Claude Provost

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Lore & Background

Provost won nine Stanley Cups with the Canadiens and appeared in eleven NHL All-Star Games, the most by a player not in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Provost also holds the NHL record for the earliest goal in a period with four seconds. In the sixth game of the 1965 Stanley Cup semifinals, Provost scored the game-winning goal against Toronto in overtime. In the 'Original Six' era, he was one of 24 players to record five 50-point seasons.

In Their Own Story

The most dramatic moment of Provost's playoff career occurred during the sixth game of the 1965 Stanley Cup semifinals. Facing the Toronto team, the series hung in the balance as the game extended into overtime. Provost stepped onto the ice and secured a victory for Montreal by scoring the game-winning goal against Toronto in that extra period. This specific moment capped off a season where he was recognized as an NHL First All-Star Team member. Beyond this singular overtime triumph, his longevity was marked by consistency; he appeared in eleven All-Star Games from 1956 through 1967. In the 1967-68 season, his perseverance and dedication were formally recognized when he became the first recipient of the Bill Masterton Trophy. His career also featured a unique technical achievement: setting the NHL record for the earliest goal in a period with a score just four seconds into play.

Reader's Guide

Provost's All-Star Game appearances were in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1967. He was named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1965. He won the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1968. His Stanley Cup championships were in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969.

Did You Know?

• Provost holds the NHL record for the earliest goal in a period with four seconds.
• He scored the game-winning goal in overtime of the sixth game of the 1965 Stanley Cup semifinals against Toronto.
• Provost was the first recipient of the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1967-68.