Émile Bouchard

Lore & Background

Bouchard was born in Montreal, Quebec, and grew up poor during the depression. He did not begin skating until age 16, learning on rented skates before borrowing $35 from his brother for a complete set of hockey equipment. He chose hockey over banking when offered $75 a week to play senior hockey versus $7 at the bank. In the minors he played with the Verdun Maple Leafs, Montreal Junior Canadiens, and Providence Reds. His nickname 'Butch' was given by teammate Bob Fillion due to the resemblance of his last name to the English word 'butcher'. He arrived at his first Canadiens training camp in peak condition, having ridden a bike 50 miles to pocket the travel expenses. Before signing, he used his business acumen to discover what teammates Ken Reardon and Elmer Lach were earning, then negotiated a contract of $3,750—higher than either of them.

Reader's Guide

Bouchard's arrival in 1941 came when the Canadiens had not won a championship in ten years, attendance at the Forum was often below 3,000, and there was talk of folding the franchise. His physical play and body-checking prevented other teams from pushing Canadiens players around, reinvigorating the team and playing an important part in keeping the franchise in Montreal. He excelled as a defensive defenceman with superior passing skills, and his long breakout passes contributed to the Canadiens' firewagon hockey style. In 1943–44, he helped the Canadiens win their first Stanley Cup in thirteen years, allowing only 109 goals in the regular season. He was named to the NHL First All-Star team for three consecutive seasons. In 1948, he became the first Quebec-born captain of the Canadiens, a position he held for eight years—the longest tenure of any Canadiens captain at the time of his retirement. He mentored younger players and formed an effective defensive pairing with Doug Harvey, providing cover so Harvey could pursue offensive rushes. In retirement, he was active in business and community contributions, received the National Order of Quebec in 2008, and his No. 3 was retired by the Canadiens on 4 December 2009. On 30 December 2009, he was appointed to the Order of Canada.

Did You Know?

• Bouchard did not begin skating until age 16 and learned on rented skates.
• He once rode a bike 50 miles to his first Canadiens training camp to pocket the travel expenses.
• He negotiated a larger contract than teammates Ken Reardon and Elmer Lach by uncovering their salaries before signing.
• A fight involving Bouchard led to NHL referees being given the duty of breaking up fights for the first time.