Elmer Lach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elmer Lach |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1966 | |||
Lach with the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1945
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| Born | January 22, 1918 Nokomis, Saskatchewan, Canada |
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| Died | April 4, 2015 (aged 97) Kirkland, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens | ||
| Playing career | 1940–1954 | ||
Elmer James Lach (born January 22, 1918 – died April 4, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played for 14 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). Elmer was a centre and was famous for being part of the "Punch Line." This amazing line included Maurice Richard and Toe Blake.
Elmer Lach was a top scorer in the NHL twice. In 1945, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league's most valuable player. He helped the Montreal Canadiens win three Stanley Cups, which is the NHL championship trophy. When he stopped playing in 1954, he was the NHL's all-time leading scorer. He was later added to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. To honor him, his jersey number 16 was retired by the Canadiens in 2009. In 2017, he was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' ever.
Early Life and Hockey Dreams
Elmer Lach was born in Nokomis, Saskatchewan, a small town in Canada. He was the youngest of six children. His parents came to Canada from Eastern Europe in 1910. Elmer's father worked for the town.
Elmer started playing ice hockey for his school team when he was 12. Even though his parents wanted him to go to church, he would often sneak away to play hockey on a local pond.
He began playing junior hockey with the Regina Abbotts in 1935. He later played for the Weyburn Beavers and the Moose Jaw Millers. He played hockey in the winter and baseball in the summer. He was known for his great passing and defense.
In 1937, Elmer Lach and another future Hall of Famer, Doug Bentley, tried out for the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the team's manager, Conn Smythe, thought they were too small. He called them "peanuts" and rejected them.
While playing in Moose Jaw, Elmer met Kay Fletcher, who would become his wife in 1941. They had one son, Ron, in 1945.
Playing for the Canadiens
Even though the Maple Leafs didn't want him, the Montreal Canadiens signed Elmer Lach in 1940. He was paid $100, which was a lot of money for him at the time. He didn't even expect to get a contract when he went to their training camp.
In his first season, he played 43 games and scored 21 points. The next season, he got hurt in the first game. He dislocated his shoulder and fractured his wrist. But he came back strong the season after, scoring 58 points in 45 games. In one game in 1943, he set a Canadiens record with six assists. This record still stands today!
In the 1943–44 NHL season, Montreal's coach, Dick Irvin, put Lach with Maurice Richard and Toe Blake. This line became known as the "Punch Line." They were incredibly good and dominated the NHL for four seasons. In their first season together, Lach had 24 goals and 48 assists. The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup that year, which was Elmer's first.
In the 1944–45 NHL season, Lach played all 50 games. He led the league with 80 points, including 54 assists. That same season, Maurice Richard became the first NHL player to score 50 goals in 50 games. The Punch Line scored a total of 220 points, which was an NHL record for many years. Lach won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player.
The Canadiens won another Stanley Cup in the 1945–46 NHL season. They beat the Boston Bruins in five games.
In the 1947-48 NHL season, Lach became the first player to win the Art Ross Trophy. This award goes to the player who leads the league in points. The Punch Line broke up when Toe Blake retired due to an injury. Lach himself announced his retirement in 1949 because of a broken jaw, but he returned to play the next season. He led the league in assists again in the 1951-52 NHL season with 50.
Elmer Lach won his third and final Stanley Cup in the 1952–53 NHL season. In the final game against the Boston Bruins, he scored the winning goal in overtime! During the celebration, Maurice Richard accidentally broke Lach's nose with his stick.
Elmer Lach was known for his incredible passing skills and speed on the ice. He was also very competitive and would fight hard to get the puck. He suffered many injuries during his career, including seven broken noses and three broken jaws. His health insurance even offered him money to retire because of all his injuries!
Life After Hockey
Elmer Lach retired after the 1953–54 NHL season. He had played 664 regular season games, scoring 215 goals and 408 assists for a total of 623 points. He also had 64 points in 76 playoff games. When he retired, he was the NHL's all-time leading scorer.
After playing, he coached the Montreal Junior Canadiens and the Montreal Royals for a few seasons. Then, he worked in sales and public relations for a transport company for 30 years.
He was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. In 1998, he was ranked among the top 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News. On December 4, 2009, his jersey number, 16, was retired by the Canadiens.
Elmer was married to Kay until she passed away in 1985. He later married Lise Desjardins. They enjoyed playing golf together. Elmer loved golf and played it well into his 90s.
Elmer Lach passed away on April 4, 2015, at the age of 97. He was the oldest living former Canadiens player at the time.
Images for kids
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The Broken Bone line: Maurice Richard, Elmer Lach, and Tony Demers in 1942.
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Elmer Lach in 1945.
