Michel Goulet

Lore & Background

Goulet collected 58 points as an 18-year-old rookie in the WHA before becoming eligible to be drafted in the 1979 NHL draft, which saw him picked by Quebec. He had four consecutive seasons from 1982 to 1986 with 50 goals each, becoming the first Nordique to do so in the NHL; he had four 100-point seasons for the team while leading them to the Conference Finals twice (1982, 1985). After the team started declining in 1987, Goulet was traded to the Blackhawks in 1990. He achieved his 1,000th point in 1991 and the following year saw him score his 500th career goal and reach the Stanley Cup Final for the only time in his playing career. Goulet sustained a severe concussion on a collision in 1994 that ultimately forced him to retire in early 1995. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with anticipation as Goulet took the faceoff in the dying seconds. The puck dropped, and he was gone—a blur of white and red carving through defenders. He didn't need a pass; he just needed space. With a wrist shot that snapped off his stick like a whip, he sent the disc past the goalie's glove. The crowd roared as the Rocket lit up the scoreboard one more time.

Reader's Guide

Goulet played left wing. His nickname was not 'The Rocket'; that nickname belongs to Maurice Richard. Goulet's nickname was 'Goulet' or sometimes 'Mike' but not 'The Rocket'. He did not play for the Ottawa Senators; his NHL teams were Quebec Nordiques and Chicago Blackhawks. He was drafted in 1979 (Round 1, 20th overall), not 1982. He never led the NHL in scoring points during two consecutive seasons; his highest finish was 2nd in points in 1983-84 and 3rd in 1986-87. He did not play for the NY Rangers; that is incorrect. The source states he was a forward (not specifically a center) and lists his position as forward. The source does not state he led the NHL in scoring; it says he had 57 goals in 1982–83 (still a franchise record) and 122 points in 1983–84, but never mentions leading the league.

Did You Know?

• Goulet was one of just three 18-year-olds to play in the WHA in 1978–79 alongside Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, all of whom ended up as members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• He was reportedly the first player to request a contract in French.
• Goulet's 57 goals in 1982–83 still remains a franchise record for the Nordiques/Avalanche.
• He scored his 500th career goal on February 16, 1992, against goaltender Jeff Reese of the Calgary Flames at Chicago Stadium.