Aurèle Joliat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aurèle Joliat |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1947 | |||
 |
|||
| Born | August 29, 1901 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Died | June 2, 1986 (aged 84) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
| Weight | 136 lb (62 kg; 9 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens | ||
| Playing career | 1922–1938 | ||
Aurèle Émile "Mighty Atom, Little Giant" Joliat (born August 29, 1901 – died June 2, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was a talented left winger who played for 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens.
Contents
A Hockey Legend: Aurèle Joliat
Early Days and Joining the Canadiens
Aurèle Joliat started playing organized hockey in 1916. He played for several amateur teams in places like Ottawa and Iroquois Falls, Ontario.
In 1922, Joliat was set to play for the Saskatoon Crescents. However, his contract was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. This happened because the Crescents wanted to sign a famous player named Newsy Lalonde.
At first, fans were not happy about trading a well-known player for someone new. But Joliat, nicknamed the "Little Giant," quickly showed how good he was on the ice.
A "Mighty Atom" on the Ice
In the 1923–24 season, Joliat helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup. They beat the Calgary Tigers in the finals. He then helped the Canadiens win two more Stanley Cups in 1930 and 1931.
Joliat was known as a great "two-way forward." This means he was good at both scoring goals and defending. Even though he was small (5 feet 7 inches tall and 136 pounds), he was very tough. He never backed down from a challenge on the ice.
His best season was in 1925. Playing alongside stars like Howie Morenz and Billy Boucher, Joliat scored 29 goals. This led the entire NHL! He also had a career-high 41 points that season. He continued to be a top scorer for the Canadiens until the 1938 season. He retired the next year, reportedly very sad after his friend Howie Morenz passed away.
Life After Hockey
Joliat finished his career with 270 goals and 460 points in 655 games. When he retired, he had played more NHL games than anyone else. This record stood until 1940.
He was honored by being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947.
In 1985, Joliat skated around the Montreal Forum during an Old-Timers game. Fans gave him a huge cheer. Even though he fell twice, he quickly got back up and finished his skate. He held his famous black cap in his hand.
Joliat loved to skate, even into his 80s, on Ottawa's Rideau Canal. He passed away in 1986 at age 84. He had just seen his beloved Canadiens win their 23rd Stanley Cup earlier that year. He was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa.
Amazing Achievements
- When he retired, Joliat was one of the top goal scorers in NHL history.
- He was ranked 65th on The Hockey News list of the 100 greatest NHL players of all time.
- He was named to the first NHL All-Star team in 1931. He was also named to the Second Team All-Star in 1932, 1934, and 1935.
- He scored the first ever recorded empty net goal in NHL history. This happened on January 21, 1932, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- He won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1934. This award goes to the NHL's Most Valuable Player.
- Even though he played in an era with shorter seasons, Joliat is still among the top goal scorers for the Canadiens.
- The Canadiens named him to their 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1984.
- His number 4 jersey was "co-retired" in 1984. This means it was retired for both him and Jean Béliveau.
Images for kids
-
Joliat received this replica Hart Memorial Trophy
