Examining A Wartime Habs Myth On Rememberance Day

"He's (Maurice Richard) just a wartime hockey player".

This quote came from the mouth of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Frank Selke in the mid 1940's, when Richard scored 50 goals in 50 games while World War II raged overseas. While the assumption went more or less undisputed at the time, the notion that Richard was simply a wartime hockey phenominon took root and gained ground outside of the province of Quebec.

Canadiens coach at the time, Dick Irvin Sr.'s rebuttal after the war ended years later amounted to, "We'll the war must still be ongoing, because Richard is still scoring."

While the Rocket never again enjoyed the torrid 50 goal pace he set in the 1944-45 season, he did top the 40 goal mark in three of the following six seasons. Often injured, and playing in newly elongated schedules, the Rocket's scoring feats were practically given an asterisk by Selke's initial comments in the day.

Years later, when Selke moved his talents from the Maple Leafs front office to the Canadiens organization, the perception was rarely put forth by him ever again. Instead, it became Leafs owner Conn Smythe's propaganda in assessing the entire Montreal Canadiens team of era, going so far as to render the club war time cheaters in a sense.

The 1943-44 season was a campaign in which the NHL teams lineups were most drastically affected by players enlisting in the World War II service. The enlisting affected the composition of all six clubs, watering down the product in many views. Several teams lost core elements and the Canadiens were greatly criticized at the time, as it seemed on the surface that the Habs lost less talent than others did to the war.

Smythe, a veteran of the first world war, became a Major in World War II, and served overseas in the 1944 season. Chapters and books have been written recounting Smythe's valiant efforts on behalf of his country. He was without a doubt, a true Canadiens wartime hero.

Where Smythe becomes full of himself, is in his battlefield war of words aimed at the Montreal Canadiens on ice success that built while he was off serving his country. He never quite accepted that the Canadiens gained ground on Toronto while he was not at the helm of the team. Smythe never let go of his notion that the Canadiens organization profited from the perceived weaknesses of others to become an NHL power in the mid 1940's.

In truth, as one can see, the Canadiens did lose a great deal of talent to the war. In the end, what the team ultimately did, was manage their club resources more shrewdly with the war on the horizon.

Around the NHL, the impact of war was severe. The Boston Bruins lost the services of the entire "Kraut Line" of Woody Dumart, Milt Schmidt, and Bobby Bauer after the 1941-42 season. That year the trio had accounted for a total of 41 of the clubs 160 goals, and the Bruins finished third in the standings with 56 points, four behind the league leading Rangers.

The following season, in 1942-43, minus the "Kraut Line", the Bruins finished second, four back of the Red Wings, but scored a whopping 195 goals, an increase of 35 in the absence of their top line. This season, Bruins players would hit the net with even better accuracy, counting for 223 goals, while surrendering a dreadful 268 against.

Losing the "Kraut Line" it could be said, hardly hampered their offense.

In New York, the Rangers also sacrificed a top trio to the war effort, with brothers Mac and Neil Colville, flanked by Alex Shibicky, missing in NHL action starting in the 1942-43 season. In 1941-42, the line's last season together, the trio accounted for 42 goals. In truth, the Colville brothers line were the Rangers second line, as the trio of Phil Watson, Bryan Hextall, and Lynn Patrick, aged 27, 28, and 29 respectively, accounted for 71 goals that season.

What hurt the Rangers most, was the loss of 21 year old rookie goalie "Sugar" Jim Henry to the service, as their goals against ballooned from 143 to 253 in a single season. New York went from 171 goals scored, down to 161 goals that season, but the Watson, Hextall, Patrick trio still packed some punch, hitting the net 63 times between the three of them. In Henry's absence, the Rangers record dropped to 29-7-2 to 11-31-8. In 1943-44, the Rangers employed a horrifying 34 players, while grounding themselves to a 6-39-5 record.

The Maple Leafs were also affected by players having been enlisted in the army. The Leafs lost goaltender Turk Broda and top scorer Syl Apps to the war. Each were undoubtably among the best at their positions in the early 1940's, and their losses surely hurt the team. Howie Meeker, a prospect who had yet to play in the NHL, enlisted and was hurt overseas in a shrapnel blast. Meeker recovered sufficiently to became the Calder Trophy winner in 1946-47.

In 1942-43, the Leafs third place standing involved a 22-19-9 record, while the team scored 198 goals. With Broda in goal, the Leafs allowed 159 goals against. In the 1943-44 season, minus the skills of Broda and Apps, Toronto held onto third place with a 23-23-6 record, only one point shy of their previous regular season. Their goals for increased by 16 goals to 214, while their goals against jumped by 15 to 174. The subtraction of Apps from the lineup was more than made up for by the additions of Calder Trophy winner Gus Bodnar (22-40-62 in 50 games) and rookie George Kennedy (26-23-49 in 49 games).

The Detroit Red Wings were most fortunate in 1942-43. With a lineup that featured neither young stars enlisting, and veterans just old enough to avoid service in the military, they finished second to the Canadiens with a 26-18-6 record for 58 points, a drop of 3 points from 1942-43

The Chicago Blackhawks, a perenial doormat in these times, were mostly unaffected by the war. The season total in both seasons held status quo at 49 points.

What was generally suspiscious to Smythe and others, was the Canadiens going from a record of 19-19-12 in 1942-43, to a superlative season of 38-5-7 in 1943-44. In his mind he smelled a rat, and he blamed the notion that Canadiens players appeared to be the least involved in the war. He spoke his views loud and long enough for them to take hold and became truth to many, but as is often the case, history was simply becoming a version of truth supplied by the loudest historian with the largest pedestal.

If one does not believe the Canadiens contributed to World War, it is surprising to learn that only 8 of 27 players employed during the previous 1942-43 season returned to the club in their record setting year. Many of their elements were off to war, and all that remainded from the club were Maurice Richard, Toe Blake, Elmer Lach, Butch Bouchard, Buddy O'Connor, Leo Lamoureux, Ray Getliffe, Glen Harmon. Only Blake and harmon had made a legitimate name for themselves by this point in their NHL careers.

Richard had tried to enlist, twice, in previous years, but had been turned away both times due to severe injuries suffered in games. Lach also failed his physical. Blake at 32, and often injured himself, fell into the same situation. To the surprise of many, the three who had rarely played together gelled incredibly well. The following season, they would finish 1-2-3 in scoring.

Missing from the previous 1942-43 season, were a core of up and coming stars and able veterans. Joe Benoit, Alex Smart and Smiley Meronek, all set for promising careers, were sent overseas. Benoit had contributed 30 goals and 27 assists the previous year. Smart scored three goals in his first NHL game. Meronek had 9 points in a short 12 game stint before leaving the team early in the 1942-43 campaign. Marcel Dheer, a fourth younger talent also joined rank.

All Star defenseman Ken Reardon was the Canadiens most significant loss, and he was joined by Gord Drillon, a 28 goal scorer acquired from Toronto two seasons prior.

Between Drillon and Benoit alone, the Canadiens were down 58 goals from the loss of their two best shooters - a fact seldom noted in hockey history books.

In a controvercial trade, the Canadiens acquired Montreal born Rangers forward Phil Watson, who had been initially restricted to playing games only on Canadiens soil due to the terms and duties of his enlistement. Over the course of the season, his restrictions were lifted, and he would appear in all games with the Habs. The Canadiens however, paid dearly for his services for one season, sacrificing all of veterans Charlie Sands, Fern Gauthier, John Mahaffy, Dutch Hillier and Tony Demers to acquire Watson.

Perhaps in the final tally, it could be seen that Canadiens General manager Tom Gorman simply managed his club better than anyone else. In hindsight, good fortune and a shrewd knack for talent spotting served him well

When Gorman had taken over the run of the team in 1940, the Canadiens were on the brink of folding due to hard times from the Depresssion of the 1930's. Slowly, Gorman assembled a group of talented players, and they were destined to make the club a league power sooner or later. Injuries to players had stunted this development, and the Canadiens were in fact overdue for a breakthrough season in 1944. Many things, the war nonwithstanding, had fallen into place for the 1943-44 season.

Two off - season moves Smythe made, or in fact didn't make, greatly affected the Canadiens this season.

Having lost goaltender Turk Broda, one of the best in the game, to the war, Smythe loaned the Canadiens Paul Bibeault for a season instead. The price was cheap, as Bibeault was a stiff who'd worn out his welcome in Montreal. A few seasons earlier, Smythe lost Broda's heir apparent in a training camp decision. The goalie, a Toronto native in the Leafs own backyard, would star for the Canadiens in the next seven seasons.

Bill Durnan, the game's only ambidextrous stopper in history, was perhaps the biggest reason the Canadiens turned their fortunes around. He was simply amazing in his rookie season as a 27 year old. In truth few hockey men saw Durnan coming, but soon he would win six Vezina trophies in seven season with Montreal.

Gorman was fortunate with Smythe's next oversight. In the middle of the 1943-44 campaign, the Canadiens GM called around the league to find some interest for an often injured forward he had on his hands that he was unsure would amount to very much. Every team including Toronto failed to make the Canadiens a substancial offer for the so called brittle player.

Returning to the lineup early in the 1944 calandar year after missing four games with another injury, Maurice Richard caught fire once placed with Blake and Lach. He made up for lost time quickly, scoring 23 goals in his final 22 regular season games. He would add 12 more in nine playoff games as the Canadiens captured the Stanley Cup.

Who knew?

Richard would go on to shatter every scoring record in the game while defining the Canadiens organization for generations with his fiery, empassioned play. The Canadiens were lucky - Smythe and four other NHL organizations couldn't have known.

Years later, Smythe made great attempts and offers in the hundreds of thousands to acquire Richard, but the Canadiens would never part with him. He plotted it in some detail, getting the Toronto mayor to honour Richard for various feats, and often spoke of the possibily of making an offer to the media. At one point, a Toronto paper even printed a mock up photo of Richard in the Leafs blue woolies. The courting never amounted to anything serious. Tampering rules would prevent such a thing happening today.

Smythe never admitted to his oversights, just as he was always prepared to brag and take credit for everything his right hand man Selke achieved. It was not in his charcter to admit defeat, as he was a warrior through and through. Credit to others would simply not come from a man as proud as Smythe.



















When the Canadiens came up for discussion with Smythe, the questions always turned to how, in his opinion, the Canadiens basically cheated during wartime.

Smythe often underlined that a Canadiens director named Len Peto, had found war time factory work for the Habs players in a Montreal plant that built products for the war, thus helping to keep them from front line duty. This may have been a case putting the cart before the horse, as the Canadiens players doing factory work were refused by the military, but still sought to do their part for the war effort. Smythe, it could be said, did not overlook the convenience of twisting the truth when it came to serving his own needs.

It is doubtful that he ever got over missing out on Rocket Richard. When Smythe was off serving at war, he liked Selke to inform him of prospective deals. In fact, it is often said that when Selke fleeced the Canadiens of Ted Kennedy that year without first consulting Smythe, it would later lead to a feud, resulting in his termination in Toronto because Smythe had not been advised.

In Toronto, once the talent pool accumulated by Selke ran dry, the Maple Leafs under Smythe's full reign, endured an 11 year Cup drought from 1951 to 1962 - an eternity back in the day.

It is just the character of some people, that when they can no longer boast of themselves, they seek to tear another down. That might just be the bottom line in the long held story of the war time hockey player on the team of cheaters.

For more information on hockey during wartime, and an example of the thoughts above, check out Joe Pelletier's Greatest Hockey Legends' "War and Hockey History".

Lest We Forget!



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Who Were Habs Butch Bouchard And Elmer Lach?

If you watched the ceremonies (of course you did!) prior to the Canadiens home opener on Wednesday, you were no doubt treated to the first wave of pomp and circumstance having to do with the Canadiens one hundreth anniversary.

As the old saying goes, only the Montreal Canadiens and the Catholic Church truly understand ceremony. If you've been a Habs fan for any length of time, you know that the Canadiens do this well simply because practice makes perfect.

I always liked the comparison to the church - kinda like God and the Habs, hand in hand.

For the younger generation, watching such things as the centennial unfold has got to be quite the series of discoveries.

I have a younger friend of mine, who has been a Canadiens fan for about 10 years, who is just now starting to get caught up in the history of the team. Each time he sees me, he almost runs to me with a new curiosity.

I can tell there is a Habs related question just by his expression.

When did this or that happen? Who was the guy that used to wear number 12? How come, in my EA Hockey '09, there's a Habs goalie that catches with both hands?

T.J. is a fun kid to talk Habs with, cause he's so inquisitive. He's a real pleasant chat, a studious listener. and has the fun habit of enunciating Vezina like "vagina".

I was thinking of him, and youngsters his age while watching the Canadiens unveil the Ring Of Honour on wednesday. They must wonder aloud who all these legends are, and why anyone would still care today.

The simple truth is that the Canadiens, unlike some other organizations when they change regimes, do not forget their history. Their fans do not allow them to forget their history. Their history does not let the team forget it's history.



























"So who were those two old geezers at center ice for the ceremonial faceoff?"

"Ninety year old versions of Gretzky and Pronger", I offer, to a twisted look and a raised eyebrow.

Emile "Butch" Bouchard and Elmer Lach were the best in their time, that being the 1940's to mid 1950's, and they marked the game and their era by making such lasting impressions that, in 2008, what they achieved translates into long, more than deserved ovations by the gathered fans.

Don't take it from me - I wasn't even close to being there!

I first heard these names at the foot of my father's coach.

"He's good, but he's no Butch Bouchard!"

"Elmer would have found that open winger!"

Over time, through reading tons, the odd clips, and testemonials from the day, the impact of Lach and Bouchard on Canadiens history is easily rendered.

From the mid 1930's to 1941, the Canadiens were such a dismal operation, that they bordered on extinction. Had it not been for the cross town rival Montreal Maroons being even worse, the Canadiens in fact might not exist today. Believe it or not, the team was tanked so badly by brutal management (The Canadian Arena Company owned both the Maroons and Habs.) that it seriously contemplated a move to St. Louis. NHL wisdom, led by the Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe, stood up against such silliness.

By the early 1940's, the Canadiens needed heroes, and some serious salvaging. They slowly began getting their act together, and pieces one by one, began falling into place.

The Canadiens team of that era, was not unlike the Habs squads from 1996 to 2003. Both edition's desperately searched for direction.

In 1940, Montreal received a gift from the Toronto Maple Leafs, when they fired head coach Dick Irvin Sr. At Irvin's first training camp that fall, a centerman named Elmer Lach from Saskatoon, was given a tryout. Irvin knew how to recognize talent.

Lach had also slipped through the Leafs fingers. After Toronto's Smythe termed Lach a "peanut" to his face, Elmer bolted town with his tryout money in hand. Two seasons later, he easily impressed Irvin with his smooth passes and reckless demeanor. Accompanying Lach by train was another hardnose warrior, defenseman Ken Reardon.

One camp later, in 1941, it was Bouchard's turn to impress the coach. Bouchard had played in the Canadiens system for a season, showing surprising progression for a kid who had only begun skating at age 17. Four seasons later, he wanted to make the Canadiens so badly, he would bike the roughly 25 km trek from Longueuil to the Habs camp in St. Hycinthe. Not only was the youngster in better physical shape than most veterans on the club, Bouchard had the strength of an ox and the perseverance of a mad bull.

When Irvin teamed Bouchard with Reardon, and Lach with veteran Toe Blake and a rookie named Maurice Richard, the Canadiens quickly became competitive and respected. Their darkest age, was now in the past. Not long thereafter, the Canadiens became acquainted with glory, winning Stanley Cups in 1944 and 1946, while Lach and Bouchard became perenial All Stars.

Lach won the Art Ross Trophy twice, and the Hart Trophy once, and had three first team All Star nods to go along with a pair of second team merits. In 1954, he retired as the NHL's all time leader is assists and points.

In Bouchard's day, the Norris Trophy had yet to be awarded, but his stature in the game is shown by his four successive All Star team berths, starting with the second team in 1944, followed by three first team awards from 1945 to 1947. As coach Irvin had often stated, had there been a Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP in the day, his vote in '44 and '46 would have gone to Bouchard.

What characterized both players was their toughness in the trenches. They achieved their iconic statures because they were warriors without compromise. Bouchard was not only one of the bigger and tougher players of his era, but he never hesitated to let his size speak, threaten, and hinder. As fearsome as he was on the ice, he soon became the ultimate leader off the ice and in the Canadiens fan community.

Lach was often a daredevil on skates. His fearlessness led to an injury plagued career, but only in extreme cases did it keep him from game action. During his time Lach broke elbows, wrists, ankles, and fractured his skull. His nose bore the brunt of his recklessness, though bent and twisted as it was, the player was a persevering non complainer who lived to compete. Somehow, through all this, coach Irvin nicknamed him "Elegant Elmer", because of his on ice prowess.

The roles played by Bouchard and Lach on the ice were a mere fraction of their contribution. They were cornerstones in launching the Canadiens into greatness.

By 1943, the Montreal Canadiens were nothing more than one of six NHL teams, differentiated perhaps by a Flying Frenchmen flavor. They had won four Stanley Cups in 33 years of existance, as the NHL's oldest franchise, but the clubs that joined the Canadiens in the late 1920's were rapidly gaining ground. The Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins had won three Cups, and the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks had a pair of championships to their credit, at that point.

In the following decade, the Canadiens would leave the other five clubs in the dust in terms of Cups wins. Much of the credit for the Canadiens greatest seasons and accomplishments are often found under the resumes of Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Jean Beliveau - and rightly so!


























While there is no denying the individual greatness of these two Habs icons, it is perhaps lost to history what influence and example Lach and Bouchard laid as groundwork.

Lach was the centerman on the Punch Line, perhaps hockey's greatest trio ever. On the left side was a devilishly driven Toe Blake, who reached his potential as a player while centered by Lach. Blake surely learned a great deal about the game in his most productive seasons, and what he garnered in observations surely translated into the excellent coaching career that followed.

Elegant Elmer was also the Rocket's centerman. In the season that Richard scored 50 goals in 50 games, Lach was the NHL's leading scorer with 26 goals and 54 assists. The assist mark and point total, while not having the Rocket's benchmark headline worthiness, were amazing accomplishments in their own right. At season's end, Lach was awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP. In today's hindsight, it seems an erroneous choice given what Richard did, but at the time the merit sought to award what was at the core of greatness. While some may have grumbled that the award passed Rocket by in his greatest moment, no one has ever disputed that Lach was the grease that kept the wheels turning.

It should be seen that Lach was the churning gear that propelled the Rocket's motor. That truly is Lach's legacy - lighting the Rocket's fuse!

Butch Bouchard's passing of the torch is much more testimonial that it is statistical. In fact, it might even be something more felt than it was seen, more emotional than it could ever be thought or pondered.

Emile Bouchard, through his on ice accomplishments, transcended for many, what it implied to be a Quebec born Montreal Canadiens player. Prior to him, few wore the jersey with more pride and distinction, or matched his commitment and dedication to what the CH logo represented in the hearts of locals.

Bouchard was a lunchpail common whose work ethic not only inspired, but provided a crystal clear vision for a great many Montreal Canadiens hopefuls. His contribution to the club is as vital as that of Georges Vezina, Didier Pitre and Newsy Lalonde's in establishing the hockey team's identity some thirty years earlier

After seven seasons in the league, Bouchard inherited the team's captaincy from Blake, and the example he set laid out a template for every team captain who followed.

He was gracious, accommodating, respectful, persevering and yet, humble. Bouchard met all public functions, represented the club with a dignity rarely seen for a hockey player, and sought to give something back to his community well before it was advantagious to a player's public persona to do so.

In his time, he used his name to help build outdoor rinks in impoverished areas of the city of Montreal, where the city's poorer kids could play hockey. He was a trailblazer in such notions. Hockey's millionaires of today do such things in recognicent blinks, without sacrificng an ounce of sweat. Bouchard made it his mandate. All he was doing then, on a salary that was far less than his overall worth, was giving back.

The 2008-09 Canadiens organization honoured his endeavors without mentioning his name, when they announced they would build five outdoor rinks in the Montreal area.

Bouchard allowed and accepted all such demands and intrusions into his life with grace, decency and a compassion for his public - one that absolutely adored him in his day.

Today, Butch Bouchard is often remembered as the Montreal Canadiens first Quebec born captain. What he truly gave as a player and person, is best epitomized in the man that became Jean Beliveau. In class and substance Bouchard was Beliveau's template.

Elmer and Butch were pillars - the cement of the foundation that is the Montreal Canadiens.

Cement is heavier to raise to the glorious Canadiens rafters than cloth, but with a lot of hands pulling....

Numbers 3 and 16 in Lach's name, have more than earned their place among the greatest of Habs players.

Here's hoping that fate allows those jersey to go heavenly before their precious souls do.



Visit the Bouchard and Lach bios at the HHOF site, and at Bouchard's amazing fan site.

Also check out T.C. Denault's excellent piece on Bouchard at the Habs World site.

Playing On The Rocket And Gretzky's Wing

Have you seen this Invesco Trimark commercial yet?

It constantly airs on the NHL Network and while scanning the Greatest Hockey Legends site this morning I came across the investment company's site where you can actually do a simple photoshop, and place your name on a jersey next to The Rocket and the Great One.

The Invesco site does all the work and uploads the finished photo for you. Pretty neat stuff, eh?

I have myself a new screensaver!

I did a little additional photoshopping myself, and filled out the dressing room with the names of some friends.

All this pickup team needs now is a goon and a goalie!

For trivia buffs, which former NHL'er player against both the Great One and the Rocket?

Sneak Book Preview: "Honoured Canadiens"

As I was mentioning yesterday in one my posts, I have received through good fortune, an advance copy of the Hockey Hall Of Fame publication "Honoured Canadiens".

In a word ot two, the book is simply a treat.

Salivate, Habs fans!

Start singing "Oh, Christmas Tree!"

The 242 page testimonial to Habs greatness is a beautifully packaged and well written accounting of 54 individual careers.

If you have been following the Canadiens centennial updates, these profiles within are the 54 players, managers, and builders about to be honoured in the Habs "Ring Of Honour".

The book is chronologically paced by year of Hall Of Fame induction, beginning with Howie Morenz and ending with Patrick Roy.

The layout of pictures and text, as you will see below, is plain but stately. The design allows for photos, both iconic and candid, as well as for the individual bios, to speak for themselves.

The cover wrap features an embossed CH logo and the inner sleeves contain black and white photos tinted in blue.


















If ever you have owned previous publications by the Hockey Hall, I can assure you that this one Habs tome is la creme de la creme.

The photos are captivating for one thing, but accompanying text takes the book to another level.

Each individual player is documented with great precision and perspective. As you know, at this site, I have done much historical research into the hockey club, and when it comes to vital player information, this book leaves few stones unturned.

The player bios are all encompassing in their breadth. Beyond spelling out the player's careers, all their Canadiens stats are layed out. Depending on the player, a sidebar feature story either lets readers understand their uniqueness, or spells out the worthiness of their career achievements in numbers.

Every player or personality enshrined is given a minimum two page spread. Players whose contributions defined era's, are given additional text accordingly. The Rocket, as you would guess, owns a good ten pages to himself.

Iconic Habs, such as Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, and Guy Lafleur, are given the true star treatment. A two page spread of magazine cover shots from their respective era's will bring any Habs fan back to their youth.

Younger fans will be wishing they had time machines.

As the book is as glorious as the Montreal Canadiens tradition surely is, I have but one personal, miniscule qualm.

My hometown hero, Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde is given the minimum two page treatment, despite the fact that he helped define the Canadiens first two decades of existance.

One final note of mention, on the book's final page is a special serial number and invitation to a website that is yet to be on line. I sense additional goodies there, in time. Hopefully the copy you purchase has it as well.

Here are a handful....okay an All Star game's worth of hands full...of images from "Honoured Canadiens". This is the tip of the iceberg, folks.

I don't know about you, but it reminds me of time long ago, when a certain blue eyed brunette first uttered the words, "You know you want it!"