Jean Beliveau

Lore & Background

Béliveau was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, on August 31, 1931, the son of Arthur Béliveau and Lorette Dubé. He learned hockey on a backyard rink until age twelve. His first organized team was in a house league at L'Académie. At age fifteen, he entered college and played for its team and an intermediate team, the Victoriaville Panthers. In 1947, he joined the junior Victoriaville Tigres. Prior to the 1949–50 season he joined the Quebec Citadelles. He acquired the nickname "Le Gros Bill" from journalist Roland Sabourin, after the Quebecois film Le Gros Bill. In the summertime as a child, Béliveau also played baseball. At sixteen, Jean played for the senior league team in Val-d'Or, Quebec.

Reader's Guide

Béliveau was already a star at 15 when spotted by Canadiens general manager Frank Selke. He signed a "B-form" agreeing to play for Montreal should he ever decide to turn pro. He was called up twice for brief appearances by the Canadiens in 1950–51 and 1952–53. He led the Quebec Senior Hockey League in scoring in 1953.

At Selke's suggestion, the Canadiens' owners bought the QSHL and converted it to a minor pro league, forcing Béliveau to join the Canadiens for the 1953–54 NHL season. Béliveau retired at the end of the 1970–71 NHL season as his team's all-time leader in points, second all-time in goals and the NHL's all-time leading playoff scorer. He scored 507 goals and had 712 assists for 1,219 points in 1,125 NHL regular-season games plus 79 goals and 97 assists for 176 points in 162 playoff games.

His jersey number (#4) was retired on October 9, 1971. In 1972, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is now the second all-time leading scorer in Canadiens history, behind Guy Lafleur. Béliveau's name appears on the Stanley Cup a record seventeen times, including seven times as an executive for the Canadiens: 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1993.

He won two Hart Memorial Trophies (1956, 1964), one Art Ross Trophy (1956), and the inaugural Conn Smythe Trophy (1965). Upon his retirement, the Canadiens named Béliveau a vice president and director of public relations.

Did You Know?

• Béliveau won a combined total of 17 Stanley Cup Championships, 10 as a player and 7 as an executive, the most by any individual.
• He is tied with MLB legend Frankie Crosetti for the most combined championships in sports.
• In 2017, Béliveau was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.
• He twice declined Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s offer of a Senate appointment, as he believed legislators should only be elected.
• In 1994, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien offered him the post of Governor General of Canada, which he declined.

Early Life and Junior Development

Born to Arthur Béliveau, an electrician who worked for Shawinigan Water and Power, and Lorette Dubé, Jean moved several times in his youth before settling in Victoriaville at age six. He learned hockey on a backyard rink until twelve, then played for L'Académie's house league. At fifteen, he joined the Victoriaville Panthers and college teams. In 1947, he joined the junior Victoriaville Tigres, placing seventh in scoring with 75 points in 42 games during the 1948–49 season. He later joined the Quebec Citadelles, scoring 80 points in 35 games to finish second in league scoring behind Bernard Geoffrion. It was then that he acquired the nickname "Le Gros Bill." As a child, he also excelled at baseball, turning down a minor-league pro contract at age fifteen.

The Path to Montreal and NHL Debut

Frank Selke spotted Béliveau at age fifteen but faced resistance from his father regarding the standard "C-form" contract. Béliveau signed a "B-form" instead, committing only if he turned pro. He made brief appearances for the Canadiens in 1950–51 and 1952–53 while leading the QSHL in scoring in 1953. Selke eventually arranged for the Canadiens' owners to purchase the QSHL, converting it from amateur to minor professional status. This forced Béliveau to join the Canadiens for the 1953–54 NHL season under his existing agreement.

On-Ice Dominance and Historic Achievements

Béliveau became the fourth player in history to score 500 goals and the second to reach 1,000 points. His career stats include 507 goals, 712 assists, and 1,219 points in 1,125 games, plus 79 goals and 97 assists for 176 points in 162 playoff games. He won two Hart Memorial Trophies (1956, 1964), one Art Ross Trophy (1956), and the inaugural Conn Smythe Trophy (1965). He finished second in MVP voting four times and third once; for scoring, he placed second twice and third four times. His number (#4) was retired on October 9, 1971, and he entered the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Executive Legacy and Personal Life

After retiring as a player in 1971, Béliveau served as an executive for twenty-two seasons, winning seven additional Stanley Cups (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1993) for a total of 17. He was named vice president and director of public relations upon retirement. Personally, he married Élise Couture on June 27, 1953; they had one daughter, Hélène. He declined Senate and Governor General appointments to stay with his family, including two grandchildren whose father had committed suicide. Béliveau faced health challenges including cardiac issues in 1996, a neck tumor in 2000, strokes in 2010 and 2012, and cancer later in life. He died on December 2, 2014, at age 83 in Longueuil.