Biography

Maurice Richard

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Maurice Richard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens. He was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in one season, accomplishing the feat in 50 games in 1944-45, and the first to reach 500 career goals. Richard retired in 1960 as the league's all-time leader in goals with 544. He won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1947, played in 13 All-Star Games and was named to 14 post-season NHL All-Star Teams, eight on the First-Team. In 2017 Richard was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

Richard, Elmer Lach and Hector 'Toe' Blake formed the "Punch line", a high-scoring forward line of the 1940s. Richard was a member of eight Stanley Cup championship teams, including a league record five straight between 1956 and 1960; he was the team's captain for the last four. The Hockey Hall of Fame waived its five-year waiting period for eligibility and inducted Richard into the hall in 1961. In 1975 he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. The Canadiens retired his number, 9, in 1960, and in 1999 donated the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy to the NHL, awarded annually to the league's regular season leading goal-scorer.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tango Papa

Richard beat Glenn Hall of Chicago to become the first NHL player to score 500 regular-season goals.
Scored his 326th regular-season goal against Chicago to surpass Nels Stewart as the NHL's all-time leader.
Richard was given a match penalty for deliberately injuring Hal Laycoe in a game against the Boston Bruins. A formal inquiry took place after which NHL president Clarence Campbell suspended Richard for the remainder of the season. This decision came when the Rocket was leading the NHL in scoring and his team, the Montreal Canadiens, were battling for first place. Outraged Habs fans pelted Campbell with eggs when he tried to take his seat at the Montreal Forum for a game against Detroit the following St. Patrick's Day. The crowd became so unruly that the game was forfeited to the Red Wings and the building evacuated. A riot ensued outside, causing $500,000 in damage and leaving some deep wounds, particularly among the Francophone community.
Richard became the first player in NHL history to score eight points in one game.
The NHL's first 50-goal scorer in (1944-1945.)

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