Léo Dandurand

Lore & Background

Dandurand moved to Canada at age 16 and attended St. Mary's College, where he played baseball, hockey, and lacrosse. After graduating, he worked in real estate and wholesale tobacco. His first sports investment was the Kempton Park racetrack in Laprairie. He was a referee in the National Hockey Association and involved with the St. Jacques minor hockey team. He represented at the founding of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1914 and is considered the inventor of the rule limiting concurrent penalties to two.

On November 2, 1921, Dandurand and partners Joseph Cattarinich and Hilarion Louis Létourneau bought the Montreal Canadiens from the widow of George Kennedy for $11,000. Under their ownership, the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup in 1924, 1930, and 1931. Dandurand coached the team until 1926 and again for the 1934–35 season, and served as general manager from 1921 to 1935. Létourneau sold his stake in 1930; Dandurand and Cattarinich sold the team in 1935 for $165,000.

Beyond hockey, Dandurand and his partners owned 17 racetracks across Quebec, Ontario, New York, Ohio, Delaware, Illinois, Utah, and Louisiana. In 1931, he introduced the daily double exotic bet at Connaught Park Racetrack. He was also a boxing and wrestling promoter in Montreal and a director of the Montreal Royals baseball team. In 1946, he founded the Montreal Alouettes football team with Eric Cradock and Lew Hayman; the Alouettes won the Grey Cup in 1949.

Reader's Guide

Léo Dandurand's significance lies in his multifaceted contributions to professional sports in Canada and the United States. As owner and general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, he guided the team to three Stanley Cup championships in the 1920s and 1930s, establishing the franchise as a powerhouse. His innovation in hockey—the rule limiting concurrent penalties to two—shows his direct impact on the game's structure. His induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963 as a builder recognizes these contributions.

Dandurand's influence extended far beyond hockey. He was a major figure in horse racing, owning tracks across multiple states and provinces, and introduced the daily double bet to encourage attendance. He also founded the Montreal Alouettes football team, which won the Grey Cup in 1949, making him one of only six people to have their names on both the Stanley Cup and the Grey Cup. The Leo Dandurand Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding lineman in the CFL's East Division, perpetuates his legacy in Canadian football.

Did You Know?

• Dandurand is considered the inventor of the rule limiting the number of concurrent penalties to two in ice hockey.
• He founded the Montreal Alouettes football team in 1946 with Eric Cradock and Lew Hayman.