Gilles Marotte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gilles Marotte |
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| Born | June 7, 1945 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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| Died | July 26, 2005 (aged 60) Verdun, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks Los Angeles Kings New York Rangers St. Louis Blues Cincinnati Stingers Indianapolis Racers |
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| Playing career | 1965–1978 | ||
Jean Gilles "Captain Crunch" Marotte (June 7, 1945 – July 26, 2005) was a Canadian ice hockey player. He was a defenceman, which is a player who helps protect the team's goal. Gilles played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA). He was known for his tough playing style, which earned him the nickname "Captain Crunch."
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Early Hockey Days
Gilles Marotte was born in Montreal, Quebec. He started playing junior hockey in Quebec for the Victoriaville Bruins. Later, he joined the Niagara Falls Flyers in Ontario in 1963. He was a top player on the Flyers team that won the 1965 Memorial Cup. This is a big championship for junior hockey in Canada.
Both of his junior teams were connected to the Boston Bruins. This helped Marotte begin his NHL career with the Bruins in 1965.
Playing in the NHL
In 1967, Gilles Marotte was part of a very important trade in NHL history. He was one of three players sent to the Chicago Black Hawks in a deal that brought superstar Phil Esposito to Boston.
Marotte played for the Black Hawks for almost three seasons. In 1970, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. While playing for the Kings in 1971, Marotte was involved in an incident where rookie Darryl Sittler suffered a serious wrist injury.
Marotte was a strong player for the Kings. He even represented them at the 1973 National Hockey League All-Star Game. That year, he had his best season, scoring 45 points.
The next season, he moved to the New York Rangers. He played there for three years.
Later Career and Retirement
At the start of the 1976–77 season, the St. Louis Blues picked up Marotte. During this time, he also played in the minor leagues for the Kansas City Blues. This was the only time in his career he played outside the major leagues.
The next season, Marotte joined the World Hockey Association (WHA) to play for the Cincinnati Stingers. He was traded mid-season to the Indianapolis Racers. He finished his hockey career there in 1978, retiring at age 33.
Over his 13 years as a professional hockey player, Gilles Marotte played in 808 NHL games and 73 WHA games. He passed away in 2005 from pancreatic cancer.
Awards and Achievements
- QJHL First All-Star Team (1963)
- OHA-Jr. First All-Star Team (1965)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1973)
Career Highlights
Gilles Marotte played in over 800 NHL games. He scored 56 goals and made 265 assists, totaling 321 points. He also spent 919 minutes in the penalty box, showing his tough playing style.
