Michel Goulet

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Goulet's fourth season with Quebec saw him record his first 50-goal season with a career-high 57 while adding 48 assists for 105 total points as he was named to the All-Star Game for the first of four straight seasons. His 57 goals that season still remains a franchise record. Goulet had his peak in total points with 122 in the 1983–84 season on the strength of 56 goals and a career-high 66 assists. He also had his longest streak of games with a goal with one in nine consecutive games from December 14 to January 5.

In Their Own Story

On February 23, 1991, playing his 878th game against the Minnesota North Stars at the Met Center, Goulet recorded his 1,000th career point with a goal in a 3–3 tie. Two years later, on February 16, 1992, he became the 17th player to reach 500 career goals against Jeff Reese of the Calgary Flames at Chicago Stadium in a 5–5 tie. That same season, Goulet led the Blackhawks to their only Stanley Cup Final appearance. Facing the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins, he scored his lone goal of the series in Game one to give Chicago an early 2–0 lead, though they were swept in four games. His playing career ended abruptly three days after scoring his final goal on March 13, 1994, against Vancouver. On March 16 at the Montreal Forum, he lost an edge going down the wing during a collision with Mike Goulet (Roenick), sustaining a severe concussion that forced his retirement in early 1995.

Reader's Guide

Goulet played his first professional season with the Birmingham Bulls of the WHA during the 1978–79 season. He scored 28 goals and 58 points. Following the NHL-WHA merger, Goulet was declared eligible for the 1979 entry draft and wanted to play for the Quebec Nordiques. The Nordiques held the 19th pick in the 1979 draft and elected to keep the pick and instead traded Chicago their first-round pick in the 1980 draft. As such, Goulet was drafted by the Nordiques. In his NHL rookie season, Goulet played in 77 games for the Nordiques, collecting 22 goals and 32 assists for 54 points. The following season he recorded 32 goals with 39 assists. In his third season, he played in all 80 games and improved further with 42 goals and 42 assists, leading the league in short-handed goals with six. Goulet's fourth season saw him record his first 50-goal season with a career-high 57. He had four consecutive 50-goal seasons from 1982–83 to 1985–86. Goulet was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on March 5, 1990. On February 23, 1991, he recorded his 1,000th career point. On February 16, 1992, Goulet became the 17th player to reach 500 career goals.

Did You Know?

• Goulet was one of just four 18-year-olds to play in the WHA in 1978–79 alongside Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri, 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.
• As a midget player, Goulet stole the key to the local arena in Mistassini to let himself skate for an hour at 5:00 in the morning, doing so roughly three times a week for over a year without getting caught.