The Hon. Joseph Henri Maurice "Rocket" Richard PC OC OQ (August 4, 1921 – May 27, 2000) was a professional
ice hockey player who played for the
Montreal Canadiens 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 games. He lived most of his life in
Ahuntsic,
Montreal.
[1]
Maurice Richard was the first to score 50 goals in one season (the
1944-45 NHL season), doing so in 50 games, and the first to score 500 goals in a career. He finished his career with 544 goals in the regular season, with 82 in the playoffs which included a record six overtime winners (surpassed only by
Joe Sakic who has eight), and led the league in goals five times. He also amassed 421 assists for a total of 965 points in 978 games.
Richard played on eight
Stanley Cup teams in Montreal, was captain of 5 straight from 1956-60, won the
Hart Trophy in 1947, and was elected eight times to the first all-star team and six times to the second all-star team, and played in every
National Hockey League All-Star Game from
1947 to
1959. Teamed with
Elmer Lach as
centre and
Hector 'Toe' Blake playing
left-wing, they formed the "
Punch Line".
He was inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961, the customary three-year waiting period being waived in his honour.