Guy Lafleur plays his first season as a right-winger for the Canadiens. Scotty Bowman debuts as Habs coach.
The World Hockey Association (WHA) is established to challenge the NHL.
Evonne Goolagong, Australian Aboriginal tennis player, wins the French Open women’s title.
1972
In July, Piante is invited by the Swedish Hockey Federation to teach goaltending techniques. His book Goaltending is published in English and French. He works as a television analyst during the Canada-Russia hockey series.
1972
The Watergate break-in scandal erupts during the U.S. election campaign.
Eleven Israeli athletes are kidnapped and murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the Munich Olympics.
The Atlanta Flames and the New York Islanders join the NHL.
Roberto Clemente, a Pittsburgh Pirate with over 3000 base hits to his credit, dies in an accident.
Russian gymnast Olga Korbut is the marvel of the Munich Summer Olympics.
1973
Piante is traded to the Boston Bruins late in the season. He negotiates a ten-year million-dollar contract as coach-manager of the Quebec Nordiques of the WHA. He writes a weekly column for the daily, À-propos.
Baseball great Willie Mays retires after twenty-two seasons. 1973
The Americans withdraw from Vietnam and Saigon falls to the communist forces of Ho Chi Minh.
The Yom Kippur War in the Middle East leads to a rise in oil prices.
In Chile, a violent military coup overthrows the elected socialist government of Salvador Allende.
In Canada, the LeDain Commission recommends the legalization of marijuana.
1974–1975 season
In May, Piante resigns as Nordiques coach. He plays his last season, at forty-five years of age, as goaltender for the WHA Edmonton Oilers. He moves to Sierre, Switzerland, his home for the remaining years of his life.
Guy Lafleur scores over 50 goals in his season with the Canadiens. 1974
Bill 22 proclaims French the official language of Quebec.
U.S. President Nixon is forced to resign because of his role in the Watergate coverup.
Civil government is restored in Greece after seven years of military dictatorship.
The greatest batter of all time, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves, hits his 715th career home run, eclipsing Babe Ruth’s record.
Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, and Chris Evert dominate world tennis tournaments.
1975
After the death of his younger son, Richard, Jacques Piante retires from play. For the next eleven years, he will work as adviser and goaltending trainer for several teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, the Montreal Canadiens, and the St. Louis Blues. 1975
In Spain, parliamentary monarchy is restored after the death of General Franco.
In Vietnam, the southern army capitulates to the communist forces of the north; the country is unified a few months later.
The Canadiens play their first international game, against the Red Army Hockey Team.
In Cambodia, the Maoist Khmer Rouge takes power.
American golfer Jack Nicklaus wins the Masters Tournament for the fifth time.
In Lebanon, civil war rages between Muslims and Phalangists.
Tennis ace Arthur Ashe is the first African-American to win at Wimbledon.
1976
Jacques Piante is the TV analyst during the Canada Cup series.
1976
René Lévesque’s Parti Québécois wins the Quebec provincial electron.
The Summer Olympics are held in Montreal. Romanian Nadia Comaneci, age fourteen, shines in gymnastics, winning three gold medals with seven perfect scores. In the United States, Jimmy Carter becomes president.
1978
Jacques Piante is inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
1978
The Italian Christian Democrat leader, Aldo Moro, is assassinated by the Red Brigades in Rome.
Molson Brewery purchases the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club.
John Paul II is elected Pope.
Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve of Berthierville, Quebec, wins the first Montreal Grand Prix.
Martina Navratilova dominates women’s tennis (and will continue to do so until the mid-80s).
1982
Gilles Villeneuve is killed in a collision during the pre-race trial runs for the Belgian Grand Prix.
1985
Piante is chosen as goalie of the Montreal Canadiens dream team.
Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds beats Ty Cobb’s 1928 record for the most base hits in a career. 1985
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes head of the Soviet Communist Party. His meeting with American president Ronald Reagan leads to an easing of Soviet relations with the West.
1986
Jacques Piante dies of stomach cancer on February 27th, in Geneva. He is buried in Sierre.
1986
In the Philippines, President Marcos is deposed and replaced by Corazón Aquino.
The Montreal Canadiens win their 23rd Stanley Cup, and the Habs’ young goaltender, Patrick Roy, wins the Conn Smythe Trophy. The world’s most serious nuclear power station accident occurs at Chernobyl in the Ukraine.
1994
Jacques Piante is inducted into the Quebec Sports Pantheon.
1995
The Montreal Canadiens club retires the number 1 (Jacques Plante’s number) from its uniforms.
Sources Consulted
This book is based on articles and columns in various newspapers and magazines, some of which no longer exist, and others of which are still going strong: The Gazette, La Presse, Le Journal de Montréal, Le Journal de Québec, Le Soleil, Montréal-Matin, La Patrie, Le Petit Journal, Parlons Sport, Hockey Québec, Sports, La Revue des Canadiens, Maclean’s, Nouvelles illustrées, etc.
Two books, one written and the other co-written by Jacques Piante were also valuable sources:
PLANTE, Jacques, Goaltending, Collier-Macmillan of Canada, 1972.
O’BRIEN, Andy, with Jacques Piante, The Jacques Piante Story, McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1972. Other books consulted were:
BEAUCHAMP, Jacques, Le Sport C’est Ma Vie, Éditions Québecor, Montreal, 1979.
BRODEUR, Denis, 30 ans de photographie, Éditions de I’homme, Montreal, 1993.
HOLLANDER, Zander, and Hal BOCK, The Complete Encyclopedia Of Hockey, New American Library, New York, 1983.
HUNTER, Douglas, A Breed Apart: An Illustrated History Of Goaltending, Viking, New York, 1995.
IRVIN, Dick, The Habs, An Orai History of the Montreal Canadiens 1940–1980.
Index
The page numbers in this index refer to the print edition of this book
All-Star teams. See National
Hockey League, all-star teams of
American Hockey League (AHL),
19, 27, 31, 41, 43, 209
Arenas, 118, 135
See also Boston Gardens;
Chicago Stadium; Detroit
Olympia; Madison Square
Garden; Maple Leaf Gardens;
Montreal Forum; Quebec
Coliseum; Shawinigan hockey
arena
Backstrom, Ralph (forward), 60, 74
Balon, Dave (forward), 120,124,
129, 133, 153
Baltimore Clippers, 140, 209
Bathgate, Andy, 74, 78, 84, 153,
190
Battle of the Tuque. See Plante,
Jacques, and his tuque
Béliveau, Jean “Big Billâ€(centre),
36, 51, 52, 62, 63, 69, 72, 74,
103, 111, 133,184, 191,192,
204, 205, 208, 209
Berenson, Red (forward), 146, 160
Blake, Hector “Toe†(player and
coach), 10, 36, 61, 62-63, 67, 68,
70-71, 78-80, 82, 83, 86, 97,102,
104,108,117-18,120,126,135,
191, 200, 205
Bleu-blanc-rouge. See Montreal
Canadiens
Boston Bruins (NHL), 42, 51-53,
56, 71-73, 81, 85, 99, 163, 164-65,
167,175-76,182, 211, 213
Boston Gardens, 52, 71, 118-20
Bouchard, Émile "Butch", 9,10, 81
Boudrias, André, 146, 148
Bowman, Scotty (coach), 145, 146,
148,159-60,161,163,166-67,
210, 211, 212
Broda, Turk (goalie), 26, 164
Buffalo Bisons, 40, 41, 204
Buffalo Sabres (NHL), 172, 212
Burchmore, Bill (businessman),
85-87, 206, 207
Campbell, Clarence (NHL president),
53-54, 88, 201, 205
Carlin, Frank (coach and
manager), 36, 101
Centres
See also Béliveau, Jean; Goyette,
Phil; Lemaire, Jacques; Mikita,
Stan
Chantigny, Louis (analyst and
writer), 129-31
Cheevers, Gerry (goalie), 173, 175
Chicago Black Hawks, 5, 9, 20-21,
28, 42, 64-66, 77-78, 87, 94-95,
103, 112-13,114, 155,156, 164,
204, 207
Chicago Stadium, 5, 7, 9, 20, 21,
118-19, 156
Coaches, 15,16,17, 38, 50, 83, 85,
150,167,175,181,184
See also Blake, Hector;
Bowman, Scotty; Carlin, Frank;
Eddolls, Frank; Imlach, Punch;
Irvin, Dick Sr.; Plante, Jacques,
as a coach and consultant;
Sullivan, George
Conn Smythe Trophy, 159, 165,
209, 216
Defencemen, 25, 42, 52, 61, 68,
127, 146, 160, 165, 191, 211
See also Gauthier, Jean;
Fontinato, Lou; Harvey, Doug;
Johnson, Tom; Langlois, Albert;
Marshall, Don; Norris Trophy;
Orr, Bobby; Pronovost, André;
Provost, Claude; Savard, Serge;
St. Laurent, Dollard; Talbot,
Jean-Guy; Tremblay, Jean-
Claude; Turner. Bob
Desjardins, Maurice (sportswriter),
36-37
DesRoches, Camil (publicity
agent), 59, 61, 73
Detroit Red Wings (NHL), 34, 51,
53-54, 56, 62, 63, 65-66, 71, 87,
112, 114, 134, 163
Detroit Olympia, 55, 119
Dressing rooms, 5, 7, 39, 92, 139,
149, 174
Dryden, Ken (goalie), 168, 191,
212
Dubois, Hector (physician), 53, 78
Durnan, Bill (goalie), 9, 26, 31, 34,
37, 50, 89, 97,115,191, 203, 211
École moderne de hockey, 168-69
Eddolls, Frank (player-coach), 40,
41
Edmonton Oilers (WHA), 186, 214
Equipment. See Helmets; Masks,
Nets; Sticks; Plante, Jacques,
equipment of
Esposito, Phil (forward), 163, 164-65,
174
Expansion. See Montreal
Canadiens, and league
expansion
Fans, 20, 28, 37, 59, 66-67, 77, 83,
84, 88,129
See also Montreal Canadiens,
and relationship with fans;
Plante, Jacques, and fans
“Flying Frenchmen.†See
Montreal Canadiens
Fontinato, Lou (defenceman), 108,
117
Forwards, 48, 60, 63, 96, 108, 112,
160, 173, 184
See also Backstrom, Ralph;
Balon, Dave; Berenson, Red;
Esposito, Phil; Geoffrion,
Bernard; Henderson, Paul;
Henry, Camille; Howe, Gordie;
Hull, Bobby; Lach, Elmer;
Lafleur, Guy; McDonald, Ab;
Mahovlich, Frank; Moore,
Dickie; Mosdell, Ken; Olmstead,
Bert; Pleau, Larry; Richard,
Maurice; Rochefort, Léon;
Ronson, Len
Francis, Emile “The Catâ€
(manager), 140, 156
Gamble, Bruce (goalie), 166, 167
Gauthier, Jean (defenceman), 108,
123-24, 146
Geoffrion, Bernard "Boom Boom"
(forward), 6, 51, 52, 55, 63, 70,
72, 84,103,120, 133
Goalies, 4, 5, 50, 63, 79, 81, 83, 85,
95,103, 117,125,148,154,155,
156,158,159,161,170-72,184-85,
198, 210
See also Broda, Turk; Cheevers,
Gerry; Dryden, Ken; Durnan,
Bill; Gamble, Bruce; Hall,
Glenn; Hodge, Charlie; Manigo,
Cesare; McNeil; Gerry; Parent,
Bernie; Plante, Jacques; Rayner,
Chuck; Rollins, Al; Sawchuk,
Terry; Simmonds, Don; Vézina,
Georges; Worsley, Lorne
Goalkeepers. See Goalies
Goaltending, 4, 35, 81, 97, 170-71
Goaltending, 171-72, 213
Goyette, Phil (centre), 60,124,129
Habitants. See Montreal
Canadiens
Habs. See Montreal Canadiens
Hall, Glenn (goalie), 63, 64, 65-66,
74, 93,103,114,119, 154,159-61,
163,164,211
Hart Trophy, 74, 103,116, 117,
165, 199, 208
Harvey, Doug (defenceman), 6, 7,
52, 60, 62, 63, 72, 73, 74, 94,
103,108, 111, 116,125, 127,
132, 136, 146, 160,161, 191,
192, 200
Head, Bill (physiotherapist), 73,
86. 102-03. 106
Henderson, Paul (forward), 174,
175
Henry, Camille (forward), 84, 120,
160
Helmets, 87,166
Hockey Hall of Fame, 106, 190-91,
215
Hodge, Charlie (goalie), 41, 50, 56,
60, 62, 99,100, 102,108,114
Howe, Gordie (forward), 7, 27, 63,
74,87,112,163,173,192
Hull, Bobby (forward), 81, 94-95,
112,114,116,156,157,163,
173, 192, 207
Imlach, Punch (coach), 141, 159,
161
Irvin, Dick, Sr. “Silver Eagle“
(coach) 6-8, 10, 38, 39, 42, 50-51,
52, 53, 55-56, 67, 127, 201,
204
Jacques Plante Story, 168, 212
Jacques Plante Trophy, 192
Joliat, Auréle, 13,38, 199
Johnson, Tom (defenceman), 6, 7,
28, 52, 60, 74, 111, 117
Lach, Elmer (forward), 9, 10, 31,
35, 61, 204
Lacrosse. See Plante, Jacques,
other sports of
Lafleur, Guy “Blond Demonâ€
(forward), 184, 212, 214
Langlois, Albert “Juniorâ€
(defenceman), 60, 108
La Patrie, 33, 126
La Presse, 32, 33, 36, 126-27,174
Larochelle, Claude (sportswriter),
185-86
La Soleil, 185-86
Laval-des-Rapides, Quebec. See
Plante, Jacques, homes of
Les Clorieux. See Montreal
Canadiens
Lévis Baseball League, 27, 203
Los Angeles Kings (NHL), 153,
154, 163, 210
McDonald, Ab (forward), 60, 160
McKenney, Don, 72, 120
McNeil, Gerry (goalie), 6, 7, 10,
26, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 41, 42, 50,
62, 64, 81, 113, 203-04
Madison Square Garden, 77, 80,
118-20, 134, 135-36
Mahovlich, Frank (forward), 163,
173,174
Managers, 5, 18, 24, 40-41, 119,
&n
bsp; 123, 127, 183-84
See also Francis, Emile; Patrick,
Murray; Plante, Jacques, as a
general manager; Pollock, Sam;
Selke, Frank
Maniago, Cesare (goalie), 108, 114,
117
Mantle, Mickey (baseball player),
27, 107, 206, 208
Maple Leaf Gardens, 118, 119
Maris, Roger (baseball player),
107, 208
Marshall, Don (defenceman), 60,
81, 124, 129, 130
Masks, 95
See also Burchmore, Bill; Plante,
Jacques, and his masks
Mikita, Stan (centre), 112, 114,
157
Minnesota North Stars (NHL),
153, 210
Minor Leagues, 19, 41, 48, 101,
124, 169
Molson Breweries, 141, 146, 150,
154, 156, 157, 209, 215
Montreal Canadiens, 4, 9, 17, 26,
27, 28, 29, 31, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40,
41, 42, 43, 56, 99, 100, 102, 103,
108,111-12, 117, 136, 144, 154,
155, 164, 179, 187, 191, 192,
204, 204-05, 214, 215
farm clubs of, 62
See also Buffalo Bisons; Quebec
Citadels
in the glory years (1955-1960),
57-75, 77-89, 205-07
and relationship with fans, 49-50,
55, 67, 68, 80, 86, 101, 117
and the riot, 51, 53-55
trade Plante, 120-34
training camps of, 30, 107-08,
109,111
Montreal Forum, 28, 34, 51, 53-54,
59, 65, 67, 68, 119, 133, 136,
138, 147, 147, 149, 174, 191, 211
Montreal Junior Canadiens, 19, 26,
145-46, 147-50, 202, 210
Montréal Matin, 112, 127
Montreal Nationals. See Plante,
Jacques Plante Page 17