Bernard Geoffrion

Luckily, Geoffrion got a second chance with that team, and we now know how he proved what he can do during his great career of sixteen seasons in the major leagues. During fourteen of those years, he patrolled with great sprit at the right wing for the Canadians before leaving the active game in 1964 and becoming a coach for the Quebec Aces of the American League. The "Boomer" could not stay inactive, however, and returned to the game as a player in 1966, wearing this time the New York Rangers' colors. After two seasons, he became a coach for the "Blue Shirts," but his stay was short lived because he had to quit six months later for health reasons.

His persevervance and his thundering shot contributed to make him one of the highest scores in the history of the league, and he ended his career with a total of 393 goals, being precided only by Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, Bobby Hull, Jean Beliveau, Phil Espositio and six or seven other famous scorers.

Unlike the majority of players in his day, Geoffrion never plaed in the minor leagues. He jumped directly from the juniors to the Canadians in 1957, and he made his debut in the National League at a time when competition was very strong at a right wing, since Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe, amonst others, were continuously struggling against each other.

In 1961, Geoffrion became the second player to score over 50 goals during on season. Crowned champion scored twice, the "Boomer" distinguished himself by wining the Hart Trophy in 1961 for being his teams most useful player.

Most of his exploits can be attributed to his thundering shot. Goaltenders trembled when facing one of his powerful and fast shots. Al Rollins, the Chicago Blackhawks golie, said after a game against the Canadians and Geoffrion: "One of his cannonballs hit my leg pads below the knees, and that shot was so powerful, I though my toes were paralysed."

Bernard Geoffrion came close to losing his life in 1958, during a team pratice at the Forum. During a collision with a teammate, Bernard suffered a perforation of the intestine. He was rushed to hospital, and a few days later he was told by his doctors to forget about hockey until the end of the current season. The "Boomer" ignored the advice and returned to the game six weeks later, when he played the Boston Bruins in the finals for the Stanley Cup. This was the sixth - and was to be the last of the series - and Bernard not only scored the firrst and winning goals, but got one assist in the second. The sensational playing of Geoffrion permitted the Blue, White, and Red to win a third Stanley Cup in a row.

The Canadians' ex-number 5 has always been a proud man, and this is probally the reason he has never forgotten his beginnings with the juniours. He does not hesitate to say: "I never was a good skater, and I had to furnish an extra effort to be able to keep up with the others . . . but I proved to this man {the assistant coach mentioned above} that he made a mistake when he threw me out of the changing room.