Maurice Richard

Born in Montreal in 1921, “the Rocket” became one of Canada’s most heralded hockey icons.  During his 18-year career with Montréal Canadiens, Richard won praise as a prolific goal-scorer. In 1944–1945 he scored 50 goals, the first player to reach that mark in National Hockey League history, and did so in only 50 games.  Richard led the Canadiens to eight Stanley Cup championships and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961, just one year after his retirement.  An intense, frequently aggressive player, in 1955 Richard was suspended by NHL President Clarence Campbell, a decision that angered fans and prompted rioting in the streets of Montréal.  When Richard died in May 2000, his body lay in state at Montréal’s Bell Centre, where over 100,000 people paid their respects to the hockey legend.