveling to Detroit for the last game of the season, the restaurant was gutted by a fire started in a basement at 3:22am soon after employees and patrons had left. He was also president of the Montreal Royals Triple-A baseball club
, elected to the Longueuil
municipal council, on the board of directors of Ste. Jeanne-d'Arc Hospital, president of the Metropolitan Junior "A" Hockey League among other activities.
Bouchard was unafraid to speak his mind when he felt the occasion demanded. In 1957, after an International League
game in Toronto between his Montreal Royals and the Maple Leafs baseball team President Bouchard complained about Toronto's excessive conference trips to the mound. He called the Leafs "showspoilers" and then said, for the entire press room to hear, "They're a lot of punks, just like in hockey!"
Bouchard was a tough opponent even outside of hockey. When the Mafia of the day in Montreal attempted to intimidate him into hiring their people for his restaurant, Bouchard invited the head man to Chez Butch Bouchard for dinner. Bouchard's wife, Marie-Claire, recalled he told them, "Il lui a dit over my dead body. Je n'embaucherai jamais un de tes hommes." which translates "Over my dead body, I will never hire one of your men."
A reporter once asked the canny Bouchard what he thought of coaching methods in the NHL. He replied, "Hockey should be more like football, with a coach for the defence, one for the offence and maybe one for the goalies." Indicative of his usual foresight it would be many years before such practices would become common in the NHL.
in 1966. On October 15, 2008, the Montreal Canadiens celebrated their 100th season by unveiling the Ring of Honour, an exhibit along the wall of the upper deck of the Bell Centre
, paying tribute to their 44 players and 10 builders who are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Bouchard along with Elmer Lach
, the two oldest surviving members, were on hand to drop the ceremonial puck at centre ice.
In 2008, a grass roots movement had begun to pressure Canadien management to retire Bouchard's #3. During the Quebec provincial election Independent candidate Kevin Côté even made one of his platforms to force Canadiens into retiring the number. By March 2009 it reached the Quebec National Assembly
where a motion was presented and carried "That the National Assembly support the steps taken and supported by the population of Québec in order that Montreal Canadians management retire the sweater of Émile "Butch" Bouchard eminent defenceman from 1941 to 1956."
On December 4, 2009, as part of a 85 minute pre-game ceremony celebrating the Canadiens' 100th anniversary, Bouchard's No. 3 and Elmer Lach's No. 16 were retired. They become the 16th and 17th Canadien players to have their numbers retired.
On June 18, 2008, Bouchard received the National Order of Quebec (L'Ordre national du Québec)
presented to him by the Premier of Quebec Jean Charest
. In 2009, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
"for his contributions to sports, particularly professional hockey, and for his commitment to his community".
Career statistics from Total Hockey
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, CQ
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
(born September 4, 1919) is a former Canadian 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 who played defence 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 ...
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...
from 1941 to 1956. He is member of 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...
, won four 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...
s, was captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
of the Canadiens for eight years and was voted to the NHL All-Star Team
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
four times. Although having a reputation as a clean player, he was also one of the strongest players and best body-checkers of his era. He excelled as a defensive defenceman, had superior passing skills and was known for his leadership and mentoring of younger players. In his early years in the NHL, Bouchard was one of the players who made a major contribution to reinvigorating what was at the time an ailing Canadien franchise.
He was born in Montreal
Montreal
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 currently lives in Saint-Lambert, Quebec
Saint-Lambert, Quebec
Saint-Lambert is a Canadian city in the province of Quebec located opposite Montreal on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Saint-Lambert was named for either the early French Canadian hunter Lambert Closse or for Roman Catholic Bishop Lambert of Maastricht...
. In retirement Bouchard was active with several business interests and contributions to his community. In 2008, he received the National Order of Quebec
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
. On December 4, 2009, Bouchard's No. 3 was retired by the Canadiens as part of their 100th anniversary celebrations. On December 30, 2009, Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
, Governor General of Canada, announced Bouchard as among the appointments to the Order of Canada.
Youth and learning the game
Bouchard was born September 4, 1919, in Montreal the son of Regina and Lachapelle Calixte Bouchard. Growing up poor during the depressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Bouchard did not begin skating until he was 16 and had to learn on rented skates, before borrowing $35 from his brother for a complete set of hockey equipment which included his own pair of skates. Bouchard opted for a career in hockey over banking when he was offered $75 a week to play senior hockey and the bank paid $7. In the minors Bouchard played with the Verdun Maple Leafs, Montreal Junior Canadiens and Providence Reds
Providence Reds
The Providence Reds were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League between 1926–1936 and the American Hockey League from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956...
. It was Verdun team-mate Bob Fillion
Bob Fillion
Robert Louis Fillion is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 7 years for the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL. He won 2 Stanley Cups in his Career with Montreal in 1944 and 1946...
who gave Bouchard the nickname "Butch". It originated due to the resemblance of his last name to the English word "butcher". Bouchard was determined, strong and developed enough skills to impress coach Dick Irvin
Dick Irvin
James Dickinson Irvin, Sr. was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League.Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Irvin was one of the greatest players of his day, balancing a torrid slapshot and tough style with gentlemanly play...
in the 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 ...
’ 1940–41 training camp after which he was signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. Bouchard had arrived at training camp in peak condition, which was unusual for 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...
(NHL) players of the time. To attend this first training camp he road a bike 50 miles (80.5 km), which also allowed him to pocket the travel expenses the Canadiens had allotted.
In an era when hockey players were regarded by hockey management as rural and unsophisticated, Bouchard had already developed his entrepreneurial skills. While still in high school he was working alongside an inspector with the Department of Agriculture when he came across a bee ranch owned by a priest who had just died. Borrowing $500 from his brother he bought the business. He turned it into an apiary
Apiary
An apiary is a place where beehives of honey bees are kept. Traditionally beekeepers paid land rent in honey for the use of small parcels. Some farmers will provide free apiary sites, because they need pollination, and farmers who need many hives often pay for them to be moved to the crops when...
of 200 hives which was so successful he earned enough to buy his parents a home. It was due to this business acuity that prior to signing with the Canadiens he uncovered what Ken Reardon
Ken Reardon
Kenneth Joseph "Kenny" Reardon was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966....
and Elmer Lach
Elmer Lach
Elmer James Lach is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. He was part of the Punch line, along with Maurice Richard and Toe Blake. He led the league in scoring twice, and was awarded the Hart Memorial...
, already playing with the Montreal, were currently earning. Then, over the course of ten days he negotiated a larger contract than either player had been receiving, $3,750 ($ in dollars).
Arrival to the Canadiens
Along with a strong work ethic and keen intellect, Bouchard was physically imposing. At 6 inch and 205 pounds (93 kg) he was considered a giant compared to NHL players of the 1940s, when the average height was 5 inch and average weight was 165 pounds (74.8 kg). Moreover, since he also practiced heavy weight trainingWeight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
in an era before NHL players were concerned about upper body strength he became a very effective defensive presence. Hockey Hall of Fame leftwinger and team-mate Dickie Moore said of Bouchard: "He appeared to have been chiseled out of stone."
By the time of Bouchard's arrival to the Montreal Canadiens the club had not won the championship for 10 years and attendance at the 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...
was very low, often less than 3,000 a game, and there was even talk of folding the franchise. A few years earlier, in 1935, Canadien owners had seriously considered an offer to sell the team to be moved to Cleveland. After finishing last or near the bottom of the league for several years, apathy of the fans was matched by the players themselves who had accepted losing as way of hockey life. In his first training camp, he showcased his physical play by body-checking players, including veterans, with abandon. When the season started other teams discovered that with Bouchard in the lineup they could no longer push Canadien players around. Bouchard's presence reinvigorated the Canadiens and he is credited with playing an important part in keeping the franchise from leaving Montreal.
However, Bouchard was more than just a physical presence. He learned to play good positional hockey and became skilled at passing
Pass (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a pass is the movement of the puck from one player to another, usually by a motion of the stick. A pass differs from a shot, in that a pass is typically weaker than a shot and is not directed at the opponent's net with the intention of scoring a goal...
the puck. He also possessed a flair for judging the flow of the game and knew when to join the attack and when to retreat. Despite his role being that of a "stay-at-home
Stay-at-home defenceman
In ice hockey, a stay-at-home defenceman is one who plays a very defensive-minded game. The player is generally more concerned with guarding his team's end of the ice and preventing the opposing players from getting shots on his goal. The stay-at-home defenceman is less concerned about scoring...
" defenceman, due to his skills for the long breakout pass he was even a contributor to the style of firewagon hockey for which the Canadiens exemplified.
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...
.
NHL star
The 1942–43 season was Bouchard's breakthrough year as he finished leading all Canadien defencemen in points and was key to the Canadiens' first season in several years without a losing record. They finished in fourth place with a record of 19 wins, 19 losses and 12 ties. Although they lost in the first round of the playoffs, the team was building in the right direction.The 1943–44 season was Maurice Richard's
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...
first full season with the Canadiens. Richard was not just an exciting player to watch which served to increase attendance, but also had the offensive skills needed to turn the Canadiens into an exceptional team. The Canadiens proceeded to dominate the regular season finishing well ahead of second-place Detroit. In the playoffs in the first round against Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, after losing the opening game, they won the next four straight to win the series. Then, in the final they swept Detroit in four games to win their first 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 thirteen years. While the "Punch Line"
Punch line (ice hockey)
The Punch line was a famous ice hockey line for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1940s. It consisted of Elmer Lach at center, Toe Blake on left wing, and Maurice Richard on the right side....
of Richard, Toe Blake
Toe Blake
Hector "Toe" Blake, CM was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League .-Nickname:His nickname came out of his childhood for his younger sister was unable to pronounce his name...
and Lach provided the offensive power it was Bouchard and goal-tender Bill Durnan
Bill Durnan
William Ronald Durnan was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
who kept the goals out. During the regular season Montreal had allowed only 109 goals, 68 less than second-place Detroit. Bouchard along with Richard and Lach were named to the NHL All Stars'
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
second team and goaltender Bill Durnan made the first team and won the Vezina
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
. Bouchard had become one of the most reliable defencemen in the league. He would be named to the NHL First All Star team, as one of the best defencemen in the league, for the next three seasons. He won his second Stanley Cup in 1945–46.
As physical on the ice as Bouchard was, he was also regarded as a clean player and only rarely participated in hockey fights
Fighting in ice hockey
Fighting in ice hockey is an established tradition of the sport in North America, with a long history involving many levels of amateur and professional play and including some notable individual fights. Although a definite source of criticism, it is a considerable draw for the sport, and some fans...
. Immensely strong, most players avoided engaging him in fights and Bouchard more often would be the person to break up combatants. However, it was a fight involving Bouchard which led to a significant change in the roll of referees
Official (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There are two categories of officials, on-ice officials, who are the referees and linesmen that enforce the rules during game play, and off-ice officials, who have an...
. During the 1946–47 season, Bouchard became involved in a prolonged and one-sided fight with Boston's Terry Reardon
Terry Reardon
Terrance George Reardon was a professional ice hockey center who played 197 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks. Boston engraved his name on the 1939 Stanley Cup, even though he only played four regular season games with the club...
. Due to the fight, Clarence Campbell
Clarence Campbell
Clarence Sutherland Campbell OBE, QC was the third president of the National Hockey League from 1946 to 1977.-Early life and career:...
, president of the NHL, added to the duties of referees, for the first time they had the responsibility of breaking up fights. Then there was the time in March 1947, in a game in Boston, as the Canadiens were coming back onto the ice for the beginning of the third period, a female fan attacked Bouchard spearing him with a hat pin. Bouchard responded by pushing the woman away forcefully. A few moments later, Boston police were leading Bouchard out to a police car. According to Bouchard, Pat Egan
Pat Egan
Martin Joseph "Pat" Egan was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman, most notably for the Boston Bruins and New York Americans of the National Hockey League...
of the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, interceded and talked the police out of the arrest.
For the 1947–48 season, defenceman Doug Harvey joined the team. Within a couple years Harvey would become the best offensive-oriented defenceman in the NHL and he and Bouchard would form a long-time and very effective defensive pairing. Whenever Harvey undertook one of the offensive rushes for which he became famous, he was confident in the knowledge that Bouchard was backing him up if he was to lose the puck.
Leader and mentor
In 1948, Bouchard became the first Quebec born captainCaptain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
of the Canadiens, a position he retained for 8 years until his retirement. At the time of his retirement no player had served more years as captain of the Canadiens than Bouchard. Hall of Famer Jean Beliveau
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...
, a team-mate of Bouchard for Beliveau's early years with the Canadiens, said Bouchard was the model for his time as captain in the 1960s. Bouchard was a well-respected leader and played a role in supporting and mentoring the younger players. Never afraid to speak up to management, in 1950 on Bouchard's recommendation to Selke to "give the kid a shot", Bernie Geoffrion
Bernie Geoffrion
Joseph André Bernard Geoffrion , 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...
was given a tryout and eventually joined the Canadiens. Geoffrion won the Calder
Calder Memorial Trophy
The 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...
for rookie of the year and would be near the top of league scoring for years to come. Bouchard commenting on the fact that he was nominated for captain by his team-mates: "I don't agree with management nominating you. I can respond to players, not be a yes-man for the proprietor." He missed a large part of the 1948–49 season after a severe knee injury which threatened his career. Despite medical opinion that he may not be able to continue to play he trained hard and was able to strengthen the knee enough to return to the Canadiens.
In 1951, Bouchard was involved in a legal first when he was a defendant in a lawsuit brought by a 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...
fan. The fan claimed Bouchard had struck him with his stick when he was waiving to a friend watching the game on TV. Bouchard said the fan had actually raised his fist towards a fellow Canadien player who was being taken off the ice with an injury and his stick hit the fan accidentally as he tried to ward off the blow. In what may have been the first time in legal history, evidence was taken during a trial from someone witnessing an event on a television as the fan's friend testified he'd seen Bouchard strike the blow. Bouchard won the case when Otis Guernsey, president of Abercrombie and Fitch
History of Abercrombie & Fitch
The history of Abercrombie & Fitch began in the nineteenth century and extends into the twenty-first century. Key figures who changed and influenced the course of Abercrombie & Fitch's history include David T...
, who was a the game testified he heard "vile language" and saw the fan raise his fist and not waive.
On February 28, 1953, the Canadiens had a "Bouchard Night at the Forum". Bouchard was honoured in a ceremony during the second intermission in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. It was presided over by Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde
Camillien Houde
Camillien Houde was a Quebec politician, a Member of Parliament, and a four-time mayor of Montreal.-Political career:...
and broadcast nationally live over the CBC. Among the gifts Bouchard received was a Buick automobile which was driven out onto the ice. The organizer's plan was to have Bouchard drive off in the car at the end of the ceremony. However, sitting in the car Bouchard discovered the keys were missing. To the roar of the crowd Ted Lindsay
Ted Lindsay
Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay is a former professional ice hockey player, a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League . He scored over 800 points in his Hockey Hall of Fame career, won the Art Ross Trophy in 1950, and won the Stanley Cup four times...
, captain of the Red Wings, returned the keys he had stolen and congratulated Bouchard on behalf of the Red Wings
In 1952–53, Montreal and Detroit battled for first place with Detroit coming out on top by the end of the season. In the first round of the playoffs the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings were upset by the Boston Bruins and Montreal won a close seven game series over the Chicago Black Hawks. The Canadiens then defeated Boston in five games and Bouchard won his third Stanley Cup.
Eventually injuries began to take their toll and at the conclusion of the 1954–55 season he considered retirement. Toe Blake, who had taken over as coach, talked him into playing one more season to assist the younger players. Bouchard recognized Blake's value as a "player's-coach" and used his leadership as captain to ease the transition and encourage Blake's acceptance by the Canadiens players. Due to physical problems Bouchard was forced to miss the last half of the season and the playoffs. However, in the deciding game of the Stanley Cup final against Detroit, Blake dressed Bouchard. As the final seconds counted down, with Montreal up 3–1, Blake put Bouchard on the ice and he was able to end his career with one more Stanley Cup celebration.
Personal life
In 1947, Bouchard married Marie-Claire Macbeth. They had five children, Émile Jr., Jean, Michel, Pierre and Susan.In the 1970s, his son Pierre Bouchard
Pierre Bouchard
Pierre Émile Bouchard is a retired former professional ice hockey player with the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals....
, also a defenceman, played for the Montreal Canadiens. While father Émile participated in the birth of the Montreal Canadiens' dynasty, thirty years later son Pierre played a part in continuing the Canadien dynasty into the 1970s. With Butch's four and Pierre's five they have the distinction of winning the most Stanley Cups of any father-son combination in NHL history. Bobby and Brett Hull are the only other father and son to have won the Cup.
In retirement Bouchard remained as active as he was during his NHL career. He received coaching offers soon after his retirement, but his business interests prevented him from leaving Montreal. Bouchard owned a popular restaurant Chez Émile Bouchard which operated for many years in Montreal. On March 22, 1953, while Bouchard was traveling to Detroit for the last game of the season, the restaurant was gutted by a fire started in a basement at 3:22am soon after employees and patrons had left. He was also president of the Montreal Royals Triple-A baseball club
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
, elected to the Longueuil
Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
municipal council, on the board of directors of Ste. Jeanne-d'Arc Hospital, president of the Metropolitan Junior "A" Hockey League among other activities.
Bouchard was unafraid to speak his mind when he felt the occasion demanded. In 1957, after an International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
game in Toronto between his Montreal Royals and the Maple Leafs baseball team President Bouchard complained about Toronto's excessive conference trips to the mound. He called the Leafs "showspoilers" and then said, for the entire press room to hear, "They're a lot of punks, just like in hockey!"
Bouchard was a tough opponent even outside of hockey. When the Mafia of the day in Montreal attempted to intimidate him into hiring their people for his restaurant, Bouchard invited the head man to Chez Butch Bouchard for dinner. Bouchard's wife, Marie-Claire, recalled he told them, "Il lui a dit over my dead body. Je n'embaucherai jamais un de tes hommes." which translates "Over my dead body, I will never hire one of your men."
A reporter once asked the canny Bouchard what he thought of coaching methods in the NHL. He replied, "Hockey should be more like football, with a coach for the defence, one for the offence and maybe one for the goalies." Indicative of his usual foresight it would be many years before such practices would become common in the NHL.
Honours and recognition
Bouchard was one of nine players and one builder elected to the Hockey Hall of FameHockey 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 1966. On October 15, 2008, the Montreal Canadiens celebrated their 100th season by unveiling the Ring of Honour, an exhibit along the wall of the upper deck of the Bell Centre
Bell Centre
The Bell Centre , formerly known as the Molson Centre , is a sports and entertainment complex in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened on March 16, 1996 after nearly three years under construction...
, paying tribute to their 44 players and 10 builders who are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Bouchard along with Elmer Lach
Elmer Lach
Elmer James Lach is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. He was part of the Punch line, along with Maurice Richard and Toe Blake. He led the league in scoring twice, and was awarded the Hart Memorial...
, the two oldest surviving members, were on hand to drop the ceremonial puck at centre ice.
In 2008, a grass roots movement had begun to pressure Canadien management to retire Bouchard's #3. During the Quebec provincial election Independent candidate Kevin Côté even made one of his platforms to force Canadiens into retiring the number. By March 2009 it reached the Quebec National Assembly
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
where a motion was presented and carried "That the National Assembly support the steps taken and supported by the population of Québec in order that Montreal Canadians management retire the sweater of Émile "Butch" Bouchard eminent defenceman from 1941 to 1956."
On December 4, 2009, as part of a 85 minute pre-game ceremony celebrating the Canadiens' 100th anniversary, Bouchard's No. 3 and Elmer Lach's No. 16 were retired. They become the 16th and 17th Canadien players to have their numbers retired.
On June 18, 2008, Bouchard received the National Order of Quebec (L'Ordre national du Québec)
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
presented to him by the Premier of Quebec Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
. In 2009, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
"for his contributions to sports, particularly professional hockey, and for his commitment to his community".
Awards and achievements
- Member of the Order of Canada (2009)
- National Order of Quebec Chevalier (2008).
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe 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 1966. - 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: 19441944 Stanley Cup Finals-See also:* 1943–44 NHL season* 1943–44 Chicago Black Hawks season* 1943–44 Montreal Canadiens season* List of Stanley Cup champions-References and notes:...
, 19461946 Stanley Cup Finals-Montreal Canadiens 1946 Stanley Cup champions:-References & notes:* Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame . Lord Stanley's Cup. Bolton, Ont.: Fenn Pub. pp 12, 50. ISBN 978-1-55168-261-7...
, 19531953 Stanley Cup Finals-Montreal Canadiens 1953 Stanley Cup champions:-References:* Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame . Lord Stanley's Cup. Bolton, Ont.: Fenn Pub. pp 12, 50. ISBN 978-1-55168-261-7...
, 19561956 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1956 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Montreal Canadiens and the defending champion Detroit Red Wings in the fifth Detroit-Montreal series in the 1950s. The Canadiens were making the sixth consecutive appearance in the Final series; Detroit was making their third... - NHL First All-Star Team: 1945, 1946, 1947
- NHL Second All-Star Team: 1944
- The QMJHLQuebec Major Junior Hockey LeagueThe Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
's Defenceman of the Year Trophy (Emile Bouchard TrophyEmile Bouchard TrophyThe Émile Bouchard Trophy is awarded annually by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, to the "Defenceman of the Year."-Winners:-External links:* List of trophy winners....
) is named in his honour.
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 1937–38 | Verdun Maple Leafs | MCJHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1938–39 | Verdun Maple Leafs | MCJHL | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||
| 1939–40 | Verdun Maple Leafs | MCJHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1940–41 | Montreal Jr. Canadiens Montreal Jr. Canadiens The Montreal Junior Canadiens were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Junior Hockey League from 1933 to 1961, and the Ontario Hockey Association from 1961 to 1972. They played out of the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:... |
QSHL | 31 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1940–41 1940–41 AHL season The 1940–41 AHL season was the fifth season of the American Hockey League, which had operated the previous four seasons as the "International-American Hockey League." Nine teams played 56 games each in the schedule.The Cleveland Barons won their second F. G... |
Providence Reds Providence Reds The Providence Reds were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League between 1926–1936 and the American Hockey League from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956... |
AHL 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... |
12 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 1941–42 | 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 | 44 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 38 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1942–43 1942–43 NHL season -NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:... |
Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 45 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 47 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1943–44 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 39 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 52 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 1944–45 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 50 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 34 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1945–46 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 45 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 52 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17 | ||
| 1946–47 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 60 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 60 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 21 | ||
| 1947–48 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 60 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1948–49 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 27 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 42 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 1949–50 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 88 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1950–51 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 52 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 80 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1951–52 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 60 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 45 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | ||
| 1952–53 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 58 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 55 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1953–54 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 89 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1954–55 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 81 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 37 | ||
| 1955–56 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 785 | 49 | 145 | 194 | 863 | 113 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 123 | ||||
Career statistics from Total Hockey